This snapshot, taken on 07/04/2010, shows web content selected for preservation by The National Archives. External links, forms and search boxes may not work in archived websites.
Children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) support young people with emotional, behavioural, psychological and mental health problems. This is an area where the Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) work on joint initiatives.
The government has published new best practice guidance for Children's Trusts to help leaders and commissioners across children's services to plan and develop services to promote the emotional health of children and young people. This non-statutory guidance assists senior managers with leadership or commissioning responsibilities in developing a strategic approach to promoting emotional health. It considers emotional health across the age range, and how it can be supported in a number of environments. The guidance contains a detailed service specification (using evidence-based approaches) that sets out the core support and services for children, young people and families, representing a comprehensive, strategic approach to promoting emotional health.
Published on Thursday 7 January 2010, Keeping Children and Young People in Mind, explains how the Government is responding to the review’s recommendations. It includes a description of what effective local services look like and details of a package of support to help local areas to deliver this.
The Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services Review looked at the educational, care and support needs of children and young people experiencing emotional, behavioural, psychological and mental health problems. It identified practical solutions to help those commissioning services.
The latest information on the understanding of Tier 4 as multi-faceted with multi-agency services that can include inreach, outreach, intensive and crisis community initiatives, day provision, therapeutic fostering and other services that may be described as ‘wrap around’.
The NCSS is a service improvement workstream, commissioned by DH and DCSF, to deliver a programme of specific activities relating to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). The NCSS's business plan for 2009/10 (at Annex A) is included so that regional colleagues, etc., can see the activities the NCSS are expected to undertake within the regions as part of the agreed integrated approach to supporting Public Service Agreement (PSA) 12 (to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people).
This joint DH/DCSF guide states how the 18 weeks referral to treatment standard, (NHS Operating Framework for 2009/10) applies to non-emergency consultant-led CAMHS services and pathways. This guide does not set any new standards or targets. It shows how accessible low-wait CAMHS can be achieved and provides good practice examples.
