What is CAMHS and How do I Get It?
Angie Davey – Primary Mental Health Specialist
South Gloucestershire CAMHS - 01454 8632431
Aims
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Describing the S. Glos Child & Adolescent Mental Health
Service
To consider how the voluntary sector and CAMHS can fit
together
CAMHS thresholds
Indicators of mental health concerns and risk
Training available
But First…..
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Who am I and why am I here?
The S.Glos CAMHS team
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9.8 Full time equivalent for up to 800 referrals a year
Psychiatrists – currently locums
Clinical Psychologists
Family therapists
Child Psychotherapist
Consultant nurses – ASD and a Nurse prescriber
Primary Mental Health Specialists – school age and pre
school. Vacancy for ‘children living away from birth
parents’
Barnardos participation worker
Research tells us….
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Three children in every classroom has a diagnosed
mental health disorder
One in five young adults shows signs of an eating
disorder
One in 12 deliberately harm themselves (and 25,000 of
them are hospitalised each year because of this)
Nearly 80,000 children and young people suffer
from severe depression
http://www.youngminds.org.uk/
To keep perspective….
many mental health difficulties are…
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Mild and transient – arising from combination of factors
Reach a resolution with support and without an intervention
from a tier 3 CAMHS service
The episode is usually accompanied by psychological growth
Indicators of mental health concerns
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Consider:
Family and life context
Mood
Eating and drinking
Sleep pattern
Friendships/social activities
School work
Any safeguarding concerns?
How have the above changed over time and what intervention
has been tried (SAF (eh) assessment?)
CAMHS thresholds
(See full guidelines)
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Severe, complex and enduring mental heath difficulties where
intervention at tier 1 & 2 i.e. community services has been
attempted – (with a CAF/SAF(eh))
Such as:
Risk of suicide/severe self-harm
Severe depressive episode
Psychosis
Eating disorders
ADHD/ASD with significant mental health difficulties
Severe anxiety/phobic/panic disorders
Gender identity struggles
Complicated bereavement
What is not an appropriate referral to
CAMHS?
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Assessments for ADHD/ASD – Community Paediatrics
Where a child’s difficulties are a response to normal
life events
Where difficulties are entirely school related
Significant learning disabilities
When intervention by tier 1 and 2 services has not
been tried (through the CAF/SAF(eh) process) –
unless there is a risk to life
Urgency Checklist
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attempted suicide/ expressing thoughts of suicide?
hears or sees things that do not exist?
severe eating problems e.g. rapid weight loss (see
full guidance)
For an emergency mental health assessment – GP or
A&E as appropriate (at Bristol Children’s hospital for
under 16’s)
What might increase concerns?
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Mood changes
Difficulty sleeping
Changes in eating, drinking, academic performance
Changes in self-harm behaviours
Expression and planning of suicidal intent
Problems with drugs/alcohol use
Break-up of a close relationship or major row
Family history of self-harm, completed suicide
Challenging behaviour or mental health
disorder?
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‘Conduct disorder where there is co-morbidity with other
disorders and where specific intervention may influence
outcome’
Pathway into CAMHS - some teams currently
have a waiting list
Further assessment/core work
– within 10 weeks
Opt in sent and choice
appointment booked – within 8
weeks
South
Gloucestershire
CAMHS
Bristol CAMHS
Tier 3
Single Point of Entry:
Referrers
may
include
GP
Paediatrici
an
School Nurse
Health Visitor
Speech and Language
Team
Education, CYPS, Early
Help process
endorsed by Primary
Mental Health Specialist
Social Worker
endorsed by Senior
Prac or Team
Manager
What can the voluntary sector do?
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Think ‘family’
Think ‘multi-agency’
Support the SAF (eh) assessment and process
Provide supporting information for a CAMHS referral
Where there may be mental health risk – Child/young
person to see GP
Liaise with GP (with permission)
Pass on safeguarding concerns
Contact (child’s) local PMHS for advice
Carry on what you are doing
In conclusion:
What makes a difference?
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Making sense of the difficulties developmentally and
within their context – be curious
Linking with school/social worker/other professionals
involved
Early intervention with community support
Who needs the primary support - child/young person or
their carers?
A SAF (eh) to clearly identify needs
Identifying risk and resilience factors clearly
Passing on safeguarding concerns appropriately
Acronyms explained
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ADHD – Attention deficit hyperactive disorder
ASD/C – Autistic spectrum disorder/condition
CAF – Common assessment framework
CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
PMHS – Primary Mental Health Service
SAF (eh) – Single assessment framework (early help)
And other…
Services available for Children and adolescents in need
http://www.sgcyp.org/CommonAssessmentSupport/CAFToolkit/Resources/t
abid/471/Default.aspx
Training
www.southglos.gov.uk/learning
 Mind Out – 1 day mental health awareness re school-aged children
HRWorkforcedevelopment@southglos.gov.uk
Early Attachment Relationships & Baby Brain Development (including trauma
and loss): nancy.shelton@nbt.nhs.uk CAMHS Primary Infant Mental Health
Specialist
Social and Emotional Development of Infants &Young Children. 5 day course.
Charges apply. jane.randall@nbt.nhs.uk Administrator
Understanding Emotional & Mental Health in School-Age Children and Young
People. 6 day training (Free for CCHP professionals otherwise charges apply)
jane.clutterbuck@nbt.nhs.uk
 See:
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING
By Angie and Josh: Age 10
Any Questions?