Criticism over teenage death in care

The death of a young islander in care has prompted recommendations to improve mental health care provision in Jersey.

At least seven recommendations are expected, following a serious case review into the death of a teenager who took his own life in 2013.

At his inquest on Thursday, experts from the UK outlined several concerns.

Those included inadequate co-ordination between departments and insufficient electronic record-keeping.

Damian Allen, from Community and Social Services, told the coroner, Viscount Michael Wilkins, that many of the recommendations had already been adopted.

The coroner described the teenager as highly intelligent, sensitive, and much-loved.

The serious case review referred to at the inquest will not be published but the lessons learned will be made public in 2015.

Inquests in Jersey record narrative verdicts, which do not apportion blame.

In July, the health department announced it would build a new mental health unit for young people.

That followed a separate report which was critical of youth mental health care in the island.