Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

 

Good health starts at birth.

Every child deserves a healthy start, but the pressures of modern life can have as big an impact on the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people as they have on adults.

 School Emotional Health & Wellbeing teams Case Study

What we do

Child, adolescent and family services help children and young people aged 0 to 18 years and their families. We become involved when a child or young person is experiencing continuing emotional or behavioural problems.

GPs, teachers, social workers and other professionals refer patients to us.

We will always involve the family where appropriate. Some of the problems we help with include:

• Acute psychiatric illness
• Anxiety/depressive disorders
• Attachment disorder
• Attention deficit disorder
• Autistic spectrum disorders
• Children recovering from abuse
• Chronic fatigue syndrome/ somatisation
• Eating disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Self-harm/attempted suicide
• Severe phobias
• Substance misuse
• Unresolved bereavement

 

How we work

First we assess a family's needs and decide, with them, on an appropriate therapy and the best way to deliver it. We may work with individuals, or with some or all of the family together.

Most treatments are short term and might involve:

• Cognitive-behaviour therapy
• Family therapy
• Group work
• Individual Therapy
• Psychiatric illness management and treatment
• Solution-focused therapy

Usually, team members work alone, but sometimes they work together as co-therapists.

We work with clients in a range of community settings, including schools where we often run groups to promote children's self-esteem.

These are run by our child and adolescent primary mental health team. The team also works closely with other professionals, such as GPs, school nurses, health visitors and school staff, to improve their knowledge and understanding of child and adolescent mental health, helping them to give better care and support to children and young people.

Northamptonshire Healthcare's child and adolescent mental health service plays an important role in the county's Children and Young People's Partnership, which brings together a wide range of agencies and organisations to help ensure that all children in Northamptonshire are healthy, safe and able to enjoy and achieve throughout their lives.

 

Service details

• The service operates Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 5pm.
• The service operates a liaison line for health and social care professionals seeking advice - 01536 313850.

Other useful information & links

• Young Minds - 0808 802 5544
• Child Line -  0800 1111
• Connexions -  0802 001 3219
• Relate - 0300 100 1234
• CAN - 011604 824 777
• Parent Line - 0808 800 2222
• CYPS - 0300 126 1006

Last updated: 09 May 2013

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