Teenager with mental health problems sent to live more than 100 miles from her family - because there's no facility for her in Wales

A family has spoken of their heartache as their teenage daughter has been sent to live more than 100 miles away to be treated for mental health problems – as there is no suitable facility in Wales.
Chloe Jones is one of 27 children who have been placed outside of Wales for mental health treatment in the past two years.
The 16-year-old is currently being treated at the high dependency unit at Huntercombe Hospital in Maidenhead after her family were told that their nearest facility – Ty Llidiard near Bridgend – was unable to cope with her.
The English hospital is 125 miles away from the family’s home in Cardiff, and her parents Debbi and Anthony don’t own a car so have to rely on the kindness of friends and family to give them a lift to Berkshire
.
Chloe, from Ely, began experiencing mental health problems at the age of 13, and in the past three years her symptoms have escalated so much tht her parents had to take her to the University Hospital of Wales’ A&E several times.
The teenager was diagnosed with severe depression and psychosis which spiralled out of control when she joined secondary school.
In June, Chloe was transferred to Ty Llidiard after cutting her wrists at school but two weeks later she was transferred to Huntercombe Hospital where she stayed for nine weeks.
Her mum, Debbi, 41, told WalesOnline about the family’s continual struggle to keep Chloe safe and to try and get her the best treatment possible.
“She went from a happy-go-lucky child to being so withdrawn,” said Debbi, a housewife.
“I was getting phonecalls to come and get her from school.
“The self harming started with scratching, constant scratching. The school helped as much as they could and Chloe was seeing a counsellor at St David’s Hospital in Cardiff, but she needed more intense treatment rather than a counselling session every couple of weeks.”
In the past year, Debbi and Anthony have taken Chloe to A&E around five times, even requiring a police escort on two occasions.
“At the hospital Chloe would just be asked if she was calm and wanted to return home,” added Debbi. “It was just putting a bandage on the situation.
“I didn’t feel safe having her home and we were trying everything we could to help her.
“We stayed over at Ty Llidiard, but she had to be moved after the staff said they couldn’t restrain her when she was having one of her episodes.
“She hears voices and she also self-harms by banging her head to try and get rid of the voices. They told me it took 10 people to hold her down, How can that be possible? She’s a 16 year-old girl. At one point she’s been on three types of sedatives.”

Chloe's parents Debbie and Anthony

Chloe was back home and settled during October, but after celebrating her 16th birthday last month she was taken back to Ty Llidiard before being moved onto Huntercombe on November 22 – and since then dad Anthony hasn't been able to visit Chloe while her mum hasn't seen her for two weeks.
Both will be visiting their daughter today, but fear they will not be able to afford another trip for Christmas.
“Our family has been ripped apart and Chloe doesn’t know if she’s coming or going,” said Debbi.
“It costs money for teenagers like Chloe to be sent to England for treatment, why can’t they use that money to get the right treatment for her in Wales? This will happen again and again to other families.”
Debbi and Anthony, a swimming pool worker, are unable to claim travel expenses to visit their daughter and whereas at Bridgend there are facilities for families to stay with their children, there are none at Huntercombe so the couple must also fork out for an hotel.
A spokeswoman from the mental health charity for young people, Young Minds, said sending Chloe away from her family could be making her condition worse.
“You should take what the child wants into account,” she said. “Chloe wants her parents one minute, then her space the next. Her condition is being exacerbated by the fact that she is placed far away from home.”
The boss of Welsh mental health charity Hafal said the provision of mental health services for young people in Wales was “worrying.”
Chief executive Bill Walden-Jones said: “The overwhelming majority of first episodes of psychosis will occur among young people between the ages of 16 and 30.
“The Royal College of Psychiatrists highlights that the earlier the disorder is treated, the greater the chance of a successful recovery.
“If left untreated, there is greater disruption to the person’s family, friendships, study and work and an increase in the incidence of unemployment, depression, substance abuse, criminal activity and self-injury.
“At Hafal we have long recognised the problem of insufficient services for young people in this situation.”
Dr Paul Davies, assistant director of operations (mental health) at Cwm Taf Health Board says there are not enough young people in Wales suffering with specific mental health issues to require a local specialist unit.
He said: “Ty Llidiard provides inpatient care for children and young people up to their 18th birthday who have a range of mental health problems.
“It provides 24/7 care to a level where general mental health problems can be successfully treated.
“However, there will be some occasions when a minority of children and young people, who have highly complex mental health conditions, require a specific treatment programme that can only be offered in a specialist unit.
“Because the number of young people suffering from these complex conditions is not high, there are only a small number of units providing this level of intensive care within the UK.”
The Welsh Government said the Health Minister had met with Chloe and her mother and was “sympathetic” to their situation and said it was rare.
A spokesman said: “Almost every child in Wales who needs mental health treatment receives it in Wales.
“In rare and exceptionally complex cases, doctors may decide that it is in the best interests of the child to be treated in a facility where their particular needs can be met.
 “Figures  provided by The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, who fund out of area placements on behalf of the LHBs, suggest that  for 2012/13 only a total of 27 children, for all mental health conditions from across the whole of the country, were placed outside of Wales for a variable length of time.”
Children’s Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler said the case was “regrettable.”
“The best interests of the child or young person should be at the centre of the decision-making process and that out-of-area placements should be considered as the last resort,” he added.
“Whilst appreciating the limitations, ideally children and young people should be treated as close to home as possible in order that they are able to maintain their right to family life whilst accessing the specialised treatment they need.  It is regrettable that this is not yet the case in Wales.”