Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to (a) treat and (b) prevent depression in young offenders institutions.

NHS England has responsibility for commissioning health services in young offenders’ institutions (YOIs). NHS England has worked closely with the Royal Colleges of Paediatrics and Child Health; General Practitioners; Nursing; Psychiatrists and Forensic Medicine and has used their standards for children and young people in secure settings as a basis for national service specifications for the health services commissioned in YOIs.

A key component of this is that the service should deliver child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) which meet the emotional and mental health needs of children and young people accommodated within the secure setting, based on clinical need. Children in secure settings are entitled to service provision that is equivalent to that available for children living in the wider community, within the constraints of the secure environment.

CAMHS cover early intervention, mental health promotion, prevention and treatment for the full range of mental health needs and care after discharge from a secure placement, including transfer to inpatient or adult services.

The CHAT (Comprehensive Health Assessment Tool) is used as a health screen for all children and young people entering the secure estate to assess individual health need and identify those needing a full mental health assessment.