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CAMHS City and Hackney

The service assesses and treats children and young people (under 18) with mental health problems and their families, from two community settings in Hackney.

The teams include Psychiatrists, Psychotherapists, Psychologists, Family Therapists and Community Mental Health Nurses trained to work with children, young people and their families.

Address

Children and Young People Centre
15 Homerton Row
Hackney, London
E9 6ED
United Kingdom

Opening hours
09:00 - 17:00
Monday - Friday
Email address
Telephone number
020 3222 5600
020 3222 5792

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 it to one of the teams.

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 services are available to children and young people who are at risk of significant, persistent and/or complex emotional and mental health difficulties.

The following general categories describe the children and young people who would benefit from specialist assessment and treatment:

  • Severe or life-threatening conditions
  • Severe impairment of functioning associated with some mental disorders
  • Significant emotional/behavioural/mental health difficulties in children and young people with learning disabilities
  • Significant emotional difficulties related to and severely complicating physical conditions where treatment will influence the outcome
  • Emotional and behavioural difficulties where prompt early intervention is likely to prevent the development of a more severe and significant disorder.

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 is 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 relevant professional qualifications 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 well-being of young people.

What Is An Eating Disorder?
A lot of young people, worry about their weight, shape or food. However, for some, these worries can become an obsession which can turn into a serious eating disorder.

Someone with an eating disorder might compulsively diet or skip meals in order to lose weight. Regularly overeating and experiencing loss of control over what, when or how much to eat can also be signs of an eating problem.

What will happen at my first appointment?
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. 

What will happen first?
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.

Who do we talk to?
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.

How Do We Try to Help?
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 our 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, and sometimes it may take longer. We normally offer treatment in blocks of 6 sessions but will review this regularly with you.