The CAMHS parent carer participation group met in November to talk about the gap between mental health support teams in schools and the initial assessment and treatment stages of CAMHS.
This group meets online every month and was created following feedback from parent carers about the need for keeping families informed and connected while waiting for CAMHS appointments and assessments. It’s an opportunity for parent carers to share experiences and ideas with the participation team at CAMHS, as well as ask questions about aspects of the service and hear news and updates.
Here are the main messages and themes from parent carers at the November meeting:
Group work in CAMHS
- A request for improved information for parent carers about the process of being offered group or 1:1 intervention in CAMHS, including more information about the course content of group interventions so families can make an informed decision as to what is best for their child.
- Concern raised about the suitability of group work delivery, as it is currently organised, in relation to neurodivergent young people, given large group sizes and inconsistent staffing.
- Clarity requested on what level of decision-making parent carers have over what happens next when a group intervention ends.
Whole school approach to mental health: how is the school experience?
- Shifting the goal from attendance to pupil confidence and wellbeing would better support young people who have SEND.
- Clear sense that adults are offered far more protection and support in the workplace than young people are in education. Whereas in the workplace measures would be put in place to support someone who said they were struggling to attend, at school parent carers felt the message was ‘just get on with it, ignore how you are feeling and get in’. There was a desire to encourage a shift in tone to ‘we understand the factors that affect attendance, here are some things you can try’.
Partnership working between schools/local authority and CAMHS
- Parent carers saw a clear role for CAMHS to be in dialogue with the local authority. In particular, they wanted to know that CAMHS is in regular contact with the LA and that they are involved in informing policy around mental health and what supports it within the education system.
- Parent carers asked us to explore their experience of health professional perspectives on EHC needs assessments not being given due weight in decision making.
- Parent carers also suggested there could be more partnership working around engagement e.g. CAMHS and MHSTs (mental health support teams) hosting joint coffee mornings.
Meeting dates:
- Monday 1st December, 7.00pm to 8.30pm
- Monday 12th January, 10.00am to 11.30am
- Monday 2nd February, 7.00pm to 8.30pm
- Monday 2nd March, 10.00am to 11.30am
- Monday 11th May, 7.00pm to 8.30pm (there isn’t an April session because of the Easter break)
- Monday 1st June, 10.00am to 11.30am
- Monday 6th July, 7.00pm to 8.30pm
If you would like to attend these meetings, which are open to all parent carers in East Sussex, and you are not already on the mailing list, please send an email to: [email protected].