CAMHS - City and Hackney

Any professional can write to or telephone the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service to discuss a referral, or make a referral by filling in a referral form giving details of the family, the concerns and any other relevant background information, and sending or faxing it to one of the teams. See this Single Point of Access flyer and C&H CAMHS Referral form

You can request an appointment through your GP, school, youth worker, social worker. We will contact you with the date and time of the appointment in the post, let us know if you’d rather we didn’t send a letter.

CAMHS offers assessment and help to children, young people and their families with significant emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties.

We assess, and where possible find ways of working with, the child or young person and those who look after them, in understanding and dealing with their problems in order to achieve change.

We aim to provide a service that respects the beliefs of those who use the service and is sensitive to their culture, race and gender.

What information is needed when I make a referral?
You will need to complete our CAMHS Referral form. This will enable us to decide how best to help the family. It may be useful for you to have in mind some of the following questions whilst filling in the form:

• What are the current concerns or problems?
• What are the triggers for seeking help at this time?
• How long has the problem existed, how severe is it, and how does it impact on the child/young person's familty, education and work?
• What are the relevant psychosocial and family issues including who is in the family or important people in the kinship system? Who are the other agencies involved?
• What has been the response to previous attempts to help?
• Are the child/young person/family aware of and consenting to the referral? What is the family's motivation to seek help?
• Are there any identified risks?
• What continued involvement will you have with the family?
• Are there service access issues like language and disability?

What it the Community Eating Disorders Service for Children and Young People (CEDS-CYP)?
This is a team of professionals set up to help young people up to the age of 18 in East London who are experiencing issues with food, eating, body shape and weight concerns. It is part of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). We accept referrals from GPs, healthcare professionals, schools and colleges. We are in the process of making self-referral available to parents, carers and young people.

Who are we?
All clinicians have a relevant professional qualification and experience working with young people and their families. Members of the team include:

• Dietician: Offers advice about food choices and lifestyle
• Consultant Psychiatrist: A senior doctor who has overall responsibility for your care
• Therapists: Talk to you to help make sense of your difficulties and develop positive skills
• Family Therapists: Offers your family a supportive space to talk about their experiences
• Paediatrician: A type of doctor who specialises in the health and wellbeing of young people.

All clinicians have a relevant professional qualification and experience working with young people and their families. Members of the team include:

• Dietician. Offers advice about food choices and lifestyle.
• Therapists. Talk to you to help make sense of your difficulties and develop positive skills.
• Family Therapists. Offers your family a supportive space to talk about their experiences.
• Paediatrician. A doctor who specialises in the health of young people.
• Consultant Psychiatrist. A senior doctor who oversees the emotional and physical wellbeing of young people.

We work and listen respectfully and non-judgementally

When worries about your food, shape and weight get to the point where they affect your behaviour and everyday life, this can be indicative of an eating disorder.

Eating disorders can take many forms and so there are a number of indicators. These may include restricting food intake, excessive eating (bingeing), self-induced vomiting, laxative usage, excessive exercise, worries about body shape and weight, etc.  

Whilst eating disorders can appear to be about food and weight, there are often other contributing factors that can lead to a person having an eating disorder, and these can differ greatly from person to person. 

Often, eating disorders can give a sense of control when other areas of your life seem out of control. However, they can also be very difficult to manage in your everyday life.

If you think that you might have an eating disorder, the most important step forward to take is acknowledging that you may have a problem, as there is help available to you.

When we receive a request for help we will offer you an appointment. When we first meet you we will spend time chatting about what has brought you here.  You can tell us anything that you like about how you are feeling and what you would like to be different.  We won’t think it is silly or stupid.  You may feel worried about talking on your own and may prefer to have family with you. Also, it doesn’t matter if you don’t feel like talking much at an appointment.   You can ask as many questions as you like and if we use any complicated words just tell us and we can explain what we mean.  We want to work with you to find ways for you to feel better.

We find it helpful to meet other people in the family so we can hear what they think about the difficulty.

Sometimes we only need to meet you a few times, and sometimes it may take longer.  We will talk about this with you when you come to see us.

When we receive a request for help we will offer you an appointment.  At the first appointment we will spend time talking about the reasons you are here.  We will listen to you, you can tell us anything you like about how you are feeling and ask as many questions as you like.  This is a safe environment and we want to help you.  We find it helpful to meet other members of your family so we can hear what they think about the difficulty but we will also talk to you separately.  You may prefer if it is just you at the appointment and this is fine, just let us know.

After the first meeting it might be helpful to speak to your GP, teachers, social worker or other professionals involved with you and your family. We would only do this with your permission.

This is a confidential service. We will only discuss your case with another service if you have given us permission or if we have serious concerns about a young person's safety.

You will meet with one or more members of the team who will talk to you about the difficulties you have been having, what you would like to be different and how CAMHS might help.

We look at how we can use your own and your family’s strengths, skills and abilities to help the situation. We will then discuss with you how we will work together with you on the problems you have identified and the goals you want to achieve.

Sometimes only a few meetings are needed, sometimes it may take longer. We normally offer treatment in blocks of 6 sessions but will review this regularly with you.