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Table 2 General recommendations for transition of care from children’s to adult services

From: Recommendations for the transition of patients with ADHD from child to adult healthcare services: a consensus statement from the UK adult ADHD network

1. Clear transition protocols should be developed jointly by commissioners, CAMHS/paediatric services, AMHS, primary care, and other agencies as relevant to facilitate transition and ensure that standards of care are maintained during the transition period.

2. These protocols should specify timeframes, lines of responsibility, who should be involved, how the young person should be prepared, and what should happen if AMHS are not able to accept the referral.

3. Protocols should allow for flexibility in the age of transition so as to accommodate developmental needs and stages, but there should be explicit referral criteria and service provision. Ideally, transition should occur at a time of clinical stability. Patients should not have to relapse or have worsening mental health in order to continue to be able to access services.

4. Transition protocols should be available to all clinical teams and should include psychoeducational material that provides high-quality, comprehensive, impartial and appropriately written information for both young people and their parents and carers. There is a need for more age-appropriate psychoeducational material for patients at the transition stage. This material should include information about ways that young people can manage their own symptoms and problems, and access advice and support. Information should also be developed in a media format that is readily accessed by young people, e.g. use of phone applications and internet sites.

5. The needs and wishes of parents/carers should be respected and their ongoing involvement with the young person negotiated. Some parallel services that can provide information and support for parents/carers during the transition period may be required.

6. Efforts should be made to inform and educate allied professionals who may come into contact with young people with ADHD for the first time during the transition period, e.g. forensic medical examiners and those working in the probation services and in correctional units and prisons.

7. Healthcare jurisdictions should be encouraged to use similar care pathways and outcome measures across different patient age groups.