Children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)

Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Approximately 1 in 10 children, aged 5 to 16 had a clinically diagnosable mental health disorder in 2004. (source: Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Great Britain, ONS, 2004).

Factors associated with the onset of persistent mental health disorders in children and young people include:

• experiencing three or more stressful life events, such as family bereavement, divorce or serious illness;
• physical illness (linked strongly to the onset of emotional disorders);
• family structure - with those living in single-parent households more likely to develop disorders;
• the mental health of the mother;
• household tenure - children who live in rented accommodation are more likely to have a persisting emotional disorder than those who do not.

(source: Three Years On: Survey of development and emotional wellbeing of children and young people, ONS, 2008)

CAMHS can be broken down into three main areas: Universal, Targeted and Specialist.

Universal services work with all children and young people;

Targeted services provide early interventions for vulnerable children and young people;

Specialist services work with children and young people with complex, severe and/or persistent needs. Specialist services provide help across education, social care and youth offending and work with children and young people with the highest level of need.