Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Children with learning disabilities are recognised as being at increased risk of developing mental health problems or challenging behaviour. The need for mental health services for this group of children, while acknowledged, has been inadequately addressed by child mental health services and adult services for people with learning disabilities and mental health problems. Services designated for this group of children have to be able to offer a comprehensive assessment of the problems that the children present with, on‐going short‐ and long‐term management and dissemination of information to other professionals. This paper outlines a model of service provision for these children.