Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) can also be known as Mental Health and Wellbeing Services.

These services are managed within the three localities and supported by professional lead staff working across the county.

Services work to the choice and partnership (CAPA) model, whereby an initial (choice) appointment will be offered, and if longer term more specialist work is required, there will then be a partnership appointment offered with the relevant specialist(s). There is also a route for a more urgent response; cases where there is a serious risk of harm to self or others are prioritised into the appropriate pathway.
Primary Mental Health workers, who may come form a variety of professional backgrounds, will conduct choice appointments and will also provide advice and assistance to other staff within the early response hub.

Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental health staff include nurses, psychologists, psychotherapists, family therapists and psychiatrists.  The latter are employed by Devon Partnership Trust but work as part of the integrated team.

EASTERN CAMHS
Evergreen House
Victoria Park Road
Exeter
EX2 4NU
Tel: 01392 208 600

NORTHERN CAMHS
Springfield Court
Brannam Crescent
Roundswell Business Park
Barnstaple
EX31 3TD
Tel: 01271 384 000

SOUTHERN CAMHS
Lescaze Office
Shinners Bridge
Dartington, nr Totnes
TQ9 6JE
Tel: 01803 763 568
 

INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE FOR REFERRERS
Referrals are accepted from all Agencies, Young People & their Parents/Carers

WHO WE ARE?
We are the Integrated Child and Adolescent Mental Health team that is based within integrated childrens services across Devon. Together we are working to improve the Emotional Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People under the age of 18 years.

URGENT REQUESTS FOR REFERRAL / PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT
Please telephone your local office (see above) if you have an urgent referral.
All urgent referrals will be considered immediately and responded to appropriately.

CHILD PROTECTION
If you are concerned that a child is at risk of harm from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, you must refer to CYPS in the first instance, through your local Children & Young Peoples Services – (CYPS) office.

WHAT HAPPENS UPON RECEIPT OF A REFERRAL?

• All referrals should be directed through the local single point of entry (see 3 local addresses above) and not through individual clinicians.

• All referrals will be screened on a daily basis by a member of the CAMHS Team against the criteria listed below.

• When a referral is accepted, a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire will be sent to the child/young person, their family and school for completion.

• On receipt of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires, if the threshold for an appointment with CAMHS is met an initial appointment will be offered to discuss the child/young person’s needs.

• At this appointment it will be determined in consultation with the family what may be offered/required from our service.

Specialist Level 2/3 CAMHS provision for Children & Young People up to their 18th Birthday

Before making a referral to Level 2/3 CAMHS it may be appropriate to consider what is being provided from other local agencies listed below.

Level 2/3 CAMHS Criteria

• ADHD
• Anorexia Nervosa
• Attachment Disorders
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Complex, severe and enduring emotional/ behavioural problems
• Complex physical or neuro-developmental delays or disorders involving a significant psychological component
• Conduct problems in the context of complex family difficulties
• Depression
• Self-harming behaviour including suicide attempts
• Obsessive- Compulsive disorder
• Pervasive developmental Disorders with Mental Health component (including Autistic Spectrum Disorder alongside mental health problems and after diagnosis)
• Phobia and anxiety disorders
• Prolonged Adjustment Disorders (i.e. abnormal grief reaction; post traumatic stress disorder)
• Psychosis which may also require the early intervention service (STEP Team) if over 14 years of age.
• Risk of serious self-harm, including attempted suicide
• Serious and / or complex relationship difficulties affecting a child, including early parent/infant relationships
• Tourette’s Syndrome and complex tic disorder
• Mental health problems associated with learning disability

As part of the Joint Agency Service we will work alongside other professionals dealing with the following difficulties, e.g:

Problem - Example of Service Provider

• Services for under 5 year olds with milder behaviour or sleep problems - Health visitor, sleep & behaviour clinics
• Mental health problems associated with learning disability - Multi-agency teams
• Disruptive behaviour and conduct disorders - Youth offending teams and local authority services
• Adjustment disorders - Voluntary sector services dealing with parental separation
• Elective mutism - Speech and language services
• Elimination problems - Paediatric and health visitor service

You may find the following list of local services helpful:

• Y Smart - ( 01271 325500 ) - (Drug and Alcohol)
• STEP - ( 01404 540119 ) - (Early Intervention in Psychosis)
• CRUSE - ( 01392 272406 ) - (Bereavement)
• Tarka Home Trust - ( 01598 710692 ) - (Autistic Spectrum Disorder)
• Women’s Aid - ( 0808 2000 247 ) - (Domestic Violence)
• Carewise - ( 01237 479380 ) - (Young Carers)
• Connexions - ( 01392 203603 ) - (Information, advice and guidance to 13-19 year olds in preparing for adult and working life)
• Young Minds - ( 0808 802 5544 ) - (Confidential support if you’re worried about a young person’s emotional problems or behaviour)
• Parentlineplus - ( 0808 800 2222 ) - (Free and confidential, 24 hours)
• Childline - ( 0800 1111 ) - (Free and confidential, 24 hours)
• Samaritans - ( 08457 90 90 90 ) - (Confidential service, face to face, correspondence or 24 hour helpline)
• PAPYRUS - ( 08000 68 41 41 ) - (Prevention of Young Suicide)
• Some schools offer counselling services.

Other resources:

• Sure Start (under 5s)
• Other children’s centres (beyond sure start)
• Youth Enquiry Service (YES)
• National Autistic Society
• ADHD Support Group details
• SOCOPS
• ADVA
• Balloons (bereavement)

Tell us what you think about our Services

If you would like to give us feedback on service / treatment / care received please click through to our ICS Customer Service page.

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