Getting ready for April 2010 
The Government is committed to commencing the new duty to provide age appropriate environments for young people under the age of 18, subject to need, from April 2010. Although there has been remarkable progress by many areas, there is still a shortage in some areas of admission prevention and emergency CAMHS inpatient provision in some areas, and as a consequence, 16 and 17 year olds may still need to be admitted to an adult ward, albeit breifly, in an emergency. For some 16 and 17 year olds, an adult ward may be the most appropriate environment for them clinically and socially, but even in these 'atypical' appropriate placements, there are still important considerations for adult wards admitting minors.
The Royal Colllege of Psychiatrists Research and Training Unit has worked with young people, parents, clinicians and commissioners from AMHS and CAMHS to develop "Safe and Appropriate Care for Young People on Adult Wards'. The details of the work programme can be found on the children and young people`s programme page along with the report into the pilot
The AIM programme of accreditation has now built this into its accrediation programme, and wards which are admitting under 18s now and which may still do so post April 2010 can now be accredited.