I think DD13 is depressed where can I go for a private diagnosis for her?

[StarCourt]

DD turned into a school refuser starting from about 5/6 weeks ago. But actually I think she is depressed.
She cries a lot, says she has no motivation to do anything and sleeps all the time.
Her GP told me to refer her to LA mental health services as there was nothing she could do for her. I've done that but it's likely to take forever.
School are involved but think she's just anxious about going back and it will resolve itself

Can I get a private diagnosis for her? I've looked online but everything seems to be just based on therapy.
I've had depression and still get panic attacks and seen my mum go through it. I want to do the right thing for DD and get her help as fast as I can.
Any suggestions?

What you need is a Consultant Psychiatrist.

We found one for my DD (16 at the time) via The Priory. Initial assessment was something like £350 and then something like £250 for follow ups. The antidepressants he prescribed have been a game changer for her, but she was further 'in' and older. These coupled with CBT/similar.

Don't waste time waiting for CAMHS if you can afford to go private.

Thank you @TeenPlusCat I really can't afford to go private but I think I will somehow have to. She really needs help. When you say The Priory is that The Priory Group? I've been Googling private CAMHS assessments and they came up.

I would go back to your gp or see another gp in your practice and ask for a referral to CAMHS. The school can also refer but it’s best from your gp. It’s not ok if they refuse to refer and try to palm you off.
In the meantime, these might help:

Websites:
Kooth
Recovery college online
Young minds
Mind Ed
Combined minds
Also the Mood move app and the Anxiety Gremlin books and other Gremlin books.

I hope this helps. Also ask to speak to the SENCO at school or even better meet with them.
Take care

Thanks @MummyJ12 we've had 3 meetings with school in the last 3 weeks, the last one with the SENCO in attendance. They also told me to refer her to our local equivalent to CAMHS which I did 2 weeks ago. I also signed her up to Kooth. Her GP is a one GP practise so nobody else to talk to there.
School just seem to think she's a bit anxious about returning and keep saying the sooner she does the easier it will be. It's definitely much more than that.

Not sure whereabouts you are but if you’re in the U.K. then your local equivalent of CAMHS or CYPMHS will have a website on how to be referred and a telephone number for more information. If necessary then you’re just going to have to go back to that gp and to school and demand they refer your DD. Don’t take no for an answer but go with a log of sleeping patterns, eating, and other worrying signs of depression and possibly anxiety. For my DS, self care went out of the window. Sometimes we need to make a nuisance of ourselves, it’s the only way I managed to get help. Although I had a very sympathetic and amazing gp who quickly referred. Good luck

Yes, The Priory Group.

Once she has been out for I think 3 solid weeks the school is meant to refer upwards and you are meant to be offered alternate schooling / medical needs tuition. Though whether you get it and whether she can engage is another matter.

Was there anything that happened 5/6 weeks ago to trigger this?
Has she always been anxious about school or is this new?

@packedlunches no I'm pretty sure not one specific thing, she can be anxious in general though.
Looking back,she started refusing to see her dad last June, saw him for a day over Xmas which didn't go well and not since. She's been Living with me solely since then. He was texting her during this time saying she's his best friend and reason for living ( lot of backstory drama with him, I've been warning him for years she'd get to a point where she'd vote with her feet )
She started secondary school during lockdown knowing nobody there which wasn't easy, found a group of 6 friends which has since been very up and down especially recently. Two of the ex friends have been targeting her in school which I keep telling school about, the kids are sanctioned but nothing happens really.
I've got health issues with chronic head back and neck pain. Had a car accident in January which made them worse and she sees that every day. We also moved house 4 days after the car accident resulting in a lot of upheaval and ongoing chaos as I wasn't well enough to unpack everything etc all at the same time .
I also started a new job 2 weeks before Xmas after having been made redundant 8 mths previously and it's so full on and long hours I'm hardly fit for anything afterwards.
I think put all of that with just being a teenager and it's a lot to cope with

Ah that sounds a huge amount for you both to cope with. Is she alone at home if you are at work? the most effective thing you both can do from today is make sure she stays connected to people and get up and move around. Even a tiny bit can help. Is your employer supportive to you taking time off?

Wow that is a lot for her to cope with.

If private is too much then try some form of counselling which will be much cheaper (and school might have access to some). Give her a space to let it all out and then make some order of things.

[quote StarCourt]@packedlunches no I'm pretty sure not one specific thing, she can be anxious in general though.
Looking back,she started refusing to see her dad last June, saw him for a day over Xmas which didn't go well and not since. She's been Living with me solely since then. He was texting her during this time saying she's his best friend and reason for living ( lot of backstory drama with him, I've been warning him for years she'd get to a point where she'd vote with her feet )
She started secondary school during lockdown knowing nobody there which wasn't easy, found a group of 6 friends which has since been very up and down especially recently. Two of the ex friends have been targeting her in school which I keep telling school about, the kids are sanctioned but nothing happens really.
I've got health issues with chronic head back and neck pain. Had a car accident in January which made them worse and she sees that every day. We also moved house 4 days after the car accident resulting in a lot of upheaval and ongoing chaos as I wasn't well enough to unpack everything etc all at the same time .
I also started a new job 2 weeks before Xmas after having been made redundant 8 mths previously and it's so full on and long hours I'm hardly fit for anything afterwards.
I think put all of that with just being a teenager and it's a lot to cope with
[/quote]
It does sound like a lot and sometimes it's the culmination of each individual thing being almost manageable but when they are all put together it is too much. What is she like when she's not at school - does it "solve" the problem and is she relieved to not be there, or is it just as bad when at home?

And can I just add (as the mother of an on/off school refuser) it enraged me when schools trot out the "just get them into school/fine once here/longer they're off the worse it is" lines. They have absolutely no mental health training sufficient enough to know whether or not dragging a child to school will make the situation even worse.
There's an almost 3 year wait for CAMHS but don't worry the deputy head has it sorted 🙄

@Elderflower2016 I work from home and hope to continue that. Work do know something of our home life and I've just asked them if I can drop a day and if I can be reallocated to support somebody else who is not so high level. I've only been there 3 months though

@packedlunches she is better at home but still has no motivation to do anything or go anywhere, she's an only child so it's just me her and the dog. Both sets of grandparents live abroad, all of her dads family live abroad and my family live in the UK but not local. She's very clingy to me.

@TeenPlusCat I think I'm somehow going to have to find the money to go private for this.
She actually had 7 months of counselling last year but to help her with issues with her dad , I don't think that counsellor would be right for this scenario. One of her teachers suggested CBT therapy

I posted on your other thread so I won’t repeat what I posted there, but if you apply for an EHCNA and the LA agree to assess the EHCNA can include a psychiatrist &/or clinical psychologist without the need to sit on the ordinary waiting lists.

If an EHCP is then issued it can include ongoing MH support, again without the need to sit on the normal waiting list and at a greater frequency, over a longer time period than otherwise typically available.

@Imitatingdory hi yes I contacted the local authority about this and they have emailed me some forms to fill in