Referral to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
What is CAMHS?
CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. CAMHS are the NHS services that assess and treat young people with moderate to severe mental health difficulties.
They are not a hospital and don’t have beds, but they do have many different specialists who are experts in children’s and young people’s emotional and mental health.
They work with children and young people to promote emotional wellbeing and provide treatment for mental health problems. They offer talking therapies and where appropriate medication. We may offer help on an individual, family or group basis.
They also work with schools and other organisations to support young people.
There are local NHS CAMHS services around the UK, with teams made up of nurses, therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, support workers and social workers, as well as other professionals.
To find your nearest CAMHS service click here
How do I get help from CAMHS?
If you’re worried about your child, you'll need to speak to a professional to ask them to make a referral to us.
People who can refer a child or young person to us are those who work in:
- Health – GPs, school nurses, paediatricians
- Social care – social workers, ASSIST workers
- Education – educational psychologists, special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs)
- Youth justice – police, youth offending team
- Youth workers – targeted youth teams such as Connexions.
*Please note: we do not accept referrals from parents/carers
These are your local CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) services if you are looking for help:
Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) :: West London NHS Trust
Does CAMHS help parents and carers too?
Most CAMHS services work with the whole family to support a young person's health.
This might include coming along to assessment and treatment appointments, depending on the child's age and what level of involvement they want.
Support available for parents:
Young Minds
Young Minds has a parents’ helpline which gives information and advice to adults worried about the emotional problems, behaviour or mental health of a child or young person up to the age of 25.
Telephone: 0808 802 5544
Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4pm
Email: parents@youngminds.org.uk
Read the Young Minds parents survival guide
Rethink advice line
Rethink provides expert advice and information to people with mental health problems and those who care for them, as well as giving help to health professionals, employers and staff.
Telephone: 0300 5000 927
Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm
Email: info@rethink.org
Mind information line
Mind provides confidential mental health information services to help people make informed choices. The information line gives information on types of mental distress, where to get help, drug treatments, alternative therapies and advocacy. Mind also has a network of nearly 200 local Mind associations providing local services.
Telephone: 0300 123 3393
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Email: info@mind.org.uk
Are you moving from CAMHS to adult services?
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) can only provide a service until around the time when you turn 18, so we'll need to start planning your next steps.
As you approach your 18th birthday, your CAMHS team will start to talk with you about the process of moving on from their service. We call this process of preparing, planning, and moving from CAMHS to adult service “transition”.
This leaflet is a guide about moving on from CAMHS and what this can look like
Download the 'All about me' booklet
West London NHS Trust has a useful webpage here for 16-25 year olds here