CAMHS Learning Disability Service

CQC rated good 2019_CAMHS1 Some families with a child with a learning disability benefit from specialist support and the CAMHS Learning Disability Service can offer specific help to these families. The service is for children and young people with a moderate to profound learning disability up to 18 years of age who also have behavioural or emotional difficulties. These difficulties will not have improved despite the help of parent training programmes or support from community paediatricians and others involved.

 

Contact Information

Telephone number: 01684 612740

Service hours: Monday-Friday 9-5

Location: Countywide

Team Lead: Neil Phillips

 

About us

The CAMHS Learning Disability Service is made up of a range of professionals including learning disability nurses, specialists in supporting families/ young people, clinical psychologists and learning disability psychiatrists.

We aim to help families think and find out more about some of the reasons for their child’s behavioural or emotional difficulties; these can include communication difficulties, autism, sleep problems, sensory issues, family or relationship difficulties and stressful life events. Families are then in a better position to think about any changes that they may want to make.  Where appropriate we also aim to help young people to develop a better understanding of their own emotions and behaviour through 1:1 sessional work adapted to meet the needs of the young person.

Once we have received a referral, young people and their families are offered an initial meeting (usually at one of our bases across the county) lasting for up to 1½ hours. The letter includes some forms for families to complete, which help us gather information before the first appointment.

We work with other agencies and professionals and where families have given permission, will contact relevant professionals as appropriate.  All our meetings with families and young people will be confidential unless we are concerned that somebody within the family (including the young person) or someone else is at significant risk of coming to harm.

All referrals to the Learning Disability Service should be made through the CAMHS single point of access; any professional can make a referral to the Learning Disability Service.

How to access the service

CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) SPA team triages the referrals and assesses the presenting mental health needs of the young person. Based on the information received, the team will support or signpost the young person (and their families where appropriate) to a children's mental health and wellbeing service, or alternative support, according to each individual case.

CAMHS SPA  currently accepts referrals from professionals working with children and young people where there is a concern that the young person has a mental health problem. We prioritise appointments based on the clinical presentation and needs of the child referred, and not who referred them to children's mental health services.

If you are unsure whether the concerns you have will be suitable for CAMHS, you can either call or email the single point of access (SPA) using the details below.  If we feel that we are not the right source of help for you we may try to make other suggestions of support which could be useful.

Service update

We have moved to a telephone based system, this means that our clinicians will consult with both you as the referrer and families over the phone. To support this and aid information being passed easily to our patients and their families, please secure an up-to-date email address for these families and include this with your referral.

Thank you for your support.