Recruitment and retention of privately contracted allied health practitioners in youth mental health

The demand for skilled youth mental health workforce rapidly growing across Australia. Central to a responsive youth mental health service is the establishment and maintenance of an appropriately skilled and engaged multidisciplinary team who will meet the needs of the young people and families they work with.

This toolkit focuses on the growing privately contracted workforce in youth mental health and as such has three parts. It explores the factors influencing the recruitment and retention of privately contracted allied health practitioners, factors that may influence the service’s appeal to potential employees, and finally considers the strategies for creating a youth-friendly and welcoming environment.