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Child and adolescent
mental health teams (CAMHS)

CAMHS teams and Community Mental Health Teams (serving adults) vary in personnel (beyond having a consultant psychiatrist at the hub), but they are likely to involve the following:

- Child and adolescent psychiatrists;
- Child clinical psychologists;
- Child psychotherapists;
- Family therapists;
- Art therapists;

- Children's and/or community psychiatric nurses (CPNs);
- Occupational therapists;
- Social workers;
- Pharmacists.

Where do these
teams work?
National Health Service child psychiatrists mainly
work in:

- CAMHS clinics;
- Specialised in-patient units;
- Child and family services;
- Young people's services;
- Outreach services (eg in schools, but this is rare).

The role of psychiatry

A large part of a child psychiatrist's work is to identify and assess the mental health problem and advise on interventions. Most of the work they do with children and their families is done through out-patient appointments while the child continues to live at home. They are sometimes asked to provide expert opinion to the courts about child welfare issues.
Referral routes to a psychiatrist – usually through a child's GP but sometimes through a health visitor, school doctor, clinic doctor, paediatrician, educational psychologist or social worker, if they agree a referral to a psychiatrist is needed.
Psychiatrists work as part of a multidisciplinary service that includes other child mental health professionals. Commonly, there are shortages, so the availability of trained professionals in particular disciplines and available funding will affect a team's make-up.

Team members

Clinical psychologists

Occupational therapists

Psychotherapists

Art therapists

Cognitive therapists

Community psychiatric nurses

Nurse therapists

Social workers

Pharmacists

Clinical psychologists
Clinical psychologists (usually employed by the health service) are a different profession from educational psychologists (EPs), who have received training which is significantly different. EPs work for local authority children's services. Clinical psychologists are, of course, trained and experienced in offering psychological treatments. They will usually meet regularly with the child and often the child's family for a number of sessions to talk through problems and to find solutions.

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Occupational therapists
Occupational therapists help people who are receiving treatment to get back to carrying on their normal lives, by purposeful activity and meaningful occupation to help people regain their self-confidence. This can be through doing practical things in a relaxed environment or talking with people in groups.

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Psychotherapists
Psychotherapists have had specialist training in one of the psychotherapies, often called 'talking treatments' because they are ways of talking that help people better understand themselves and their problems. This process can help to solve problems and relieve symptoms. They include:
Art therapists have undergone specialist training in a form of psychotherapy which uses art-making within a therapeutic relationship or group, as a means of assisting a child or adult in discovering, exploring and clarifying their thoughts and feelings.
Cognitive therapists, trained in cognitive behavioural therapy, help people to cope with stress and emotional problems by talking about the connections between the way they think, feel and behave.
please note the last 2 paragraphs are duplicated on the art therapist and cognitive therapist pop-ups

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Art therapists
Art therapists have undergone specialist training in a form of psychotherapy which uses art-making within a therapeutic relationship or group, as a means of assisting a child or adult in discovering, exploring and clarifying their thoughts and feelings.

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Cognitive therapists
Cognitive therapists, trained in cognitive behavioural therapy, help people to cope with stress and emotional problems by talking about the connections between the way they think, feel and behave.

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Community psychiatric nurses
Historically, there has been an uneven spread of psychotherapists across England, with more in the South-east. Occasionally, there may be arrangements with BESD schools etc. for them to offer direct work in schools.
Community psychiatric nurses (CPNs) in CAMHS work in the community usually visiting clients in their own homes, out-patient departments or family doctors' surgeries. CPNs can help children and adults to talk through their problems and give them practical advice and support. They can also give medicines and monitor the effects of medication.

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Nurse therapists
Nurse therapists have received extra training in particular problems and treatments, such as eating disorders or behaviour therapy.

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Social workers
Social workers are an essential part of CAMHS, although they may be employed by the local authority children's services rather than the health authority. They are able to help with money and housing problems and play an important part in helping with child-care issues. An Approved Social Worker (ASW) is a qualified social worker who has done further training in mental health and current Mental Health Act. ASWs play a key part in assessing whether or not someone should be detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act.

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Pharmacists
Pharmacists train for five years to become specialists in medicines. As part of a mental health team, they offer expert advice to doctors and nurses about the benefits and side-effects of different medications. They are also available to talk to patients and their carers about their medication and answer any questions they may have.

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Importance of
close team work

The aim is for close team work with skills of one profession knitting in with the skills of another: 'As well as their professional skills, the team members will have experience in understanding the distress that goes with mental illness. They can all offer support and encouragement. By working together, they try to make sure that the team has a clear picture of your difficulties and strengths.'
They can then plan the right help for the individual. Staff work closely together and so they often learn a lot from each other. You may find that nurses can deal with many social and work-related problems and that occupational therapists and social workers know something about medication.

Access
Consider the following questions:

- Does your school have access to a multi-disciplinary team?
- Do you think your school has sufficient access and input when the team works in
  your school?
- How might your school improve the dialogue between the multi-disciplinary team, the families and your pupils?

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