European Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) practical guidance for clinicians and mental health services regarding child to adult mental health service transitions and managed discharge at the service boundary

The European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) clinical guidance on transition supports care across the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) and adult mental health service (AMHS) boundary throughout Europe. It outlines practices, procedures, and service environments to promote appropriate, safe and timely transition of young people from child and adolescent to adult mental health services or alternative care settings. The guidance addresses planning, decision-making and discharge management at CAMHS and, where needed, continuity in AMHS. The development of the guidance followed established methodological standards for clinical guidance production, combining evidence review, patient and public involvement (PPI), and expert consensus through a structured four-stage process. The guidance is presented in two parts: Part 1 covers six key domains of transition practice, while Part 2 targets service improvement. Intended primarily for clinicians and service managers and providers, the guidance also offers useful information for young people and their families. To enhance local relevance, countries should adapt recommendations to national service and policy contexts.

Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00787-026-03006-6.