Healthy Minds: A child and adolescent mental health research project: What are the mental health needs of Bradford's Pakistani Muslim children and young people and how can they be addressed?

Abstract

This report was commissioned by the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (MDC) Directorate of Social Services; the aims and objectives are presented in section two, but simply stated the research seeks to determine the mental health needs of Bradford’s Pakistani Muslim children and young people and, based on the findings, recommend ways in which those needs can be addressed.

It is important to mention here that the research was commissioned following a Joint Planning Team recommendation that noted a lack of information around the mental health needs of Bradford’s ‘Asian’ population. A population that makes up a sizeable component of Bradford and yet whose children and young people are significantly under represented in Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). In recognition of the complexity of cultural, religious, language, geographical regions of origin and socio- economic experience encompassed in the term ‘Asian’ (Patel K, 2000) the decision was taken to concentrate on the Pakistani Muslim community, which is the largest minority ethnic group in Bradford.

This introduction will, therefore, through narrative and through a review of the relevant literature, seek to prepare the ground for the views of the professionals, young people, children, parents, carers and community members that follow this chapter. It will paint a broad demographic picture of the UK’s and Bradford’s Pakistani Muslim population; bearing in mind the universal environmental, family and child risk factors as identified by the Health Advisory Service (HAS. 1995) identifying those specific to the Pakistani Muslim population in the Bradford Metropolitan District; and discussing the impact of the findings, negative and positive, on the mental health and mental health needs of the children and young people of this population.