If your child is struggling with their mental health and have tried to seek help then there is a great chance you have come across the term CAMHS. This could be from the GP, the school or from another parent but here we will dive into what exactly is this service.
CAMHS stands for Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services and is funded by the NHS to provide mental health support to children and young people across the UK. Whilst it plays such a vital role in today’s world, it is also one of the most misunderstood/ difficult to navigate part of the healthcare system.
In this guide we will provide an honest picture of what CAMHS is and how it works, plus what to expect if your child gets referred.
CAMHS will provide assessments and treatments for children and young people up to the age of 18. This service is strictly for those experiencing mental health difficulties that are significant and require specialist help. This includes the following conditions:
It is worth noting that CAMHS is designed for moderate to severe mental health and not every child that is struggling with mental health will actually meet the threshold for a referral. This is what tends to course confusion and frustration for Surrey parents.
CAMHS is organised into 4 different tiers and have listed them below but please be mindful that this varies for by area:
Majority of families will interact with Tier 3 which is where parents will be directed from GPs and schools
In Surrey, CAMHS is delivered under the Mindworks Surrey which is the name given to the county’s children and young peoples mental health services. This has had a significant reorganisation in recent years. Mindworks Surrey operate a single point access so whether you received a referral from a GP, school or other professional then all will go through the same route. This is then triaged accordingly and then allocated to the appropriate level of support.
It is worth noting that Mindworks Surrey also includes an early intervention service. This means that not every referral will end up with a specialist CAMHS professional. Some children and young people will be directed to community-based support or school-based provision and in some cases will just be provided with some self-help resources. This all just depends on the level of need that the individual.
In Surrey, the most common route is typically through the GP but if you are concerned for your child’s mental wellbeing. Please have a conversation with your GP as the starting point and they can assess whether a CAMHS referral is appropriate and if so, they will submit one to Mindworks Surrey.
Schools and other professionals can also make referrals and in some cases a self-referral is possible, typically for older teenagers. Although, this varies depending on the specific service.
Once your child/ young person has received a referral, it will go through the triage process to determine the level of care and appropriate response that they require. Families should receive an acknowledgement and indication of next steps but it is worth noting the wait times for initial assessment can vary significantly.
The demand for the services provided by CAMHS has substantially grown in recent years making it one of the most difficult aspects of the current landscape. This means that waiting times, in Surrey particularly, can be considerably lengthy. Some families could even be waiting for a good few months which is why parents can find this service particularly frustrating.
It is important to understand that threshold of CAMHS as not ever child who is struggling will meet the criteria. Also, some referrals can be rejected or redirected to a lower-level support which can be deeply frustrating. Especially as a parents can clearly see their child needs support.
CAMHS is not designed to provide long-term therapeutic support for mild to moderate difficulties. So for many families, the use of private therapy whilst waiting for CAMHS or instead of it, tends to be the more accessible option. Though, is worth noting that this is typically not funded so will require the parent to pay for these services.
If your child is in crisis or at immediate risk, please contact your GP, call 999, or visit the CYP Haven in Surrey with locations in Guildford, Epsom, Staines and Redhill.
CAMHS typically covers children and young people from birth to age 18. At 18, young people transition to adult mental health services (AMHS), though some services extend to 25 for those already in the system.
In most cases, a referral from a GP or other professional is required. However, Mindworks Surrey does have some self-referral pathways, particularly for older teenagers. It’s worth checking the Mindworks Surrey website or calling their access line for the most current information.
This is unfortunately common. If a referral is rejected, ask your GP for a detailed explanation of the reason and what threshold wasn’t met. You can ask for a reconsideration if you feel the decision doesn’t reflect your child’s needs, and your GP can resubmit with additional information. Private therapy is also worth considering in the meantime.
CAMHS does conduct neurodevelopmental assessments, including for ADHD and autism — but waiting times for these assessments are often very long. Some families choose to pursue private assessment to avoid the wait.
Yes. CAMHS is an NHS service and is free at the point of use for all children and young people in the UK.
Mindworks Surrey is the local brand name for Surrey’s CAMHS provision. It’s the same service, just operating under a different name following a restructuring of how children’s mental health services are delivered in the county.
If you have any other questions or concerns please do contact us.
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