Systematic map report 2: The recovery approach in community-based vocational and training adult mental health day services
By Sarah Carr and Janet Clapton
Published: July 2007
Key messages
This systematic map focuses on the particular area of vocation, meaningful occupation and training in the reshaping of mental health day services. The map includes research on how community-based vocational and training adult community mental health services are implementing person-centred and recovery-based approaches. This is a report of the map and contains the main findings of interest.
- There is currently a lack of studies that use terminology associated with the recovery approach in vocational and training community adult mental health day services. Where such literature does exist, it is most likely to be from the US.
- There appears to be a general lack of robust UK evaluation research in this area. Few of the systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials identified were conducted in the UK.
- The research has generally not accounted for the concerns of carers and families, nor considered the needs of BME people who use services or people living in rural areas.
- More accurate information is needed on outcomes, mental health diagnosis and duration of mental health problems.
Context
The opportunity to have meaningful occupation (including paid and voluntary employment) and access to suitable training and support to achieve this is part of the mental health recovery model. The map includes research on how the recovery approach (or elements of it) can operate in community-based vocational and training adult community mental health services. This is a report of the map and contains the main findings of interest. The map provides an overview of research on:
- implementing the recovery approach in vocational and training-focused community-based mental health day services
- person-centred outcomes of recovery-oriented vocational interventions including user views
- effectiveness of interventions.
The systematic map has been undertaken by SCIE information managers and research staff, with consultation from the EPPI-Centre at the Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education and University of London.
Purpose
Systematic maps aim to describe the existing research literature on a broad topic area and also highlight any gaps in evidence. This topic has been chosen because it is an area that has been neglected in wider policy and practice debates, although it is central to strategic policy to improve access to work and training, reduce social exclusion and improve quality of life for people who have experienced mental health problems. The map database can be analysed in depth or more superficially as appropriate to individual projects. It has also been used to pilot SCIE’s approach to economic evaluation, by seeking information on the resource cost of such services. It is hoped that it will encourage readers to think about the role of vocational services in promoting recovery.
Audience
The map offers policy-makers, commissioners, practitioners and researchers an explicit and transparent means through which to identify narrower policy and practice-relevant review questions in this field.
Download map
See also The extent and impact of parental mental health problems on families and the acceptability, accessibility and effectiveness of interventions. This link takes you to a database on an external website, owned by the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating (EPPI) Centre. The database allows you to search for records within the systematic map, according to questions such as what type of setting an intervention used, and by freetext such as author names or particular topics. The questions relate closely to the particular research area being studied. The questions used are shown within the Search and Explore functions.