FFS CAMHS you couldn't make it up!

[fleshmarketclose]

So after two refused referrals dd 15 finally got accepted by CAMHS. First referral October last year, first appointment May this year. She has been seen four times so far even though she is supposedly according to CAMHS getting fortnightly appointments.
I asked for a report so that I could submit it as part of EHCP Tribunal evidence and I received it today.
So in the letter that describes how severe dd's anxiety is and the impact it is having on her life as it is totally debilitating and that so far there has been no impact made by their input.
Then it advises that CAMHS input is only brief and short term and so will only be seeing her a couple more times!
So what then? She advises the anxiety is severe and debilitating and there has been no improvement but is going to discharge anyway!
Admittedly their input to date has been useless but I was hoping she would be passed up through the service and not discharged. how can they discharge her when she is no better than she was when they finally accepted the referral?

It doesn't make sense, how can they discharge after 6 sessions if there hasn't been an improvement. Unless you daughter is not engaging, but then there needs to be some consideration about why..maybe her anxiety is preventing her from engaging? You should request a review to find out what other treatment options are available. What is it they have actually done with her in the 4 sessions?

@Littleguggi She is engaging to the best of her ability considering the fact they are completely ignoring that she has autism. For example last session CAMHS worker produces a sensory box without even asking about or considering her sensory profile beforehand never mind considering that she doesn't touch stuff that unknowns have touched previously and then she wonders why it isn't successful. Unluckily everything in the sensory box was in no way sensitive to her needs so rather than soothing her anxiety would have triggered sensory overload.
Admittedly what has been offered so far hasn't been helpful but I don't want her discharging I want her referring to someone who can help and who does pay regard to the autism.

Write what you have written here with dates, observarions and a summary of your dd's mh situation now and what you think are the risks of her being discharged. Request a full assessment that takes into axcount her autism by an appropriately qualified psychiatrist specialising in neuro developmental disability and anxiety. Set put also in a bulletted list shortcomings and waits so far. Be very clear that you require an answer within 10 working days. Copy your MP.

Send registered delivery because this is CAMHS and it otherwise will be lpst.

Good luck.

CAMHS is a specialist mental health service not autism service, although services might be commissioned differently in different areas! If the anxiety is part of the autism then a specialist autism service needs to help address it. Alternatively if she is in a specialist school, given the EHCP, then they will have staff who are qualified to work with autism and anxiety.

What area are you in?

Is your daughter with specialist camhs or one of the services that come under camhs, with you saying it's just short term I'm guessing it's not specialist camhs and she doesn't meet the criteria for specialist camhs so the intervention has now come to an end.

Might it be worth considering bibic?

Perhaps then littleguggi the CAMHS worker needs to escalate the inappropriateness to the multi-disciplinary team and the patient needs to be referred on from there with an expert opinion behind the referral. It won't be the parent who made the camhs referral or who wpuld have known it was possibly inappropriate.

I little support and joined up thinking woukd be the professional and caring way to ensure this family has support.

We waited 4 months for my dds assessment with Cams.They decided that her depression,anxiety,self harm and suicidal thought were not sufficiently bad enough for them to help.They say some may be autism.So 3 more month for an appointment for me to go through a detailed history to see if this is the case.
Great,but my dds situation has not improved.She has not felt able to socialise and is finding any interaction with strangers(ie going to the shops impossible other own and stressfulwith me).
Can anyone tell me if her anxiety is linked to autism what then?The only suggestion from Camhs was a list of online help lines but most seem aimed at younger children and there is online coinciding but did can't explain why she feels the way she does so won't engage.
The only saving grace is out GP who is seeing DD every few months to monitor and although DD doesn't say much she feels that someone is bothered about her .
I feel helpless.

Camhs were crap with ds, but then he was referred to neuro psychiatry as he has autism and they were great. Is that worth pushing for? (Not sure if this is the setup in all areas)

Meant to say, referred due to anxiety and OCD

In my area all autism related stuff has to go through CAMHS. It’s a farce.

I find CAMHS incredibly unsupportive. My kids have Tourette’s- and aside from prescribing the drugs they’re on, CAMHS are useless. And are prone to criticising parents who are only doing their best in a difficult situation.