Ms Karla Charles:

I mentioned considering an holistic and multidisciplinary approach and the fact we need to put the child at the centre. The Deputy spoke about the adult filling in the form, but where possible, it is better to speak to the young person and hear directly from him or her. In the meantime, while we wait for an assessment and referral to take place, other interventions could be considered. We could examine providing creative therapies that may even just help to bridge the time gap that exists. I acknowledge there is a shortage of staff across the board and the issue is with trying to secure more funding and bodies in posts. We need to consider the matter creatively and always bear in mind we need to keep the young person at the centre.