Supporting Children and Young People Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis - easy read version

Age range

Children and young people means people aged 12 to 18 years old. This includes up to the age of 26 for young people who have been in care. This document also includes important information for parents, carers and wider families.

At 12 years a child may be able agree to medical treatment. At 18 a young person is seen as an adult by many services.

We know that those aged below 12 years old can also have a mental health crisis. Not all kinds of support would be acceptable for this age group.

The right help and support should still be available for any child or young person who needs it. This is in line with GIRFEC and children’s rights.

Older teenagers may start to use support services for adults. A 16 to 18 year old could be given a bed in an adult mental health ward, for a short time, if no beds are available in an adolescent unit.

There is guidance for doctors and nurses to make sure the young person still receives the support and treatment they need if they are given a bed in an adult mental health ward.

Children and young people of different ages show they are having a crisis in different ways. They might be worried, sad, upset, angry, aggressive, or not eat or drink.

Crisis can show itself in many different ways and may be a way of managing how children and young people are feeling. They might run away, put themselves in dangerous situations, or harm themselves.

Higher risk groups

Some groups of children and young people are at more risk of crisis than others. They might have extra needs because of bad childhood experiences. This can be made worse because of inequality.

Children and young people may belong to more than one high-risk group. This is why a person-centred approach is important to help understanding and meet each person’s needs.

We know that inequality and being treated unfairly can stop people accessing support. All services should make sure they are accessible to all, understand different cultures and meet different needs.

This means making sure that services are available in many ways to reduce barriers around access. This could mean giving support and information in different languages.

We know that neurodivergent and disabled children and young people can have different ways of showing they are in crisis. These include not communicating, poor health and not coping with big life events.

Neurodivergent children and young people with learning needs may face extra challenges accessing crisis support. Services must think about physical and communication needs to offer inclusive care.