Section 5
Kevin Littlewood is not recorded as making any significant verbal threats or displaying There was no evidence in the documentation available to the Panel nor from witnesses' This is repeated in her contribution to the Parents Views
Unfortunately the Panel did not have an opportunity to explore these comments with Kevin's According to Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust policy a risk assessment was triggered by an episode of self harm, arrest and involvement of the Cleveland Diversion Team, and admission to a psychiatric unit.
At the time of Kevin Littlewood's involvement with the mental health services, the Options Team and the Cleveland Diversion Teams operated Risk Assessment Policies. Each Team had designed and used its own Risk Assessment Proformas.
The report from Brierton School supporting psychiatric referral in 1997 describes Kevin Littlewood as a generally uncooperative, disruptive and disrespectful boy of average ability. Bullying of younger pupils in association with other pupils is mentioned but no actual physical aggression.
to excite Kevin Littlewood. They were of the opinion that he focused on these as a way of
shocking and gaining attention. An example was a boast that he had stolen and killed a
hamster that proved unfounded upon investigation.
physical aggression to others at the Woodlands Unit, Sunningdale School, the Roseberry
Centre or at St. Paul's Project. He was described by the staff at all of these establishments as
an emotionally immature, anxious and rather vulnerable youth who displayed attention
seeking behaviour and who sometimes responded to frustration and anger by injuring himself
a minor way and by taking overdoses.
statements of severe or repeated acts of cruelty, sadistic violence or explosive violent
outbursts.
In May 1998 Kevin Littlewood's mother had described him to the staff at the Woodlands Unit
as being physically aggressive and confrontational at home and had mentioned two episodes
of brandishing knives at his siblings.
Section of the Statement of Special Educational Needs Form completed in August 1998 when
she adds her concern that he may hurt himself or someone when he loses his temper.
mother as she failed to respond to the invitation to meet the Panel.
On20th.
September 2000, Kevin Littlewood's father wrote to the Consultant Psychiatrist at the Roseberry Centre expressing his concerns about his son's mood swings, his panic attacks, his self harming and destructive behaviours, and his inability to properly look after himself. He expressed the view that his son required 24 hour care. The only reference in this letter to harm to others was the statement that when upset Kevin Littlewood hit himself and could hurt himself or others. In his evidence to the Panel Kevin Littlewood's father stated that his son had never behaved violently towards him although he was at times destructive towards property.
Risk Assessment
The Risk Assessment Proforma used by the Cleveland Diversion Team is /ery comprehensive and measures four dimensions of risk - self harm, suicide, violence and vulnerability. However it is highly complex, involves a complicated scoring system, is accompanied by an extremely detailed user guide and did not seem to be fully understood by some members of the Cleveland Diversion Team who gave evidence to the Panel.
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