Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) provides community based specialist mental health care for children and young people between 0 and 17 years of age (or those still attending high school) who are experiencing acute and complex mental health challenges resulting in a significant impact on their daily functioning. CAMHS recognises the importance of activating a range of natural support systems that care for a child or young person in the developmental context. CAMHS will work closely with families/caregivers to support functioning and produce the best possible outcomes.
CAMHS are staffed by a team of multidisciplinary clinicians, including child and adolescent psychiatrists, nurses, clinical psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, Aboriginal mental health clinicians, Aboriginal care navigators and peer navigators.
Care is compassionate, flexible, and adaptable. Clinicians respond to children and young people in a variety of settings including schools, homes, communities, and when required, in hospital-based treatment settings.
CAMHS are committed to providing person-centred, trauma informed, and culturally safe care that is evidence-based and draws on existing strengths to build capacity and empowerment in recovery.
What to expect?
A comprehensive assessment is completed to ensure a thorough understanding of the presenting concerns for the child or young person and their family. Provision of care can then be delivered individually, family based and/or in a group format.
Interventions are targeted and tailored specifically to meet the needs of the child or young person and their family/caregivers, based on collaboratively developed goals that are regularly reviewed to monitor progress.
The team will collaborate with the child or young person, their family/carers, and other relevant providers/services to deliver the most appropriate care, with a view to promote healthy and connected relationships that enable the best possible outcomes.
Other specialist CAMHS programs include:
Safeguards – Provides rapid, mobile, intensive and flexible short term (up to 8 weeks or 12 weeks if the child or young person is Aboriginal) interventions for children and young people between 0 and 17 years of age (or those still attending high school) experiencing a mental health crisis. They provide extended hours services and partner with relevant health services to ensure seven day per week support to children and young people in crisis. Referrals to Safeguards follow the CAMHS referral pathways.
Getting on Track in Time (Got It!) – is a specialist school based mental health early intervention program for children in Kindergarten to Year 2 aged between 5 and 8 years of age. It is run in collaboration with the Department of Education and delivered onsite at public schools within SESLHD. Got It! is designed to enhance parenting skills and build capacities within schools enabling staff and parents to respond effectively to emerging emotional and mental health issues, behavioural difficulties, and possible conduct problems.
How to access the CAMHS service?
Contact your local CAMHS service to discuss referral pathways and criteria.
| St George MHS CAMHS |
Phone 02 8198 7300 Street address Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 - 5:00pm |
|---|---|
| Sutherland MHS CAMHS |
Phone 02 9540 7800 Street address Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 - 5:00pm |
| Eastern Suburbs MHS CAMHS |
Phone 02 9382 4347 Street address Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 - 5:00pm Child and Family East (CAFE) Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm |
Resources
- Planning Together for Safety and Support -A guide on how to engage a student in their safe return to school through ongoing collaboration with their family, the school, and external mental health supports.
- Planning Together for Safety and Support: how to video - A practical video to support schools in implementing the suggestions and approaches outlined in the above resource.
- School Refusal: Every School Day Counts - A resource developed to assist education staff and families in identifying and supporting children and adolescents who are avoiding school due to mental health difficulties.