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Information you will find useful during your contact with Children and Young People's Services.

If you need support in a crisis please contact:

 
 
 

 

You have been given this booklet because you have been referred to the Children and Young Peoples’ Service (CYPS). We have different professionals who all work together to help children and young people who are having problems with their emotional or mental health. There is a lot of information in this booklet, it may be helpful to read it a bit at a time.

  • You will receive an initial assessment appointment to assess your needs.
  • If you come to appointments with your parents or carers and want to talk to us on your own we can arrange this.
  • We would like to talk to your parents or carers too so we can try to help you in the best way possible.
  • We will try to offer you appointments that are at a suitable time for you and in a venue of your choice where possible.
  • It is really important for you to attend all your appointments as far as possible if we are to give you the best possible help we can.
  • If you do not attend arranged appointments we will try to contact you by telephone, and will notify the person who referred you to the service.

Your first appointment is an assessment because this is where we begin to discuss the choices about your care together. One of our clinicians will start to assess your needs. The clinician will assess your needs based on the discussions with you, your family or carers and the information we have received from the person who referred you.

At this appointment we will talk to you about the reasons why you have been referred and what your feelings are about this. We will talk to you about the difficulties you have and how we may be able to help you. The clinician will help you to set some goals so that we can give you the best possible help and support.

The clinician you meet in your appointment may or may not be the clinician who will work with you as long as you are in our service. We will look for the right clinician with the right skills to work with you at all times and this will be your lead clinician. You may need to work with other clinicians during your time in the service but your lead clinician will talk to you about this.

We will ask for your agreement to share information with other people who are involved with you such as your teacher, social worker, school nurse, other staff that we think could help you from within the service.

You have the right to not agree (refuse consent) with us sharing information with other people, but we may not be able to give you the best care we can if you do this.

There are times when we can still share information without your agreement. The times when we can do this are if we believe that you are in danger from others or are a danger to other people. We will tell you if we are going to share information about you, and what that information is.

At all other times we will keep information about you confidential.

We will ask you for your agreement (consent) to any plan of treatment or intervention.

You have the right to refuse to agree if you wish but we may not be able to give you the best possible help we can if you do this.

You have the right to change your mind at any time. Treatment and intervention can only continue with your agreement.

We will keep a record of your agreement (consent).

If you are not able to give us your agreement to treatment and intervention we may seek this from your parent(s) or carer(s).

  • Your clinician will discuss with you all the options for treatment and intervention.
  • A plan of how the treatment or intervention will be carried out will be agreed with you, your parents/carers and any other person such as your teacher, social worker or school nurse.
  • This plan will show how often you will be seen, how many sessions you will have and what you will do in each session.
  • The goals you set will be discussed with you regularly to see how much progress you are making.
  • You and/or your parents will be given a copy of your Care Plan.
  • If medication is suggested as a way of helping you, the psychiatrist or nurse who would prescribe the medication will talk to you about the different types of medication, the benefits and side effects so you can decide if you want to take it.

Questions
t’s easy to forget what you want to ask, so if you have any questions - write them down and speak to staff at your next appointment

The Trust needs to keep information about you so that we can provide the best care for you. We keep the following information:

  • Name and address and your next of kin
  • Notes of when we’ve seen and talked to you
  • Information about what treatment or care you have had
  • Information from other health workers, or family and people who care for you.

We do this to make sure that:

  • You get the best care possible
  • Health workers have the right information about your care and treatment.

Everyone who works in the Trust must keep information about you confidential. Sometimes we need to share information with other organisations that are providing care for you, like Social Services. If we do share information we would normally talk to you about it first and ask for your permission.

You have a right to find out what information we hold about you, please ask staff for a copy of ‘Information that the Trust keeps about you’. You can also access your health records at any time - ask staff for a copy of ‘How to access your health records’.

Changing your medical consultant and asking for a second opinion
The Trust produces a booklet about how you can request a change of medical consultant or ask for a second opinion. Ask staff for a copy of the leaflet.

If you wish to discuss a change of clinician you can speak to a team manager to discuss this further. Ask our reception staff if you can speak to a team manager.

All CYPS clinicians have the skills, training and experience in working with young people with mental health conditions. They may also have some specialist skills, which they may use to help you with specific treatments.

Anti-bullying Alliance
Established with the aim of reducing bullying and creating safe environments in which children and young people can live, grow, play and learn. Includes sections for children, parents and professionals.
www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

Childline
Telephone: 0800 1111
Free, national helpline for children and young people in trouble or danger.

Eating Disorders Association - BEAT
Information and help on all aspects of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and related eating disorders.
www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Young Minds
Provides information and advice for anyone with concerns about the mental health of a child or young person. The website contains a lot of information about conditions and treatments. www.youngminds.org.uk

Patient Advice and Liaison Service
Provides help, advice and guidance to users of the NHS and their families.
North of Tyne – telephone: 0800 032 02 02, Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm. 
South of Tyne – telephone: 0800 328 4397, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.  

You can provide feedback in the following ways:
- the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
- complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff 
- other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved ones care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

PALS
Tel: 0800 032 0202
Email: pals@nhct.nhs.uk
Post: FREEPOST PALS

South of Tyne
Tel: 0800 328 4397
Text: 07825 061 035
Email: pals@cntw.nhs.uk
Post: Patient Advice and Liaison Service, Garden Lodge, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0NB

9.00 am – 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday
An answerphone is available at all times for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.
 

The EYE group is a forum for young people aged 12-18 years who are current or past users of the CYP service. The group discuss issues that surround young people’s mental health issues, provide feedback about potential service improvements and get involved in recruiting CYPS staff. The group meets monthly and are always happy to welcome new members. If you are interested in joining the group please speak to either your Clinician, or telephone: 0191 566 5500 to ask for more information.

We would like to know what you think about this booklet, your views will help us to improve this information. Please take a couple of minutes to answer the following questions - thank you.

The name of the team you attend:___________________________________________________________________

Question  Your comments
What do you like about this booklet?

 

 
Is there anything that you do not
like about this booklet?

 

 
Is there any other information that
you would like included in this booklet?

 

 
Is there anything else you would like
to tell us about this booklet?

 

 

 

Please return to:
Patient Information Centre, St Nicholas Hospital, Jubilee Road, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3XT or give to a member of staff.

 

 

 

Quality Network for Community CAMHS Standards
www.rcpsych.ac.uk/communitycamhs

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this booklet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (Braille, audio, larger print, BSL, easy read or other languages). Please telephone the Patient Information Centre on 0191 246 7288.

Published by the Patient Information Centre
Copyright 2025: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref: PIC/775/1125 November 2025 V6

Review date: 2028

Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk