- Referrals to CAMHS can only be made by professional staff, who are working with the child or young person.
- Specialist CAMHS services are not the appropriate service for children and young people who are experiencing normal reactions to a significant life event e.g. a bereavement or parental separation or normal developmental challenges.
- Where there are Child Protection Concerns, Social work should be the first point of contact.
Mental Health Pathway
NHS Tayside CAMHS provides specialist assessment and treatment for children and young people aged up to 16 (or 18 if they remain in secondary school) and who have, or are suspected to have a moderate or severe mental health condition .
Our aim is to ensure that we deliver the best or most appropriate services possible to meet the particular mental health needs of the child or young person. This may include being referred to an more appropriate service.
Our aim is to ensure that we deliver the best or most appropriate services possible to meet the particular mental health needs of the child or young person. This may include being referred to an more appropriate service.
Thinking about making a referral?
Before referring to CAMHS
- Remember that CAMHS is a specialist provision offering a service for children and young people who are experiencing persistent, complex or severe mental health difficulties. (see referral criteria)
- Ensure that appropriate Universal / Additional services have been made available to the child/young person and their family/carers by consulting the Team around the child network.
- Ensure that you have consent to make the referral. If a young person does not wish for their parents to know of the referral , see confidentiality section of referral guidance.
- Determine whether or not the referral is appropriate for CAMHS by answering Yes or No to the following 3 questions;
Q1. Have the mental health difficulties been present for longer than 6 months or has there been a sudden unexplained change in behaviour?
Q2. Are there complex risk factors present? E.g. Care experienced? Parental M.H. issues? History of abuse? Previous mental health difficulties?
Q3. Are the mental health difficulties having a significant impact on multiple areas of day to day functioning? E.g. non attendance at school, social withdrawal, significant sleep difficulties, eating issues , marked behavioural difficulties?
If you answered yes to two or more questions:-
CAMHS may be the most appropriate service to address the needs of the child or young person. Please read the criteria and guidance and download the CAMHS referral form.
If you answered no to two or more questions:-
Another service may be more appropriate to address the needs of the child or young person.
Still unsure? Refer to Ref Help Guide or telephone for advice.
Still unsure? Refer to Ref Help Guide or telephone for advice.
