Tameside and Glossop cared for children CAMHS team

We offer support to social workers, residential teams, foster carers, children and young people.

• Consultation: We work with the team around the young person to think about their psychological needs and consider how to support them to develop a sense of safety and security.
• Assessment: We complete assessments with young people to explore what they are finding difficult at the present time. We think together about their life experiences so far and how this could be affecting things in the present so that the most helpful support can be arranged. Young people can choose how much information about their life experiences they wish to share during the assessment appointment.
• One to one interventions: When appropriate, we can offer psychological interventions to young people who may benefit from therapeutic support to improve their emotional wellbeing. Some people may also need specialist support to process traumatic memories.
• Joint sessions: Sometimes we offer therapeutic support to young people and their carers together. Relationships play a big part in helping people to feel safe. This type of support is aimed at strengthening the emotional connection between the young person and their carer.
• Signposting: We can help to link children and young people up with other local community services that might be helpful. 
• Training: We deliver group training in attachment-focused parenting to foster carers.
• Risk support: Risk assessment, risk management and advice about managing risk to carers and professionals from other agencies will be offered as needed.

We will involve young people, their carers, and supporting professionals in decision-making regarding their CAMHS care plan. We can also share a wide range of further resources to help people further understand their difficulties and the range of interventions available.

You will usually be invited to Springleigh clinic, which is our main clinic base. You can watch our walkthrough video to see what Springleigh looks like.

You will meet a member of our cared for child CAMHS team, who will complete an assessment.

We understand that you may feel nervous about meeting somebody new, so might find it helpful to see a photograph or have a brief video call before you attend a face-to-face appointment. Please ask your carer or social worker to get in touch if you would like to talk more about these options.

Your carer or social worker will usually be asked to join for at least part of the assessment, if you are comfortable with this. There will always be an opportunity for you to speak with us on your own at your appointment.

If you are not confident with speaking English, we can arrange for an interpreter to be there too. Please let us know in advance if you would like one, or ask your carer or social worker to contact us.

Your first appointment is a chance to tell us what has been happening for you and what you think you may need support with.

We may need to ask you about your current or earlier life experiences. We will do this in a sensitive way and you don't have to talk about anything that you don’t want to.

Some of the questions might include:

• Who do you live with?
• Who supports you?
• What is life like at school or college?
• What things do you enjoy?
• What’s working well at the moment (strengths, hobbies)
• What difficulties are you currently experiencing?
• What has your life been like so far?
• Have you had experiences of racism or discrimination?
• What is your relationship like with family?
• How has your mood been recently?
• Do you sleep OK?
• Are you (or is anyone around you) worried about your safety?
• What would you like to be different?
• What type of help would you prefer?

Your CAMHS worker will write a letter summarising the information discussed in the appointment and will usually send this to your GP, your carers, your social worker, and the cared for child nursing team.

The reason for sharing this information is to ensure that the people who support you are aware of what might be going on for you, and that they are able to support you to make any changes you want to make.

There might be some things that you talk about within the appointment that you don’t want to be shared. This will be for you and your CAMHS worker to decide on.

If you share any information that suggests you or another person is at risk, then this will need to be shared in order to ensure your safety and the safety of other people.

We hope that you will agree to attend the appointment with us. We can discuss any worries or concerns you might have beforehand if this would be helpful.

If you really don’t want to attend, please speak to someone in the team around you, like your social worker or carer.

We can also consider other ways of meeting, such as a telephone call or video appointment, if you prefer this to a face to face appointment.

There may be times when we meet with the people who support you before we meet with you.

This is more likely to happen if you are younger. It may also happen if we think it is helpful to understand your experiences before we meet you, so that we can best support you during an appointment.

We may also meet with the team around you - your social workers, carers, teaching staff - to offer guidance about supporting you in the best way possible. These meetings are called consultations.

Sometimes we feel that the best way of supporting your wellbeing is to continue to work with the people who support you, and we may not meet with you directly.

If you know that there is a meeting with the people who support you and you want to speak to us directly, then we can make a plan to do this. Speak to your carer or social worker who can help you to let us know.