Abstract
Objective Recovery has become integral within mental health service delivery in the past decade. However, much of the policy on recovery has been based upon research with adults, specifically clinical populations with severe mental health difficulties. There is very little empirical research on young people’s recovery from mental health difficulties and little guidance for staff on implementing recovery within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This study aimed to explore how staff conceptualise and support recovery in their work with young people. Design A mixed-methods Delphi survey was used, conducted over a series of three rounds. Participants In total, 36 NHS health care professionals with experience of direct clinical work with children and young people with mental health difficulties took part. Results A high level of consensus was provided on a number of elements that define recovery and how it may be supported for young people. There was high consensus that recovery for young people related to self-empowerment and hope, as well as young people’s identity, separate from mental health difficulties. There was no consensus for aspects of recovery related to service user involvement. Regarding how recovery can be supported for young people participants placed emphasis on recovery as an ongoing process, the therapeutic relationship, and working with families and the network around young people. Conclusions/Implications Further research is needed to explore staff views of service user involvement in CAMHS, as well as to investigate how staff might understand recovery across the developmental range in CAMHS. The findings form the beginnings of a conceptualisation of what recovery is for young people and how it can be implemented, however, this is the first study of its type and research is required to further investigate the implementation of recovery-orientated practice in CAMHS.