You may be familiar with the term CAMHS, which stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. We are moving away from using 'CAMHS' and these services are now known as Children and Young People's Mental Health Services - or CYPMHS.

Purpose of the Cheshire Children and Young People's Mental Health Hub 

The Cheshire Children and Young People's (CYP) Mental Health Hub team receives and triages all CAMHS 0-18 referrals across Cheshire East, Macclesfield, Cheshire West and Chester. 

Triaging referrals enables the team to gather specific information regarding the child or young person’s difficulties, in line with service criteria. The CYP Mental Health Hub team screens any risk information that may require further safety planning with families, or a more immediate response from alternative services or functions of Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CYPMHS). Children or young people who do require support from a specialist mental health service will be referred to their local provider for a choice assessment by the CYP Mental Health Hub.   

Underpinning the CYP Mental Health Hub is the objective to promote earlier intervention for children and young people with early onset of mental health symptoms, and their impacted families. We know that long delays from the onset of symptoms to appropriate help can make mild symptoms worse and recovery more difficult. When the CYPMHS referral criteria is not met, the CYP Mental Health Hub can signpost to alternative, more appropriate services and in some cases, work in partnership and consult directly on the child or young persons. CYP Mental Health Hub can also liaise with schools, children’s social care or other primary services to ensure a holistic approach is taken in the management of a child or young person's wellbeing.

Interaction with other CYPMHS functions and local services

A key role of the CYP Mental Health Hub is the working relationships with other Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) teams. For example, there are times where it is necessary to seek additional perspectives from teams such as generic CYPMHS, psychiatry, Intensive Support Function (ISF), Mental Health Support Teams (within schools) and Learning Disability CAMHS to ensure the most appropriate response and recommendations are given.

The CYP Mental Health Hub’s understanding of local services is essential to ensure children / young people and their families are both aware and understand what is available for them prior to accessing a specialist mental health service. This activity serves a wider function where the CYP Mental Health Hub can identify the successes of primary and early intervention services as well as highlight the gaps and inequality of provision.

CYP Mental Health Hub referral process

The CYP Mental Health Hub receives professional referrals. We do not currently accept self-referrals.

Once a referral is received, the CYP Mental Health Hub offers a telephone triage call to gather further information regarding the young person's difficulties. This process can include the family, the young person, the referrer and any other identified professionals that may add benefit to the decision making. We aim to respond to any new referrals within a minimum of three days however this may increase during times of high demand.

There are two possible outcomes to a referral made to the CYP Mental Health Hub.

  • A child / young person will be signposted to alternate, more appropriate services than CYPMHS
  • A child / young person will be forwarded to CAMHS for a choice assessment if criteria is met

Please note the CYP Mental Health Hub will attempt three separate telephone calls and one written request to the family and / or the young person to attempt triage. If the CYP Mental Health Hub receives no response within 14 days of the written request, a discharge letter will be forwarded and resources sent based upon the information contained in the referral. 

Other CYP Mental Health Hub activities

In addition to referral triage task, the CYP Mental Health Hub are continuing to develop additional services under the preventative agenda.

Professional consultations

Cheshire Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) provide a 45-minute consultation offer for professionals working with young people in Cheshire East, and Cheshire West and Chester.

The consultations will predominantly be for school staff but we are also able to provide these for other professionals working with young people, such as those working within social care and third sector organisations.

This is an additional offer for professionals and there will be no change to the existing process for referring young people to Cheshire CYPMHS.

If you have any concerns for a child or young person's mental health, you can request a consultation with one of our mental health practitioners, which will be offered via Microsoft Teams on a one-to-one basis. 

Consultations will operate in:

  • Cheshire West and Chester - Tuesday afternoons
  • Cheshire East - Thursday afternoons
Find out more about professional consultations

Short term group intervention

The CYP Mental Health Hub is working toward providing brief group interventions to children and young people and (where possible and appropriate) involving their family members and carers to support them with their mental wellbeing. It is in the hope that earlier intervention will prevent the development of mental health disorders in children and young people and reduce the longer-term demand on tier 3 services. 

Benefits of the CYP Mental Health Hub

What we've learned so far

External

  • Referrers, families, children and young people are able to speak promptly and directly with a Mental Health Practitioner/ Worker after their referral has been made
  • Referrers, families, children and young people experience a consistent service based upon clear processes and objectives of the CYP Mental Health Hub
  • Collaborative working with the child or young person’s family and professional network enables a greater understanding of the presenting need and ensuring the most appropriate service is identified
  • Focus on early intervention and  prevention to reduce risks of children/ young people developing mental health disorders
  • Families, children / young people and professionals develop resilience when able to access support, advice and reassurance quickly after their concerns are raised and felt listened to
  • A shift in professional and public understanding of CAMHS service provision leading to better relationships and confidence in advice and recommendations given
  • Reduction in time taken for children and young people to access a specialist mental health assessment/ intervention when needed

Internal

  • A multi-disciplinary CYP Mental Health Hub enables a holistic response to the diverse presenting symptoms of individual referrals
  • Differences between referral content and children/ young people/families lived experience can be addressed through triage process to ensure the most appropriate responses are matched to their presenting need in comparison to previous discharge based on referral information only
  • No tier 3 clinician time or duty requirements for non-open cases allowing more focus on core functions 
  • Reduction in tier 3 service demand and waiting lists
  • Reduction in repetitive or inappropriate referrals as clearer rationale for discharge and alternatives provided
  • Reduction in time taken for children and young people to access a specialist mental health assessment/ intervention therefore increase opportunities for safer recovery
  • Longer term reduction in healthcare costs under the early prevention agenda