Perceived need for services

Perceived need for services

Parents and carers were asked about whether their children received the services they needed for emotional and behavioural problems, and whether they had unmet needs or they had no need for services. They were also asked about the barriers to seeking help or receiving more help where their needs were not fully met.

• • Just over one quarter (26.8%) of parents and carers reported that their child or adolescent needed help for emotional or behavioural problems in the previous 12 months.
  • Of those who had a need for help, four out of ten (42.9%) had their needs fully met and 27.3% partially met.

Service needs of young people with mental disorders

• • Nearly four fifths (78.6%) of 4-17 year-olds with mental disorders were reported as needing help in the previous 12 months. Three quarters (73.8%) of these had their needs for help fully or partially met.
  • Counselling was identified as being needed more often, with two thirds (68.1%) of 4-17 year-olds needing counselling and two thirds of these (67.7%) having their needs fully or partially met.
  • One third (36.0%) of 4-17 year-olds needed life skills training, but for the majority (60.9%) this need was not met.
  • Met need increased with severity, with parents and carers reporting that 84.2% of those with severe disorders and 81.8% of those with moderate disorders had their needs for help fully or partially met.
  • Parents and carers received a variety of help themselves to assist them with dealing with their children's problems. This included information, counselling, parenting courses, respite care and support groups - 61.0% reported they needed this kind of help and for 78.1% their needs were fully or partially met.