To leave my CAMHS job

My son was treated by CAMHS pre-covid for anxiety and at that time he was offered CBT really very quickly after referral from our GP. I don’t know what the level of service is like locally now as he was discharged after a year or so. But I can’t fault the treatment he received at the time and we’re so grateful for it. It honestly transformed him from a child who would overthink everything and make himself physically ill as a result to a teenager who stood up and spoke in assemblies for election as a school senior student and took a lead role in the school play. As a healthcare professional myself I understand the pressures the NHS is under but I know that everyone is doing the best they can. And what you’re doing makes a huge difference so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I don’t blame the staff, it’s not their the service falls short. However I have realised that only I can bring in the changes for my child. Everything is on my shoulders.

CAHMS is a nightmare, years waiting then just pinging suicidal kids between charitable services because CAHMS have fuk all to offer. The charities redirected to also have fuk all to offer. Desperate parents and desperate kids receiving review after review with no substantial meaningful therapeutic input, only delay delay delay. The service is a joke.

It's good that you've felt able to air your feelings on MN OP, but can I suggest that you also send a copy of the main part of your post, about the stress etc, that you feel to your MP? So many people in the health service, and other supporting services are under so much pressure, that they quit because of it, but don't tell the powers that be what they're doing. You're feeling the pressure, at least pass it on to those who are responsible for it, and encourage others to do so too.

Meanwhile, thank you for all your efforts, as I know my granddaughter has been helped a lot by CAHMS, and without that, I fear she may not still be with us, so rest assured that the work you do IS appreciated by the recipients and their families, but your reasons for quitting, if you do decide to, should be passed on to those who can chose to try and make a difference, from a position of power.

My daughter has been with CAMHS for over two years now, and through them also with a psychiatrist for 18 months. Without them, I am convinced she wouldn’t still be alive. I couldn’t have saved her from her self harm & suicide ideation/attempts on my own. And she’s not better yet, and so they are still seeing her every week, and helping me to cope as much as they’re helping her. So thank you.
Oh and I’m a teacher - so I sympathise with the struggle of trying to do your best while being woefully underfunded & criticised for not being able to perform miracles.

I’m sorry OP - the situation is truly awful.
That’s because the unavoidable truth is that CBT is a politicised form of therapy and the powers that be in NICE have squeezed many other types of therapy practise out of the NHS based on incredibly dodgy (bad science) research evidence to give cheap treatment and gatekeep their own type of therapy.
Anyone interested should read a book called ‘The Cognitive Behavioural Tsunami’ written by a hugely qualified psychotherapist.
I pity anyone working for CAMHS - it is the definition of ‘sausage machine’ with underpaid, overworked staff, who all have good intentions and are truly taken advantage of in the amount of work they have to do with a very sick society.

OP, I'm so sorry you're burnt out. I can't answer your AIBU with anything but "only you can decide" but whatever you do, know that you've helped and people appreciate your work - and also you need to prioritise your own mental health.

Working for CAHMS would kill me.

Bad take of the day.......

Of course, every time my child goes non verbal, I just make a phone call and they're immediately surrounded by experts to help them, chauffeur driven transport to a private clinic for 1:1 support by a team that cater to their ever whim. Oh. And they're handed a wad of cash when they get there...just for shits and giggles

What planet are you on?

Screens, crappy education system, lack of SEN support…

I feel your pain we are 4+ yrs there’s just not enough staff to do what needs to be done, that’s not your fault. Parents might take a dig but keep in mind their child is suffering and they feel like no one cares (I know you as well as the majority of CAMHS staff do). However, their frustration is against the service not you. While I totally understand their frustration it’s 1000% not your fault (and the parents do know this but they are struggling and feel stuck so take it out on whoever is in contact, but 99% of them could acknowledge it’s the service but need to vent their feelings as a parent). If you can keep pushing please do but if it’s taking over your life to the stage you constantly worry then do what’s best for you xx

I was in the adult service for addiction and received no help whatsoever- the nurse assigned to me cancelled the first appointment and never made a new one. Then I got a new one appointed and heard nothing from them. The one appointment I got with a psychiatrist in the health centre - when I arrived, the nurses were moving furniture around all afternoon apparently! Hardly the best use of time when so stretched.

Yes, we really do. My guess is the rise of s ocial media, partly the lockdown, and probably a hundred other reasons but I'm certain social media plays a huge part. Not just what kids see but that so many parents are glued to their phones and just not completely present.

CAMHs can be wonderful and can be atrocious, it's such a lottery.

By not funding it properly I dread to think what our struggling kids will be as adults. It has to be worth investment to save lives and long term even more money.

I agree, we do. I think as a parent I can definitely pinpoint failures and shortcomings, we can’t go back and change them but we have adapted how we live going forwards.
Screens are fucking damaging kids is my big takeaway. And as parents we ought to be more switched on with it all.

I’m not saying it’s all parents and all to do with screens, it’s definitely not. But I’d bet my last pound on there being a very strong correlation.

I don’t know how we can. Are there even enough practitioners to recruit even if the cash was found tomorrow? I don’t know.

Ok but in the meantime we need to bloody help them. It’s a national disgrace.

We really need to get to the bottom of why so many young people are mentally struggling compared with even 10 years ago

Mental health services, particularly CAHMs are beyond broken,
i truly fear for the young people who need services and don’t have the means to access private services

I agree … @lightisnotwhite doesnt seem to recognise the difference between mental illness and stress I assume ?

You clearly don’t. You’re talking absolute rubbish.

I do actually.

CAMHS saved my DD’s life. Us parents appreciate you. My DD has been with CAMHS for almost 4 years first seen as urgent referral. In those 4 years I have seen a functioning system ground down hill though. My DD was seen pretty quickly (6 weeks) for suicidal ideation and self hard in October 2020. I’ve heard that children in the same situation can’t get passed the GP now though. When she was first seen, I could call her consultant psychiatrist or her psychologist and they would talk to me and her on the phone. Now the phone isn’t even answered. Every single person has been great with her, I know it’s the system and chronic underfunding, not the people. It’s devastating you are thinking of leaving OP but understandable.

I can’t believe anyone actually gets any kind of service from them for them even to be justified as an organisation tbh.
Yes I’m incredibly bitter about the absolutely zero support we received from them, in fact they told lies about us and discharged dd2 each and every time we were referred, twice without making any contact other than sending the letter!
Once after a week long stay in hospital we were told to just go home, not talk about what had happened and carry on with life normally. Gobsmacked, dh asked if we just waited for it to happen again, the shrugged and just walked off.
YANBU op, I wouldn’t want to be associated with them either, we’ve had a dreadful experience and hope we will never need to be referred to then again.

None of that is to say that I don’t think you’ve tried your best to work with what you have. I don’t doubt that people start working there thinking they can make a difference. But from our experience (and I really can only talk from our experience) they made absolutely no difference, if anything the stress made things worse for dh and I. We understand the cuts (I’ve worked for years in education, there’s just nothing left for some areas) but it doesn’t mean it’s okay. I left education too after feeling like I was no longer educating but fighting fires.

And yes op thankyou so much for all you do.

Thankyou for all you do, I'm not sure my daughter would be here today without people like you doing the job you do, you really do make the difference, please know that every family you've managed to help will have the memory of you and what you've been able to do for them, I will always be thankful to my local team 💕

It absolutely bloody is bad. What use is sport or tutoring to a child chronically self harming and trying to kill itself or a child eating 300 calories a day or a child or a child so depressed they’re catatonic in bed ….

Parents can’t access well being practitioners in CAMHS - they’re like gold dust.Home services under CAMHS are only given to the most severe and again it’s like gold dust let alone proper treatment so they get worse. You can’t get pip ( non enhanced is a pretty small amount) without a diagnosis and professional evidence which parents are waiting for for years whilst watching their children deteriorate. It’s horrendous to go though.

You have no idea.