Needs-led child and youth care: Main characteristics and evidence on outcomes

Abstract

a b s t r a c tNeeds-led child and youth care has three main characteristics: a continuous focus on clients' needs, client participation in the care process (including decision making), and practitioners' displays of needs-led attitudes and skills. The primary aim of this review was to establish whether there is evidence for using a needs-led approach when working with children and families in need. We performed a literature search to find reviews and outcome studies of child and youth care for school-aged children and their families which included the core characteristics of needs-led care, and related them to outcome measures. Only a few studies attributed positive outcomes of care to the attention given to clients' needs and goals. Most studies referred to participation in terms of clients' involvement or engagement. Higher levels of participation were associated with positive changes in child behaviors and parenting stress, client satisfaction, higher completion rates, safety for children, feelings of well-being and empowerment, and better service coordination. Significant professional attitudes and skills included listening to clients and working in active partnership with them. There is some proof for the relevance of core characteristics of needs-led child and youth care, although that evidence is limited by the lack of rigorous studies. This study indicates that needs-led child and youth care can make a difference. Future research should pay attention to the intertwinement of the characteristics of the needs-led approach in care.

Enrolment of children in psychosocial care: problems upon entry, care received, and outcomes achieved

“…Evidence is also lacking as to whether care outcomes vary depending on the alignment of type of problems with type of psychosocial care. Such knowledge is needed to optimize the access of children and adolescents to psychosocial care, to deliver care that is need-oriented, and to improve care outcomes [ 4 – 7 ].…”

Adolescents with different life problems seeking help before and after the introduction of a low-threshold service model: a Finnish qualitative study

“…Furthermore, a previous study indicated that children and adolescents want to feel that they are taken seriously (van Bijleveld et al 2015). This finding is contrary to needs-led child care (Metselaar et al 2015) and "child-friendly care" guidelines (Lenton et al 2014). The main characteristics of this approach are: focusing on clients' needs, enabling them to participate in the care process, including decisionmaking, and employees displaying needs-led attitudes and skills (listening to clients and working in active partnership with them) in daily practice (Lenton et al 2014;Metselaar et al 2015).…”

Art Therapy for Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Development and First Evaluation of a Treatment Programme

“…Moreover, the involvement of parents as a contribution to treatment for children diagnosed with ASD is recommended (Boer & Van der Gaag, 2016;Hungate, Gardner, Tackett, & Spencer, 2018;Van Rooyen & Rietveld, 2017). Research shows that an active participating role of clients in mental health care services generally contributes to achieving positive outcomes (Metselaar, Knorth, Van Yperen, Van den Bergh, & Horstman, 2016;Metselaar, Van Yperen, Van den Bergh, & Knorth, 2015).…”

“…Clients are an important source of information about, for instance, the connection of a treatment with the children's needs. For research aims children's feedback may contribute to improvement of the intervention (Metselaar et al, 2015(Metselaar et al, , 2016.…”