What is CAMHS?
CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. These services work with children and young people (from age 5 to their 18th birthday), and their parents or carers. NHS Lothian CAMHS provides specialist assessment/intervention as part of a tiered system, which can include consultation and advice prior to referral, and assessment appointment to establish clinical need and priority status.
NHS Lothian CAMHS is made up of a number of different teams. All CAMHS teams work closely with medical staff, schools and other professionals.
What is the CAMHS Tier System?
CAMHS operates within Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) principles using a tiered model of intervention that includes the established staged approach which ensures that children receive both a stepped care approach (the idea that as a problem becomes more severe in nature the type of help that is available becomes more specialised) and matched care approach (the idea that there should be an accurate and properly informed match of need to provision at the earliest stage of a child or young person’s presentation).
CAMHS Tiered Model of Service
Tier 1: Also referred to as “universal level” or (Level 1 of GIRFEC) the child’s needs are addressed through normal classroom/nursery management/by Public Health Nurse, School Nurse, Health Visitor, social worker. CAMHS has no direct involvement at Tier 1 but remains committed to building capacity and confidence within universal services via training.
Tier 2: Also referred to single agency (Level 2 of GIRFEC). Concerns continue. My World Assessment undertaken in community and need/risk analysed. Other staff may be involved: child may be receiving some specific support. CAMHS provide face-to-face and/or telephone consultation.
Tier 3: Also referred to as single agency (Level 2 of GIRFEC). Concerns continue but targeted support is requested. Specialist CAMHS involved at this tier, where required (referral may have been recommended by CAMHS consultation).
Tier 4: Also referred to as multi agency plan or Stage 4 intervention (Level 3 of GIRFEC). Significant support from one or more agencies is required and the child may require a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP). A small minority of children may enter at this tier if their mental health deteriorates and are likely to receive inpatient care & may also require a multi agency response. Generic and/or Specialist CAMHS teams are always involved at this stage. Day programme, intensive treatment team or in-patient care may be required.
For life-threatening emergencies, please dial 999.
For all other emergencies please contact NHS 24 on 111 and choose option 1 for ‘mental health’ or call your own GP.
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