Referral Criteria
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provide multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment for children and young people aged 0-18, although involvement with very young children 0-5 is uncommon who would usually be seen by paediatric health services.
The service supports children and young people who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties that have a significant and persistent impact on their day-to-day functioning.
The service supports children and young people who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties that have a significant and persistent impact on their day-to-day functioning.
Most children and young people who require CAMHS will already have received support from:
• Primary care (GP)
• Educational supports
• Community mental health and wellbeing services
CAMHS is appropriate when these earlier supports have not been enough, or when they are not suitable due to the severity of the presentation.
While some children and young people may need direct access to CAMHS due to urgent or high risk mental health needs, this is the exception rather than the norm.
• Primary care (GP)
• Educational supports
• Community mental health and wellbeing services
CAMHS is appropriate when these earlier supports have not been enough, or when they are not suitable due to the severity of the presentation.
While some children and young people may need direct access to CAMHS due to urgent or high risk mental health needs, this is the exception rather than the norm.
• Delivering specialist mental health assessment and plan of care/treatment.
• Providing evidence based psychological, systemic and pharmacological interventions
• Supporting multi-agency planning in line with the principles of GIRFEC
• Offering consultation, advice to the wider children’s workforce
Care is delivered through locality based multidisciplinary teams, with an emphasis on providing the ‘right care, at the right time’ and as close to home as possible. Where a child or young person’s needs are beyond what can be delivered from standard community services, there are options to offer some Intensive Home Treatment and inpatient care if required. The teams who provide a higher intensity of clinical care ensure appropriate escalation and continuity of care.
• Providing evidence based psychological, systemic and pharmacological interventions
• Supporting multi-agency planning in line with the principles of GIRFEC
• Offering consultation, advice to the wider children’s workforce
Care is delivered through locality based multidisciplinary teams, with an emphasis on providing the ‘right care, at the right time’ and as close to home as possible. Where a child or young person’s needs are beyond what can be delivered from standard community services, there are options to offer some Intensive Home Treatment and inpatient care if required. The teams who provide a higher intensity of clinical care ensure appropriate escalation and continuity of care.
A child or young person (0–18 who are enrolled in school) would usually meet CAMHS criteria where all or most of the following apply:
Clear symptoms of mental health condition that are:
• Moderate to severe
• Persistent
• Causing significant impairment in day-to-day functioning (home, school, relationships, emotional regulation)
Clear symptoms of mental health condition that are:
• Moderate to severe
• Persistent
• Causing significant impairment in day-to-day functioning (home, school, relationships, emotional regulation)
CAMHS provide assessment and treatment for children and young people with moderate to severe conditions such as:
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Mental health problems with comorbid substance misuse
• Neuropsychiatric conditions
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Mental health problems comorbid with neurodevelopmental conditions- where the primary concerns is the mental health difficulty (see additional information (Add hyperlink)
• Mental health difficulties alongside mild/moderate intellectual disability or physical health conditions
• Psychosis (less common, but specialist care is required when present)
CAMHS may offer assessment to young people who present with behaviours such as:
• Self harm
• Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
Where these occur in the context of a significant mental health difficulty requiring specialist intervention.
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Mental health problems with comorbid substance misuse
• Neuropsychiatric conditions
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Mental health problems comorbid with neurodevelopmental conditions- where the primary concerns is the mental health difficulty (see additional information (Add hyperlink)
• Mental health difficulties alongside mild/moderate intellectual disability or physical health conditions
• Psychosis (less common, but specialist care is required when present)
CAMHS may offer assessment to young people who present with behaviours such as:
• Self harm
• Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
Where these occur in the context of a significant mental health difficulty requiring specialist intervention.
CAMHS may undertake neurodevelopmental (ND) assessment where:
• A child or young person presents with moderate to severe mental health difficulties as detailed within the mental health criteria.
alongside
• A clinical concern that an underlying or previously unidentified neurodevelopment difference (e.g. autism spectrum condition, ADHD, or related neurodevelopmental profile) is contributing to, complicating or maintaining the moderate to severe mental health presentation
where
• Understanding the child or young person’s neurodevelopmental profile is necessary to inform formulation, risk assessment, care planning and treatment of their moderate to severe mental health difficulties.
Please note:
Should the assessment be deemed necessary it would be undertaken to support the wider formulation and would not necessarily lead to a diagnosis. The main issue that would be considered would be the mental health concern.
• A child or young person presents with moderate to severe mental health difficulties as detailed within the mental health criteria.
alongside
• A clinical concern that an underlying or previously unidentified neurodevelopment difference (e.g. autism spectrum condition, ADHD, or related neurodevelopmental profile) is contributing to, complicating or maintaining the moderate to severe mental health presentation
where
• Understanding the child or young person’s neurodevelopmental profile is necessary to inform formulation, risk assessment, care planning and treatment of their moderate to severe mental health difficulties.
Please note:
Should the assessment be deemed necessary it would be undertaken to support the wider formulation and would not necessarily lead to a diagnosis. The main issue that would be considered would be the mental health concern.