This is part of a national transformation programme led by NHS England, which has been developed in collaboration with young people and parent/carer experts by experience and and experts by profession from a range of specialist services. This includes general adolescent units (GAU), paediatric intensive care units (PICU), low secure units (LSU), eating disorder services and elements of the under 13s children's service.
The intention is to redevelop regional, specialist wards into more flexible, local services that can better meet the individual needs of all children and young people in the local area.
The national developmental service specification, which will be included in contracts for GAU, LSU, and PICU services from April 2026.
The new specification aligns with three shifts described in ‘Fit For the Future:10 Year Health Plan for England’. It describes a radical rethinking of specialised children and young people's mental health care to enable services to be delivered as close to home as possible while allowing for a shift in care from hospital to community and a focus on prevention rather than sickness.
To support the implementation of the developmental service specification, the Provider Collaborative has set up a project oversight group, working with provider partners and the ICBs.
The developmental specification aligns closely with the Provider Collaborative’s clinical strategy and existing portfolio of alternative to admission services, including Closer2Home and COAST (Intensive Home Treatment Services), Spring Tide and Blake (ED Day Services).
