CAMHS HELP PLEASE!!! Can I pull my child out?

[NoisyPoster]

So I have two questions.

1. Am I allowed to withdraw my child from CAMHS? We have only had one appointment and for various reasons, weren’t really satisfied with the experience. We also have found a medical cause for his issues and so we don’t see a need to return. This issue has caused DS to be underweight, but he is now gaining weight after starting a new medication.
2. CAMHS have sent a consent form. It asks if they can contact DS’s school for info. I want to put no for this. Ideal scenario is that we just withdraw him and then this question isn’t relevant. But if it doesn’t work that way, am I okay to put no for this?

DS issues are complex and outing and so I don’t want to post the details for that reason. So I’m sorry that my post is quite vague.

Any knowledge in this area would be much appreciated.

But the medication has proven to be effective. Therefore the need for CAMHS support is not there?

Hard to say without having any idea what you are talking about, but it takes years to get seen by CAMHS so I’d say stick with it, but also tempted to say let someone who actually wants their support have the appointments.

I'd just be very aware that if you choose to discharge yourselves and then later realise you need support you'll likely have to wait years for help as there are so many waiting for appointments.

I’d give it a bit more time. My son refused to engage though and they closed his case. I wish they’d given him more time.

This is my thinking. I’m confident it is treatment that my DS doesn’t need. Surely it would be better for someone who needs the treatment to be able to access the service.

This was also the case with my son

Are you saying the original reason for the CAMHS referral were incorrect, and that he has a new diagnosis from a consultant who agrees that the issues that led to the MH referral were due to the new diagnosis not a MH issue?

Eg referred for anorexia, but found to have medical condition which caused loss of appetite?

What does Dr who prescribes the medication think?

I wouldn't cancel unless his Dr agrees.

No - no social services involvement.

CAMHS clinician here. Yes you can end your involvement with CAMHS, just call them and tell them the reason why, and they will close his file. You can also withhold consent for school to be contacted. Unless there is a major safeguarding issue with CAMHS input being stopped they will have no issue with this.
Depending on the age of the child we are asked to try to get the child's view on input being stopped (this comes from a serious case review following a tragic suicide after parents had pulled a child out of CAMHS) but this may not be relevant to your son's case.
I would advise however for you to consider fully before you do end involvement, particularly if CAMHS believes that there may be a mental health component with your son's presentation, as the medical aide may just be one part of it.
I'd advise just discuss with the relevant clinician, they'd be happy to talk it over with you I am sure.

CAMHS is consent based, so yes as a person with parental responsibility you can withdraw your child.. however, the only caveat to that is if your child would like to continue and is of an age where he can consent for himself, or if CAMHS consider that withdrawing him may put him at risk in some way, then that could potentially be referred to social services as a safeguarding issue.

That’s rare though, and in most cases, a polite conversation or email to the clinician explaining that you’ve decided not to continue, as you have found alternative support but will get back in touch with the GP if further support if neededis sufficient. However, without knowing the specifics of any risk issues it’s difficult to say for sure. May be worth discussing with them.

And to add, if your son is of an age where it could be deemed he is gillick competent to decide for himself if he wants to access CAMHS, we would continue to see him even if parents don't want CAMHS input (if he has a mental health difficulty)

@Jellycoconut thank you so much, that’s really helpful.

My son is 11 and has actually told me he doesn’t want to go back as he doesn’t see a need for it. I don’t know if his feelings on this can be respected? Like I said, he was underweight, may still be slightly, so I’m not sure if it would be okay to withdraw. He is under close obs of the GP and we have the paediatrics referral in the pipeline.

If they agree that his problem is physical and resolved with medication rather than mental, they'll discharge him anyway when they feel appropriate

You can, but think very carefully because I doubt they'd be happy to have him back at all for anything related to this problem. If the problem has been resolved totally, and maybe it wasn't really mental anyway, then yes take him off. If he has some aspect of poor mental health, but seems better at the moment, don't in case he becomes worse again.

You could maybe go to one more appointment and see how you and your son feels after that?

Our experience with camhs was extremely disappointing but I'm sure some people have had better experiences with them

We walked out of a CAHMS appointment when the women there spoke to my suicidal daughter like an idiotic piece of shit.

I swore I'd never make her go back and I didn't. We did have to go private which cost a fortune, but if your problem has been resolved then that won't be an issue.

Who's going to stop you? If you don't need the appointments just call up and cancel.

I can give you my own experience.
It may or may not be relevant. My teen was referred to camhs for extreme pmt, or pmdd.
It began overnight with the onset of menstruation.
This was largely because of the impossibility of seeking gynaecological referrals for young people in my area. I would add that nearly three years on , we are still awaiting a face to face appointment with gynaecology.
The problems were complex and extreme, complete school refusal, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, poor impulse control, the works.
The camhs sessions were advised by the gp.
They involved assessments for neurodiversity, all sorts of therapeutic interventions , therapists, suggestions for youth groups and things for ‘troubled teens’ but zero medical support really.
Anyway I could go on all day, but the primary issue was resolved after medication for the main issue was effective. And I had to research it, practically fight the gp for it and basically jump through every hoop because when you have a teenager involved with camhs all of a sudden they go in one room with a therapist and you sit there in the waiting room none the wiser. There isn’t really a place to voice your experience or observations as a parent.
So , I’d say . Camhs can be useful for developing coping strategies alongside a medical diagnosis that affects mental health. But, it is useless in the absence of necessary medical interventions if that’s what’s needed. It can be that after a while of living with an inadequately addressed medical issue that has significantly impacted wellbeing, mental health support will be useful anyway.
I’d recommend discussing this openly with your therapist and your gp, and outlining your frustrations and reservations because of your experience. See what they come back with.

Yes, you can just decline further care. If there was significant concern that your son required mental health care/he was wanting to engage with camhs and you were declining it, that may result in a social work referral.

Camhs are also very overworked - chances are if it is the case that it's a physical issue, now resolved, and your son isn't keen to engage that they will suggest you close his case themselves.

This. I think doing just one session isn’t really giving it a go.

I’m glad to hear your son is better.

Please go, people wait years for camhs, my ds has been declined twice by them because their criteria is now so tight. If it’s a physical health issue that’s resolving & no mh issue they will discharge your son. If it’s not resolved & your son does need them if you don’t go it will be a nightmare trying to get them to accept him back.