The Youth Mental Health in Residential Care project was borne out of identified barriers that young people in residential care experience while trying to access mental health services.
The project, funded by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH), was undertaken to identify the challenges for young people in residential care to access timely mental health services and to engage in cross-sector collaboration to identify systemic change.
DFFH and providers of youth residential care and mental health services in Wodonga and Wangaratta worked together in recognition of the need for a system change project to address these issues.
The research identified the barriers and system assets for young people in residential care engaging with mental health services.
This research incorporated surveys, interviews, cross-sector roundtables, and youth voice case examples.
We are excited to launch the Youth Mental Health in Residential Care report: A research and systems improvement project for young people in North East, Victorian residential care to increase access to mental health services.
The report can be accessed here.