Why you should read this article:

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To be aware of young people’s experiences of remotely delivered mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic

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To understand it is crucial to use the perspectives of young people to inform policy and practice in child and adolescent mental health

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To recognise that service evaluations can identify important translatable messages about service priorities in real time and deliver tangible service outcomes

This article reports findings from a service evaluation involving interviews with 16 young people under the care of a single specialist child and adolescent mental health service team. The team serves various ‘vulnerable’ population groups, including children and young people living in residential and foster care, those who are adopted and those who are involved with youth justice services. The evaluation was concerned with how the shift from face-to-face to remote methods of care delivery and new ways of working during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has been experienced by service users. The young people’s accounts highlight how differences in provision were mostly anticipated, which interlinked with a high level of satisfaction with the service overall. Therapeutic relationships with clinicians also appeared to hold a renewed significance when care was delivered remotely or through a combination of remote and face-to-face delivery. The article concludes by considering the implications of the findings for practice and care pathway planning and commenting on the value of service evaluations for illuminating issues that transcend local care.