The link below will give you useful information about the services CAMHS can offer Parents / Carers
CAMHS Support Advice for Parents
How can I get support from CAMHS?
A good first step is to talk to a professional who knows your child well. This might be a teacher, social worker or GP. They will be able to advise (and can get further specialist advice if necessary) about possible courses of action, and will often be able to refer your child direct to CAMHS should that prove necessary.
In many cases, however, referral to CAMHS will not be necessary and the professional will be able to offer advice, treatment or tell you about other services that may be able to help you.
If you think that you or a child or young person that you care for needs help with their emotional or mental health needs, please seek help as soon as possible.
In an emergency, you should contact your GP
or ring NHS Direct on 0845 46 47
What happens after a referral is made?
All referrals are checked by a clinician who will decide whether the referral is:
Accepted, further information is needed, the referral does not show that the referral criteria has been met and it is not accepted. Occasionally the information the referrer has provided would lead us to offer an urgent appointment.
- If we need further information we may ask the person who referred you for this. We may send you a Basic Details Sheet (please see below) so that you can tell us more. When we receive the Basic Details Sheet back we will be able to make a decision as to whether to accept your child into the service.
- If the referral is not accepted we will write to the person who made the referral. We will explain why the referral has not been accepted. If we can we will offer suggestions of other services that may be able to help. We are only able to offer suggestions from the information that has been given to us. We will send you a copy of that letter.
- If we need to offer you an urgent appointment we will contact you by telephone for this appointment. The appointment will usually take place within 2 weeks.
- Rarely, we receive referrals that need immediate attention. When this happens we will contact you and the referrer. We may ask that the child or young person is taken for an immediate assessment. Usually the starting point for this is Accident and Emergency Department.
If the referral is accepted you will receive a letter asking you to complete a Basic Details Sheet. When you return the Basic Details Sheet the name of the child or young person will be added to the waiting list.
You can down load a copy of the basic detail sheet by clinking on the link below
What happens next?
If your referral has been accepted you will receive an appointment letter from us, this will be sent at least two weeks prior to the appointment, a copy of this will be sent to the referrer and/or your GP. If you have indicated on the Basic Details Form that you would be able to accept a short notice appointment then we may contact you by telephone to arrange this if an earlier appointment is available.
With your appointment letter you will receive an information sheet about CAMHS and directions to the clinic. For young people who attend high school you will also get a copy of CAMHS Inside Out, this leaflet gives more information about what young people can expect when they come to CAMHS.
Download CAMHS Inside Out leaflet
Most of our appointments take place at the three main CAMHS bases. We also operate clinics at a variety of venues including health centres, children’s centres and GP surgeries. When we are allocating appointments we will bear in mind where you live as well as the information sent to us by referrers. We will also consider if you have indicated on the Basic Details Form that you are willing to travel should an earlier appointment be available.
What can I do whilst my child is on the waiting list?
It can be helpful to talk to a professional who either knows your child well or knows the environment in which your child is having difficulties; for example, a school nurse for a child who is experiencing anxiety in school.
There is also a range of websites offering good ideas and advice, both directly for young people and for their parents and carers.
What can I do if my child doesn't want to attend an appointment?
Discussing the referral and your concerns openly with your child and trying to answer his / her questions as sympathetically as you can will help reduce tension and reassure him / her that you are concerned for him / her.
What if my child's problems get worse whilst we are on the waiting list?
If you are concerned that you may have to wait too long because your child's problem is very serious or getting worse, you should discuss it with the person making the referral. If necessary they will be able to contact CAMHS and ask for the referral to be treated with more urgency.
In an emergency, you should contact your GP or ring NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
Who will I see at CAMHS?
Who you see will depend what support you need. We will look at the referral when we receive it. This helps us to decide who may be the best practitioner to help you. When we get to know you better it may become clearer that you may need to see a different practitioner. We would talk to you about this first before making any further arrangements.
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