I’m a Camhs manager

[MrsJohnSnow]

Ask me anything - it’s a tough one but I’m happy to help as best I can

How do you manage to keep going in the situation of not having the resources to provide good services to many, many young people who really need it?

What sort of qualifications did you need? Were you trained as a mental health professional or have you always worked in management?

@Loopytiles by being open and honest with parents about what we can and can do, and how long it takes. Even when it’s not what you know people want to hear - but it’s truthful. By trying to look after your staff on a daily basis to keep going and do the great work they can in these difficult circumstances.

Can you give any parenting tips for preventing or managing poor mental health? I mean like specific routines that you advise parents to put into place

@Roseau18 I’m a trained and registered healthcare professional in mental health care for 20 years plus. I’ve moved into management for n the last decade but retain my registration. It differs in Trusts as to what managers they employ

@bingowingsmcgee that’s a big question - there are lots of advice and support sources out there for parents depending on what’s needed? It depends on the presenting problem for the young person. School nurses are a great resource in the first instance but again, friends in the issue, sorry not to be more specific but if you say more I’ll do my best to signpost x

My daughter is 11, she is adopted, has attachment disorder and dissociative identity disorder. We have had several agencies involved and no one will see her. CAMHS day she has to have self harmed to meet their criteria. She threatens to kill her self almost daily. She was placed on emergency foster care as she wouldn't come home a couple of months ago and then suddenly CAHMS crisis team etc were available then when she came home all this was withdrawn. Why does she have to be looked after to receive any help?

Can I clarify your reply? Do some trusts employ managers who have never worked as a mental health professional?

And what about lead-line managers for the whole trust? Would they have worked as mental health professionals first?

@HammerToFall I’m sorry to hear your daughter’s struggling. Is there a local child in care therapeutic team, usually joint provided through local CAMHS and local authority? They are commissioned to provide services for children in care and work with their specific attachment issues and other m h issues. Her social worker should be able to refer. This is a specialist area and may need long term support, but crisis services should support all children if they are distressed and need m h support. Young people should not be looked after to receive help - it’s about distress, vulnerability and the impact on their functioning from a systemic view ie school, home, family

@Roseau18 different Trusts employ in different ways. Short answer - yes that’s possible

OP, adopted children often dont have social workers and are not in care.
CAMHS is struggling everywhere but seems to vary so much location dependent. Does your camhs team offer any longer term therapy?

Hammer- so sorry to hear this too. Are you in London?

It's for managing anxiety in an 8 yr old OP. We're reading the kids'chimp paradox book with him, which he is liking, but I sometimes feel like I'm feeding the anxiety by not pushing I'm out of his comfort zone enough. Basically I just want resources on how to help manage his anxiety.

@FarFrom - of course. Where I work if a young person has been adopted, even if a private arrangement child in care therapeutic services can be accessed. It’s to the benefit of the child for the arrangement to not break down and of course the child may be vulnerable. Different offers in different areas. Longer term therapy always dependent upon assessed need.

Can you recommend any good CBT resources or workbooks?

@bingowingsmcgee Timid to Tiger is a great course for helping parents increase their child’s resilience in managing anxiety or the manual itself. Also look at the Reading Well or Books on Prescription which has great books for parents and for children. Ask the school nurse and see if there is a Primary Meal the Worker for CAMHS available who can support you to support your child

@PinkLacy see the Reading Well resources

Thanks very much OP

@bingowingsmcgee you are very welcome, best of luck

I'm going to apologise in advance if this is angry. It's not personal and I know the root cause is funding.

My dd has autism and extremely high anxiety. She was referred to CAMHS but we were told a group of people had looked at her referral and declined her referral.
A second referral was directed to a secondary MH support this time last year but still nobody has talked to her (or me).
We have access to insurance but they don't usually support chronic conditions and anxiety in autistic children is seen as part of a chronic condition.
My question is how do the decisions not to see an autistic child who's falling apart get made without even speaking to the child or parent? Anti depressants and anxiety meds are chucked at women with abandon but you can't get them for a teen unless you see a consultant. Which you can't see unless an anonymous panel accept a consultant referral. These children have nowhere else to go unless their parents are able to afford £200 a visit or able to argue with insurers.
When I self referred as an anxious adult I filled in forms and spoke to someone before a decision was made. Why doesn't this happen for children?

How do you get involved with CAMHS? I am a qualified counsellor and it seems you need more than a counselling degree to work with CAMHS yet more young people need counselling rather than another person telling them what they should do or how they should be. Or if they need help they need to meet some criteria- when at the root of many issues or cercerns, is a human that just needs to explore their own sense of self. (I'm hoping this doesn't come off rude-it's not my intention)

Alun, we also ended up having to go private to obtain psychiatric treatment for my son who has HFA (but also OCD and ADHD). Yep, only CAMHS could refer him to a psychiatrist but were not willing to do so despite a therapeutic social worker and two doctors saying he was so ill he would benefit from hospitalisation. I knew he had co-morbid ADHD but well, once you get an HFA diagnosis, it's a bit like being a menopausal woman, everything gets blamed on that. He's now doing MUCH better on sertraline and Strattera but it came at staggering cost.

Teens and children with MH conditions are being horribly let down.

I think you have to do a clinical psychology doctorate @rainydays5?

Our locality got rid of all the school nurses, it makes me so sad and I have no doubt they will be creating bigger problems later on

@pinklady surely a counsellor is as good a resource for children who are experiencing mental health issues-ones who are on lenghtly waiting list in particular. I become extremely frustrated with "there are little resources and and funding" buuuut I feel there are lots of resources and little money, furthermore there are ALOT of counsellers volunteering because there is no funding.
I don't believe you need an doctorate to be empathic or compassionate, but being educated is important.

Isn't a counsellor for emotional issues and a therapist for mental health issues?