CONTAINING PERSECUTORY ANXIETY: CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC COMMUNITIES

Abstract

There is a serious problem between CAMHS and black and minority ethnic communities, in particular their lack of access to these services, but this is often denied and/or avoided in the practice of CAMHS professionals. This paper explores the reasons for this. It argues that the inaccessibility/way of functioning of CAMHS, is a defence against its members experiencing persecutory anxiety from engaging with black and minority ethnic people. Whilst avoidance and other defences give some relief to staff, it however damages their confidence and prevents them from realising to the full their capacity for concern and for helpful action. This thesis is illustrated and discussed through examples.

Keywords:

• access
• anxiety
• defences
• paranoid‐schizoid
• social defence system
• race‐equality
• racism containment

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank my friend and colleague Martin Kemp for his helpful critical comments and suggestions with this paper.