CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)

Overview

(CAMHS) are part of a network of general practitioners, health visitors, education staff, social workers, voluntary sector workers, who engage children and young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.

They offer assessment and treatment when children and young people have emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.

Children and young people and their families can be referred to CAMHS if children are finding it hard to cope with family life, school or the wider world. If these difficulties are too much for family, friends or GPs to help with, CAMHS may be able to assist.

What we do

Types of problems CAMHS can help with include:

• violent or angry behaviour
• depression
• eating difficulties
• low self-esteem
• anxiety
• obsessions or compulsions
• sleep problems
• self-harming
• the effects of abuse or traumatic events.

CAMHS can also diagnose and treat serious mental health problems such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

CAMHS are expected to work with children and young people up to the age of 18. However, some services will only see young people aged 16-18 if they are in full-time education. Individual services vary, so ask the person you see at CAMHS at what age their service stops.

If your child is over the age at which their local CAMHS stops seeing young people, they will probably need to be referred to the adult mental health team, or to support services for older young people. Different areas have different ways of organising their services so it is best to contact your GP for advice.

Children/young people and parent(s)/carer(s) can be seen on their own, which helps us to understand the difficulties from everyone's point of view and work out with you the best way we might be able to help.

Sometimes, 1 appointment is enough to enable someone to cope better with their difficulties, but more usually further appointments, called ‘partnership appointments’ are offered.

Where we do it

CAMHS teams are based across all areas of Avon and Somerset and have teams in each district as well as teams in cluster areas e.g. Central Bristol and North Bristol.

This is similarly replicated across other areas in Avon and Somerset.

How to access

There are different ways to get an appoitnment with CAMHS.  The most common is via your child’s GP.

You can discuss your worries about your child with their GP. If they are old enough and feel able to do so, your child can see the GP themselves.

It can be useful to write down what is worrying you before you visit the GP, including how long the difficulties have been happening and anything you feel might be causing them. The GP may be able to offer their own advice. If GPs think specialist help is needed, they can write a letter to CAMHS asking them to make an appointment for your child.

Others who may be able to make a referral to CAMHS include:

• Teachers or other school staff
• Health visitors
• School nurses
• Social workers
• Youth counselling services.