Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Primary Mental Health Worker Team Referral Guide
September 2013
Introduction
The role of a Primary Mental Health Worker (PMHW) for children and adolescents was
outlined in the Health Advisory Service (HAS) report ‘Together We Stand’ in 1995.
The report recognised that frontline professionals (Tier One), for example Health
Visitors, Teachers, Social Workers and General Practitioners are the main people who
promote child and adolescent mental health and are able to offer early interventions to
support children and families in managing difficulties.
In addition to existing CAMHS services the PMHW role was developed, thus facilitating
easier access to consultation, information and training.
The Primary Mental Health Worker also provides a bridge between Primary Care (Tier
One) and the specialist CAMHS (Tiers Two, Three and Four). The Primary Mental
Health Worker helps ensure that children, young people and families receive
interventions from the most appropriate professionals.
Some of the comments received in a previous audit of professionals who had worked
with a Primary Mental Health Worker included:
Less threatening, stigmatising and pathologising for families.
Offers a more accessible, more flexible and quicker response.
Assists in working out a co-ordinated response so that families receive the
most appropriate service.
Empowers families and professionals rather than undermining them.
Assists professionals in increasing their knowledge, skills and confidence.
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What does a Primary Mental Health Worker do?
We work across all agencies involved with children including Social Services,
Education, Health and the voluntary sector, offering the following:
Consultation:
If you have concerns about the mental health of a child or young person, are
working with them and are unsure of what to do next, you can ring or meet
with a Primary Mental Health Worker for a discussion. If you would find it
useful, we can set up consultation times when we can visit your agency.
Joint Working:
Via the consultation process, with a family’s permission, the Primary Mental
Health Worker may visit a family with you to discuss mental health issues.
Networking:
We provide information about the services that different agencies offer and we
are able to advise you and the family regarding the most appropriate service
to meet a child or young person’s mental health needs.
Direct Work:
Through the consultation process the Primary Mental Health Worker may take
on short duration therapeutic work with a child/ young person and their family.
Education, Training, and Information:
If there are issues relating to child and adolescent mental health that you feel
either you or your team would like more information or training on, then
contact us.
Referrals
We enclose a Referral form, or alternatively letters would be acceptable.
Before referral, where possible, we would strongly encourage you to consult
with the Primary Mental Health worker as to whether, for example, the referral
meets the criteria for our service.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What essential information do I need when I contact the Primary Mental
Health Worker?
Parental/young person’s agreement to contact.
Child/young person’s date of birth and address.
Child/young person’s school and GP.
Details on family composition, especially parents/carers’ name if
different to the child’s.
Details of any other agencies involved or previously involved, for
example educational support services, health visitor, social services
and outline of their current role.
Parental/young person’s consent to Primary Mental Health Worker
contacting other involved agencies.
An outline of the family/young person’s concerns and what they think
would be helpful.
An outline of your concerns and what you think would be helpful.
What about confidentiality and consent?
Before discussing a child or young person with the Primary Mental Health
Worker we would ask that you always gain permission from their parent or
guardian. If a young person is aged 16 years or over you can get permission
from the directly, however it is usually advisable that the parent or guardian is
made aware.
You can discuss a child or young person with us without giving their name,
however for our involvement beyond consultation we would need consent.
As we work across agencies we often talk to other professionals involved with
a child or young person, for example schools. We would ask you to gain
parental/young person’s agreement to this before contacting us.
What is the age range of children and young people with whom the Primary
Mental Health Worker are involved?
All children from 0 to 18 years old regardless of whether they are in
Education. Children under 5, Private School Boarder Pupils and Private
School Day Pupils will be allocated to the PMHW who covers the
geographical area within which their home is situated.
Young people who attend College(s) can either be referred to the PMHW in
whose Geographical area in which they live or to a PMHW of their former
school if you are aware that there has been previous involvement.
You can no longer refer directly to Lime Trees. If you think a child requires
a referral to Lime Trees discuss this with the Primary Mental Health Worker
who may make an initial assessment and then decide with you and the family
if Lime Trees offers the most appropriate service, or if there may be other
services more suitable. If a child or young person requires a referral to Lime
Trees the Primary Mental Health Worker can arrange for them to be seen
speedily should this be needed.
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PRIMARY MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS FOR CHILD AND ADOLESCENT
MENTAL HEALTH SELBY AND YORK PCT
Phil Wilkins – Sector 1 – The Cabin. Selby CP School, Flaxley Road,
Selby YO8 4DL 01904 724551
Barwick Parade
Brotherton & Byram
Burton Salmon CP
Cawood CE
Fairburn CP
Hambleton CE
Kellington CP
Monk Fryston CE
Selby Abbey
Selby Community Primary
Selby High
Sherburn High
Sherburn-In-Elmet Athelstan CP
Sherburn-In-Elmet Hungate CP
South Milford CP
Thorpe Willoughby CP
Wistow Parochial CE
Jennifer Cornwell – Sector 2 – The Cabin. Selby CP School, Flaxley
Road, Selby YO8 4DL 01904 724550
Barlby CP
Barlby Bridge CP
Barlby High
Barlow CE
Brayton Infants
Brayton Juniors
Brayton High
Camblesforth CP
Carlton-In-Snaith CP
Chapel Haddlesey CP
Cliffe
Drax CP
Hemingbrough CP
Hensall CP
Hirst Courtney & Temple Hirst CP
Holy Family RC
Longmans Hill
Kirk Smeaton CE
North Duffield CP
Read School
Riccall Cp
St Marys RC
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Whitley & Eggborough CP
John O’Brien – Sector 3 – 01904 552311
Clifton Children’s Centre, Kingsway North, Clifton, York, YO30 6JA
Bishopthorpe Infants
(Archbishops) Bishopthorpe Juniors
All Saints
Dringhouses
Knavesmire
Millthorpe
Poppleton Road
Scarcroft Road
St Barnabas
St Pauls
Marion Lawrence – Sector 4 – 01904 555005
Hobmoor Children’s Centre, Green Lane, Acomb, York, YO24 4PS
Acomb Primary
Carr Infant
Carr Junior
English Martyrs
Hobmoor
Manor
Our Lady’s
Poppleton Ousebank
Rufforth
St Mary’s
Westfield
Woodthorpe
York High
Mark Jackson– Sector 5 – 01904 552310 Clifton Children’s Centre,
Kingsway North, Clifton, York, YO30 6JA
Alne
Burton Green
Canon Lee
Clifton Green
Clifton With Rawcliffe
Lakeside
Easingwold Secondary
Easingwold Primary
Forest of Galtres Anglican
Huby CE
Husthwaite CE
Linton on Ouse
Skelton
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Stillington
Sutton on the Forest CE
Wigginton
Martin Cross – Sector 6 – 01904 551756
The Avenues Children’s Centre, 6th Avenue, Heworth, York, YO31 OUT
Burnholme
Haxby Road
Hempland
Headlands
Heworth
Huntington
Huntington Primary
Joseph Rowntree
New Earswick
Park Grove
Ralph Butterfield
Robert Wilkinson
Sherriff Hutton
St Wilfred’s
Stockton on Forest
Tang Hall
Yearsley Grove
Lynda McGeorge P/T – Sector 7 – 01904 551757
The Avenues Children’s Centre, 6th Avenue, Heworth, York. YO31 OUT
Fulford
Dunnington Primary
Elvington Primary
Escrick
Lord Deramore’s
Naburn
St Oswald’s
Wheldrake
Jenny Walters P/T Sector 8 – 01904 551757
The Avenues Children’s Centre, 6th Avenue, Heworth. York YO31 OUT
Archbishop’s (Secondary)
Badger Hill
Derwent Infant’s
Derwent Junior’s
Fishergate
Osbaldwick
St Aelred’s
St George’s
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St Lawrence’s
Queen Margaret’s School.
Angie Casterton Team Leader Sector 9 – 01904 724265 (Long Term Sick
leave- referrals to Johnh O’Brien, PMHW) .Lime Trees, Child, Adolescent
and Family Unit, 31 Shipton Road, York YO31 5RE
Appleton Roebuck CP
Barkston Ash
Copmanthorpe CP
Kirk Fenton Parochial CE
Long Marston CE
St Joseph’s CP
Saxton CE
Tadcaster East CP
Tadcaster Riverside CP
Tadcaster Grammar Secondary
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