Tips for providing a youth-friendly reception service

The first experience for a young person and family engaging with a youth mental health service is extremely important, and will hopefully be a positive one. Front-line staff, including reception or triage staff are imperative in making sure the therapeutic engagement starts on a positive note.

This toolkit provides an overview of environmental considerations for reception or entry areas in youth mental health services. It covers both the staff training and basic competencies, as well as the physical space and processes that young people and their families may encounter. It encourages simple changes to the space to make it welcoming to all people.