Developing a transition pathway between children’s and adult mental health services

The transition from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult mental health services is recognised as a period of risk for young people, since it is often marked by fragmented care and disengagement from services. This article describes the development of the Barnet 18-25 Transition Pathway, which was established to provide a structured, developmentally informed bridge between children’s and adult services. The pathway accepts referrals for young people with complex and potentially overlapping mental health issues, who are supported for six to 12 months by a transition keyworker and offered short-term therapeutic interventions. This gives them continuity of care, relational support and a sense of safety. This article outlines the background to the pathway and uses fictional case studies to illustrate its implementation in practice. Anecdotal feedback indicates that the pathway improves coordination and continuity of care and promotes both autonomy and emotional safety for young people.