In this episode of Mind the Kids, hosts Dr Jane Gilmour, honorary consultant clinical psychologist and Child Development Programme Director at UCL, and Professor Umar Toseeb, Professor of Psychology at the University of York, explore what happens when children and young people with severe or complex mental health difficulties are admitted to hospital.

Drawing on a powerful real-world case that sparked Umar’s interest, they ask: when is inpatient care really needed, what does a good ward environment look like, and how does admission affect young people and their families over time?

Jane and Umar are joined by Dr Dawn Cutler, Principal Clinical Psychologist, and Guy Larrington, Principal Family Therapist at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, who discuss:

• Which kinds of difficulties typically lead to admission (including mood disorders, suicidality, eating disorders, and functional symptoms)
• How clinicians weigh up risk, severity, and functioning when considering admission
• What day-to-day life on a child and adolescent inpatient ward looks like, including education, structure, and relationships with staff
• The role of nursing, family involvement, and “shared care” in creating a therapeutic environment
• How goal-based outcomes can capture what matters most to young people and their families

The episode also touches on neurodiversity in inpatient settings, systemic inequalities in who is detained, and the transdiagnostic skills and therapeutic relationships that can support recovery across diagnoses. This is a practical, reflective conversation for clinicians, researchers, and anyone wanting to better understand inpatient child and adolescent mental health care.

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