Interagency collaboration between CAMHS and EPS: insights from Danish educational psychologists – a national study

Children and adolescents with mental health issues often navigate multiple services, making effective inter-agency collaboration crucial for cohesive care and support across sectors. This study explores the collaborative practices between educational psychologist services (EPS) and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) from the perspective of educational psychologists (EPs). Using a triangulation approach that integrates both quantitative and qualitative data, the research offers a comprehensive understanding of these collaborative dynamics. Three hundred and fifty-three Danish EPs completed an online survey, revealing low collaboration frequency with CAMHS and a neutral to negative quality rating on the Perceptions of Interprofessional Collaboration Scale for Children with Multiple and Complex Needs (PICOCC: M = 4.158). The key barriers identified were time constraints and lack of resources. Additionally, the immense focus on diagnoses and referrals to CAMHS often overshadows EPs’ work, limiting a holistic understanding of the child and hindering inter-agency collaboration. Practical implications, strategies for enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and suggestions for future research directions are discussed.