What is camhs?
CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. They are a specialist NHS service offering assessment and treatment when children and young people have emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.
Your child might be referred to CAMHS if they are finding it hard to cope with family life, school or the wider world.
CAMHS professionals include:
Psychologists: help children and their families explore how the difficulties they’re facing affect their emotions, behaviour and thinking.
Psychotherapists: work with children and families to look at what might be causing their difficulties, for example, their early experiences.
Psychiatrists: medically qualified doctors who can diagnose and prescribe medication for a range of mental illnesses.
Family therapists: give children and families a safe space to talk about their difficulties together.
Clinical social workers: help support families who are referred to CAMHS. ‘Seeing a clinical social worker through CAMHS doesn’t mean you’ve been referred to social services, and shouldn’t ring alarm bells,’ adds Emma.
Nurses: care for and support young people, and may prescribe certain medications.
Your child might be referred to CAMHS if they are finding it hard to cope with family life, school or the wider world.
CAMHS professionals include:
Psychologists: help children and their families explore how the difficulties they’re facing affect their emotions, behaviour and thinking.
Psychotherapists: work with children and families to look at what might be causing their difficulties, for example, their early experiences.
Psychiatrists: medically qualified doctors who can diagnose and prescribe medication for a range of mental illnesses.
Family therapists: give children and families a safe space to talk about their difficulties together.
Clinical social workers: help support families who are referred to CAMHS. ‘Seeing a clinical social worker through CAMHS doesn’t mean you’ve been referred to social services, and shouldn’t ring alarm bells,’ adds Emma.
Nurses: care for and support young people, and may prescribe certain medications.
WHAT CAN CAMHS HELP WITH?
Children can be referred to CAMHS with a whole range of emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties that are affecting their own well being, family life, school or the wider world. These include:
In some areas, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) also fall with the remit of CAMHS, but in others, children will be seen by a pediatrician.
- Violence and aggression
- Depression
- Eating difficulties and disorders
- Anxiety and phobias
- Self-esteem problems
- Difficulties arising from trauma
- Obsessions and compulsions
- Relationship problems
- Sleep problems
- Self-harm
- Suicidal thinking
In some areas, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) also fall with the remit of CAMHS, but in others, children will be seen by a pediatrician.