The Haven Project in Liverpool is an early assessment and intervention service based in schools. It is funded via the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) grant system and is part of the CAMHS service provided by Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. The needs of vulnerable children and young people − including asylum seekers and refugees − have been highlighted as requiring targeted interventions with specialist expertise applicable to their unique circumstances (Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2008; Department of Health (DoH), 2010). In particular, the recent No Health Without Mental Health recognises both the long-term benefits of early intervention and the need for specialist services for refugees and asylum seekers (DoH, 2011).
‘Asylum seekers and refugees − have been highlighted as requiring targeted interventions with specialist expertise’