Pilot implementation tf-CBT for CEYP
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The cross-sector pilot implementation of trauma-focused CBT for children in care with posttraumatic stress disorder
IRAS ID
307056
Contact name
Rachel Hiller
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 30 days
Research summary
Young people in care cannot live with their family, because it is too unsafe. They might not have had enough food to eat or a safe space to sleep. Some might have been abused or seen lots of violence.
Many of these children are struggling with mental health difficulties. One such difficulty is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can develop after someone has been through trauma, like abuse or other situations where they felt very scared for their life or someone else’s life. People with PTSD experience symptoms that include “flashbacks”, which are memories of their trauma that make them feel like they are in danger again. They might also have thoughts like, “I can’t trust anyone” or “nowhere is safe”. They might have trouble sleeping or listening in class. If they don’t get help with these symptoms they can become worse and make lots of things very difficult – like making friends and doing well in school.
We have a very good treatments available that research shows can help children to recover from these problems, called trauma-focused cognitive behaviour therapies. But we know that many children with care-experience, who have PTSD, won't get this treatment Our project is about saying that young people with care experience deserve our best evidence-based treatments. Treatments that have been researched and are the best way for children to be supported to overcome their mental health difficulty, like PTSD. We will work with services who give mental health treatments to children in care, and help them to look at whether their children have PTSD, and if they do, give them the best evidenced treatment.
This project will help us understand why services might or might not use evidence-based treatments and how this can be changed, to help the mental health of these young people.
REC name
London - Hampstead Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/LO/0361
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jun 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion