The Link Team will discuss the young person’s situation with the referring professional. If it is thought to be generally well-managed and there is a strong professional network in place, the LINK team may reaffirm the actions already taken. The team may also be able to organise access to other appropriate services.

All professionals are welcome to contact the service again regarding the same young person if they still have concerns.

There may be several professionals who are working to support a young person with complex needs.

A single or multiple agency consultation could involve, among others, a social worker, CAMHS Mental Health Practitioner, Youth Offending Services, Pupil Referral Units or staff from educational settings.

The group would meet to develop a joint or collective understanding (sometimes known as ‘formulation’) of the young person’s needs. A care plan would then be developed and reviewed to ensure that it is supporting them.

There may be certain situations where a young person needs further clinical assessment.

If this is not immediately available elsewhere, an experienced clinician from the relevant county Link Team will carry this out. This could be a psychologist, psychiatrist or occupational therapist.

As part of this they will look at the young person’s wider home, school and social environment.

In certain cases, where this is not immediately available elsewhere, a Link team will take on the case management of the young person, working with other professionals.

The young people will take part in helping to develop and review the cross-agency plans. Direct intervention might also include medication monitoring, psychological, educational/occupational and youth work input.

In Oxfordshire the youth work is being provided by RAW Workshop. This is an organisation that makes high-quality furniture from wood and also operates as a social enterprise.  Around three quarters of their workforce have had issues with homelessness, addiction, criminality or adverse childhood experiences, among others.

Advocating for young people is part of its ethos. RAW works in partnership with the NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and also with colleagues in Thames Valley Police.  Through RAW Educate it offers young people who have been excluded from school or who are at risk of exclusion, opportunities to gain qualifications in Maths and English and in design and technology as part of their Alternative School Provision.

Sam Lockhart, Youth Worker Manager in the CAMHS team said: “Wherever they are and whatever they are facing, RAW offers young people the dedicated, caring and professional support that leads towards a happier and healthier future.

“We’ve worked with hundreds of young people and we know that every single of them has a unique set of circumstances and experiences. That’s why we take time to listen and to deeply understand every young persons’ feelings, challenges and hopes. Working closely with all our colleagues in the Link team, we then tailor our support to each individual and remain dynamic, responsive and relentless in our approach to making a real difference to young lives.”

Social Business | Raw Workshop | Oxfordshire | United Kingdom (raw-workshop.co.uk)