Referrals

The CAMHS team worker will see young people (aged 8-19+ years) who are referred from Prevention Team Officers, Youth Offending Service Officers, Appropriate Adult Scheme and other youth and education services.

Common reasons for referrals

Young people within the criminal justice system are up to three times more likely to have mental health problems compared with their peers in the general population. Common reasons for referral include:

• Conduct disorders (defiance, aggression, anti-social behaviour)
• Longstanding family relationship problems
• Hyperkinetic disorders (disturbance of activity and attention)
• Eating disorders
• Developmental disorders - particularly autistic spectrum disorders
• Post traumatic stress
• Emotional disorders (phobias, anxiety, depression)

Occasionally we may be asked to complete a mental health assessment at the youth court if a young person is detained at court and is presenting with concerns relating to their mental health.

Once we have accepted a referral we aim to:

• Develop and maintain a therapeutic relationship with young person, whilst adopting a flexible approach. We do tend to offer outreach work in order to engage the young person.
• Complete an initial assessment and risk assessment. This helps us to put the jigsaw together and allows us to get a picture of what has been happening for the young person and family.  It also enables us to look at offending behaviour and highlight any associated risk factors which include risk the young person presents to themselves and to others.
• Identify a plan of care addressing individual care needs, and agree to it with the young person/family.
• Implement identified plan of care. This may include different treatment modalities with the individual young person and their family.
• Evaluate plan of care to determine that the young person is happy and the work undertaken is being effective.

If a young person who comes into contact with the Youth Offending Service is having difficulty with their emotional or mental health we will see if there is anything that we can do to help them.  If we are unable to offer the required intervention, then a referral on to other services may be agreed.  This can also include accessing adult mental health services for parents or significant others.

Other information

As part of our role we also access information from the health database to support the court team with any additions to court and pre-sentence reports.  This allows us to access information, liaise with other healthcare professionals in order to communicate any relevant information back to the court team. 

The CAMHS worker will always explain issues of confidentiality to the young person, and will work in partnership with them and their family to make sure everyone understands and agrees to the intervention, including liaison with all the key agencies involved.