INTERACT - Child and Young Person Crisis Outreach Service
What is INTERACT?
INTERACT is a community service that works with children and young people, aged between 0 and 18, preventing or following a crisis situation, by providing a comprehensive assessment and bio/psycho/social interventions via a series of community face to face visits - in addition to any support/treatment already being received.
What do we do?
We work alongside Community Mental Health Teams within the London boroughs of North East London Foundation Trust.
INTERACT provides help to Young People during increased difficult/crisis points in addition to other Mental Health Services. We often co-work with families/carers providing psychoeducation and reassurance, while providing support and guidance of other professionals working with young people.
There are four main situations in which INTERACT services would be considered, which are as follows:
- This would usually occur after a young person’s admission on to a general hospital ward or a visit to A&E. Following an assessment the young person may receive Interact at home following discharge from the ward/A&E.
- When a decision has been made by the team at Brookside Inpatient ward or Young Persons Home Treatment Team (YPHTT), for a planned admission, INTERACT may provide short term support to bridge the gap between assessment and admission.
- Following discharge from Brookside (inpatient or YPHTT), it may be necessary for a young person to receive additional support/help, for a period of time, from INTERACT.
- When the limitations of a Community Mental Health Team have been reached which - means that a young person would require extra help.