Information for children and young people about the North Cumbria CAMHS services in Workington and Carlisle.
This leaflet provides you with information that you may find useful about the service. If you are not sure about anything in this leaflet please ask a member of staff.
CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
The specialist CAMHS team supports children and young people from birth to 18. We help those with ongoing, moderate to severe mental health challenges.
We also help with complex cases that haven’t improved with earlier treatment.
Before you visit us
After your referral has been accepted by CAMHS, you will be offered an appointment to come and see us. This appointment is sometimes called an assessment.
Before you visit us, it might be useful to discuss the appointment with someone so you can have a think about what you would like to talk about or what questions you would like to ask. It may be useful to write these things down so you remember. Helpful people to have this conversation with could be a relative, carer, friend, teacher or the person who referred you to CAMHS.
YoungMinds have developed a list of questions you might find useful to ask during the appointment:
You may receive questionnaires to complete and bring to your first appointment. There is no right or wrong answer so just answer the best you can. If you do not know how to answer a question you can talk with your worker about this in your first appointment.
When you arrive at CAMHS you will tell our receptionist that you are here. Once you tell them your name, they will book you in and let the person you have come to see know that you have arrived.
You will be asked to take a seat in the waiting room and you may sit there for a short time. We will then invite you into one of our rooms where we can talk. Your mum, dad or carer will be able to come in with you.
You may feel worried or nervous about coming to CAMHS for the first time, this is okay. Our videos on our website will show you our buildings and how you can get to reception
Children and young people come to CAMHS for lots of different reasons. The first time you visit us we will want to get to know you a little better and find out what is happening in your life.
We may ask you questions about home, school, friends, what you like to do and any problems you may have. This will help us know how best we can help you. You can ask us any questions too.
It is often helpful for parents and carers to be part of this discussion. You will also have chance to speak with your CAMHS worker alone if you would like.
Your appointment will usually last 90 minutes.
It is up to you what you decide to share with us. We understand it can be difficult to talk about certain things. You will not have to answer any questions you do not want to answer, and you will not be put under pressure to discuss anything you are not ready to talk about.
There are different types of professionals who you may see at CAMHS.
YoungMinds have made a list of the professionals who typically work within CAMHS so you can learn a little bit about their different roles:
Sometimes we may ask if a student or a new member of staff can join the appointment. You can refuse this if you want.
Sometimes there may be things you do not want your parent or carer to know. We will keep what you tell us confidential (private).
The only time we would tell someone else, is if we become very worried about your safety or the safety of others.
If we became very concerned about you, we may have to share this information with someone who could help (e.g. family, school). We would try to speak with you before we did this.
At the end of the appointment, we will talk through what happens next. It may be that we offer you another appointment to gain more information to decide how best to help.
Sometimes we may think another organisation may be better able to help you and we will support you to get help from them.
If we feel that we are the best service to help you then there may be a wait until you are offered support. We would ask that if you feel you are getting worse to contact our CAMHS team manager to let us know.
The Universal Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHT) are available 24/7 to support you if you are experiencing a mental health crisis. They can also provide advice and support to your family.
Call on NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You’ll speak to a mental health professional who will listen and help you find the right support.
If you are Deaf or have communication difficulties, you can contact us in a crisis by:
Texting 07860 064 775
Using SignVideo
Contacting 18001 111 using the Relay UK app
We would ask you to call 999 or visit your nearest A&E in case of an emergency.