This proposal seeks the formal inclusion of a Special Interest Group (SIG) titled “Inpatient Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents: Global Practices and Principles for Implementation” in the scientific program of the IACAPAP 2026 Congress. This SIG aims to bring together clinicians, researchers, and stakeholders from diverse regions to discuss current practices in inpatient psychiatric care for children and adolescents and to explore strategies for implementation and improvement across varied healthcare settings.

While many regions have established inpatient units for pediatric mental health crises, there exists substantial variability in:

• Admission criteria
• Models of care (e.g., medical vs. psychosocial)
• Foundational philosophies
• Staffing structure and administrative models
• Length of stay and discharge planning
• Integration with outpatient and community services

Furthermore, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and regions experiencing conflict or post-crisis recovery may lack dedicated inpatient units entirely. There is a pressing need for international collaboration to share experiences, challenges, and innovations in this area.

This SIG responds to that need, offering a structured forum to examine global diversity in inpatient care, while working toward a set of adaptable principles or guidelines that can support the establishment and operation of inpatient psychiatric units for youth in both high-resource and under-resourced settings.

The SIG will:

1. Facilitate knowledge exchange among international experts regarding inpatient psychiatric care models for children and adolescents.
2. Identify common challenges and regional innovations in inpatient care, including admission pathways, therapeutic programming, and reintegration strategies.
3. Explore ethical, legal, and cultural considerations in the design and operation of child and adolescent inpatient units.
4. Initiate the development of consensus principles or a framework for guiding implementation and quality improvement of such units globally.
5. Establish a network of interested stakeholders to continue collaboration beyond the
   conference, potentially leading to academic publications or implementation toolkits.

• Child and adolescent psychiatrists
• Allied mental health professionals
• Hospital administrators
• Health policy experts
• Global mental health practitioners
• Researchers in service design and implementation science

Participants may come from a variety of global contexts, including urban academic centers and rural or conflict-affected regions.

• Cross-national comparison of inpatient practices
• Identification of key considerations for starting or improving inpatient services in diverse contexts
• A preliminary outline of adaptable principles or guidelines
• Formation of a working group for post-conference collaboration and publication

Olabode Akintan (Bode), MD FRCPC MBA, will serve as the Coordinator for the Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 

About the Coordinator for the Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

• Olabode Akintan (Bode), MD FRCPC MBA 
  (Pronouns He/Him/Il) 
  Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist 
  Staff Psychiatrist, The Hospital for Sick Children 
   
  Asst. Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto 
   
• Coordinator's profile

To become a member of the Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, please complete the membership application form via this link and send us a copy of your CV to info@iacapap.org. 

Should you have other questions, please contact us at info@iacapap.org.