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CAMHS is a free service funded by the HSE which provides assessment and treatment for children and young people up to the age of 18, and their families, who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties. The vast majority of CAMHS interventions are delivered in the community, close to people's homes, as opposed to an inpatient unit such as Linn Dara or St Joseph's.

The Community CAMHS teams consist of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, and Speech and Languages Therapists, among others. Referrals are made to the service through GP’s but can be completed in conjunction with other professionals such as a TUSLA team leader, or a Paediatrician.

If it is deemed appropriate for CAMHS, i.e. cannot be treated in primary care or another service such as Jigsaw, an initial assessment meeting will be set up to identify the child’s wants and needs in order to form an Individualised Care Plan (ICP). A key worker is then assigned to talk through the ICP, review it when necessary, and to be available for any further questions.

When it is decided that the goals set out in the ICP have been met and there is no longer a need for the service, a discharge meeting will be held where the service-user can give their views and form a discharge plan. A discharge meeting can also be held when an adolescent reaches 18 and may be transferring to adult mental health services.

The CAMHS operational guidelines which helps CAMHS nationally have a consistent approach is attached below;

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Social Workers in CAMHS meet with children and their families to offer support and to explore any issues that may be causing difficulty in a family and aim to form solutions together.

The ability to work in and with the whole context or situation is an important distinguishing characteristic of Social Work practice. An essential part of the work includes a collaborative assessment and diagnostic process with the client, the family and other relevant members of the child’s network such as teachers. Social Workers in CAMHS tend to differ from other clinicians on the team as they are trained to view the child in the context of their environment and family life.

While Social Workers can take on direct work with children, the same as any other clinicians on the team, they are often tasked with taking on the parenting work as Social Workers typically have the most experience working with parents. This involves meeting with families to explore what strengths exist in order to build on them and to explore how the family work as a team.

One of the common misconceptions about Social Workers in CAMHS is that they are associated with Tusla or child protection Social Workers. This is something which can cause stress or anxiety for parents who might have been told that a Social Worker on the team will contact them or will be speaking to their child. In these cases it should be clearly explained that they are a clinician on the team who happens to have a background in Social Work and that this family are not being singled out for work as a result of any concerns regarding the care of their child.

An article (1.1) discussing the role of Social Work in CAMHS is attached below;

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Click here for information on the referral and clinical pathway in CAMHS

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Click here for information on the referral and clinical pathway in CAMHS

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The following referrals will not meet the criteria to be accepted into CAMHS;

Those whose difficulties directly relate to learning problems, social problems, or mild mental health problems (must be moderate to severe). These cases may be referred to other services such as primary care, Disability services or family resource centers.

Intellectual disability where there is no moderate to severe mental disorder present.

Referrals received without the consent of the parent/guardian.

Those with a diagnosis of autism. In the case of a child presenting with mod-severe mental disorder and autism, the mental disorder will be treated and CAMHS many link in with any relevant disability services/primary care.

Those over the age of 18.

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1.1 IASW-Role of social workers in CAMHS article

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1.1 IASW-Role of social workers in CAMHS article

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Below are some resources that I have gathered from my time in CAMHS that have been useful in working with the young people in  the service;

CALM HARM app-  This is a free app aimed at teenagers which provides tasks to help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm. It uses the basic principles of an evidence-based therapy called Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and offers activities in distraction, comfort, release and others. A video is attached below outlining how the app works.

http://www.socialworkerstoolbox.com/- provides free social work resources for direct work with children and families.

Reflectly app- Ask users to reflect on how they're feeling daily and why. Many young people could benefit from mindfulness but don't necessarily want to follow guided meditations, or can’t quite get on board with the over-the-top mantras that some apps on the market promote. This app can be used as a journal for the young person to  track thoughts and feelings by asking questions like how our day was, why it was good (for example, because of food or work), and how we felt.

Sensory boxes/Comfort boxes- This is typically a  container or box of some sort filled with materials and objects carefully selected to stimulate the senses or bring comfort to it's owner. These can be items such as fidget spinners, sand, face masks, beads, or pictures. They can be soothing to children and young people with sensory issues but also with those who self-harm/require distractions as they are individually tailored to calm the person who made it.

https://adhdireland.ie/-  This website provides up-to-date information, resources and networking opportunities to individuals with ADHD, parents of children with ADHD and the professionals who serve them. They also provide support and advice through phone line and emails, send out information, produce publications, organise information sessions, run Solution Focussed Brief Therapy courses for young people, run parenting courses, work to raise awareness of the condition and contribute to research.

50808- 50808 is the new free 24/7 HSE text service, providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support for people going through a mental health or emotional crisis - big or small.  From breakups or bullying, to anxiety, depression and suicidal feelings, Crisis Volunteers are available 24/7 for anonymous text conversations. Our aim is to provide immediate support in the short term and connect people to resources that will help them in the future. This service is can be particularly helpful for young people who might feel more comfortable to text when seeking help rather than talk.

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Calm Harm - manage the urge to self harm

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When a young person is attending CAMHS, it is typical that the whole family is engaged in the work. This is often through holding sessions with one or both of the parents to talk about how the young person's distress is being managed at home, the support that they are receiving, and to explore some  practical strategies that could be implemented at home to help the young person.

Sometimes families can be apprehensive when approached about doing parenting sessions at CAMHS. Some might think that they are being single out for work to be done due to their parenting skills and others might think that they are being called in due to something that their young person has said that has caused concern around their parenting. It is important to reassure these families that CAMHS almost always works with the parents because although they are not always the cause of the problems, they are always part of the solution.

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Click here to see how cases are managed and prioritized at CAMHS

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Click here to see how cases are managed and prioritized at CAMHS

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What are the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)?