Table 2 Content of referral letters for the four most common primary referral diagnoses

 Boys

80

(31.4)

84

(39.6)

311

(76.0)

338

(66.4)

 Referral age, median (IQR)

16.1

(14.5–17.1)

14.8

(12.1–16.4)

10.7

(7.2–14.1)

10.6

(8.0–14.8)

 Placement in care

16

(6.3)

6

(2.8)

15

(3.7)

38

(7.5)

 - General Practitioner

288

(89.4)

164

(77.4)

93

(22.7)

177

(34.8)

 - Other medical doctor

15

(5.9)

23

(10.8)

48

(11.7)

(10.6)

 - Educational psychologist

7

(2.8)

20

(9.4)

239

(58.4)

54

(47.7)

 - Case worker social services

5

(2.0)

5

(2.4)

29

(7.1)

243 35

(6.9)

 Combined (school, psychosocial and healthcare)

173

(67.8)

159

(75.0)

385

(94.1)

457

(89.8)

  - Extra attention from teacher

16

(6.3)

17

(8.0)

22

(5.4)

35

(6.9)

  - Educational psychologist involved

37

(14.5)

41

(19.3)

193

(47.2)

206

(40.5)

  - Part time support teacher in class

≤4

(≤1.6)

9

(4.3)

48

(11.7)

62

(12.2)

  - Full time special needs education

18

(7.1)

26

(12.3)

93

(22.7)

112

(22.0)

  - For the child

105

(41.2)

89

(42.0)

76

(18.6)

86

(16.9)

  - For the parents

14

(5.5)

10

(4.7)

48

(11.7)

82

(16.1)

  - For both the child and parents

5

(2.0)

6

(2.8)

9

(2.2)

18

(3.5)

  - Allied health professionals

4

(1.6)

7

(3.3)

97

(23.7)

73

(14.3)

  - Medical doctor

44

(17.3)

55

(25.9)

108

(26.4)

135

(26.5)

 - Academic level

37

(14.5)

39

(18.4)

31

(7.6)

37

(7.3)

 - Cognitive testing

11

(4.3)

32

(15.1)

281

(68.7)

321

(63.1)

 - Academic problems

12

(4.7)

6

(2.8)

83

(20.3)

138

(27.1)

 - Absence on some days

46

(18.0)

37

(17.5)

48

(11.7)

68

(13.4)

 - Complete school absence

34

(13.3)

45

(21.2)

41

(10.0)

19

(3.7)

 - Self-harm

20

(7.8)

7

(3.3)

21

(5.1)

25

(4.9)

 - Suicidal ideations

105

(41.2)

18

(8.5)

29

(7.1)

26

(5.1)

 - Self-harm and suicidal ideations

51

(20.0)

4

(1.9)

9

(2.2)

14

(2.8)