RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Young victims of youth violence: using youth workers in the emergency department to facilitate ‘teachable moments’ and to improve access to services
JF Archives of disease in childhood - Education & practice edition
JO Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 53
OP 59
DO 10.1136/archdischild-2019-318251
VO 106
IS 1
A1 Wortley, Elizabeth
A1 Hagell, Ann
YR 2021
UL http://ep.bmj.com/content/106/1/53.abstract
AB There have been rising concerns in the UK about the levels of serious violence between young people, especially serious physical violence and knife crime. Interactions with young people in the emergency department (ED) at the time of injury provide an opportunity for screening and intervention in order to reduce the risk of repeat attendances. However, paediatricians and other healthcare workers can feel unsure about the best way to intervene. Embedding youth workers in EDs has started in some UK hospitals, making use of a potential ‘teachable moment’ in the immediate aftermath of an event to help change behaviour. Based on a rapid review of the literature, we summarise the evidence for these types of interventions and present two practice examples. Finally, we discuss how EDs could approach the embedding of youth workers within their department and considerations required for this.