Our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) is here to help children and young people up to 18 years old, and their families, in North Tyneside.

Unfortunately, patients referred into our service may face long waiting times for specialist assessment. We apologise for this and our team is working as hard as possible to provide access to care in a timely manner.

This is not limited to North Tyneside and mental health services across the region and country are facing increasing numbers of referrals at this time.

Information about the Kooth app, our workshop videos and a range of other resources can be found at the bottom of this page.

More information about access to NHS services is available here - Your choices in the NHS - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

About our service

Young people come and see us for lots of different reasons, such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Eating disorders
  • Self-harm
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

You may meet several different kinds of professionals in CAMHS.  All of our staff are trained in assessing children and young people. Some staff have additional specialist training. We will tell you who you will see before you come in. This includes:

  • CAMHS nurse
  • CAMHS psychiatrist
  • CAMHS therapist
  • CAMHS practitioner
  • CAMHS support worker
  • CAMHS psychologist
  • CAMHS assistant psychologist
  • CAMHS psychotherapist

The date and time of the appointment will be agreed with the parent/carer or young people over the age of 16. We request that a parent / guardian who has parental responsibility attends the initial appointment.

The appointment may take the form of a face-to-face appointment in the Clinic at North Shields, a virtual online appointment, or a telephone appointment.

This initial appointment is to enable you and your parent / carer to share your concerns about your mental health. The appointment will last up to 1 hour.

We will sometimes need to agree further appointments to help us to get a full understanding of the concerns you have and how they are impacting your life. We will have the information we received from your referrer available, but it is helpful to hear things from the family perspective.

During the appointment, we will ask questions to help us understand what is going well in your life and what is causing you concern. We will ask you what you feel you want from us and will try to agree on some outcomes together.

We will take notes of our discussion which will be kept on your confidential patient record.  A letter will also be sent to your referrer after the appointment that outlines any agreed plans. If you are aged 16 and over that letter can be sent directly to you. If you are under 16, we will write to your parents instead. This will be agreed with you in the session.

We will aim to offer you some time alone with the therapist at that appointment. If you do not want to, we will respect your choice.

If parent / carers would like some time alone with a CAMHS professional, please bring someone with you who can support the child during this time.

If you have any questions before your appointment, please contact us.

If for any reason you can't attend your appointment, please can you or your patent / carer contact the service to let us know. We will aim to arrange a more suitable appointment time with you.

It is very important to us that you feel supported throughout your treatment. You can bring who you like to your appointments. However, it’s often helpful for your family or carers to be involved. You will also have the opportunity to speak to staff on your own.

We ask that a parent / guardian who has parental responsibility attends the initial appointment.

If parent / carers would like some time alone with a CAMHS professional, please bring someone with you who can support the child during this time.

There are a number of possible outcomes from your appointment :

  • Further assessment and intervention from Specialist CAMHS​​​​​​​
    • If it is agreed that you require further support, the therapist will explain this to you. They will talk you through the process to ensure you receive the appropriate support.
  • Further support via another professional service/agency
    • It may be agreed that your needs would be better met by another service. In this case, your therapist will explain this to you. They will explain how you will be supported to access the appropriate service.
  • Further support via guided self-help resources.
    • If may be agreed that your concerns would be best supported by using guided self-help resources. Your therapist will support you in accessing the appropriate resources for your needs. Many are available in the resources section further down on this webpage.

The type of treatment we provide can vary depending on why you are with us.

Some of our treatments include:

  • Individual talking therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), solution focused therapy, art therapy
  • Behavioural therapies including support for parents with behaviour management strategies
  • Group therapies including Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
  • Medication may be available to treat some problems

We understand that there may be times when you may disagree with the decisions and treatment plan.

You may feel that you want to request a change of therapist or a second opinion (full review of assessment/diagnosis and treatment plan). This can be requested directly to your therapist or by requesting to speak to one of the service professional leads or operational manager.

It may be that a second opinion is asked for from within the service. If more appropriate, a second opinion will be asked for from a different provider.

How to access our service

You can be referred to our CAMHS team by a range of professionals including GPs, social workers and public health nurses in schools.

If you are a health or educational professional, or a social worker, and are concerned about a child you can refer them directly into our service. Please see our accessibility criteria and referral form below:

Guidance for making a referral to specialist CAMHS
Referral form

You may be asked to attend a CAMHS consultation online via a video call.

Rather than travelling to your appointment, you go into the clinic’s online ‘waiting area’. We will be notified when you arrive and your clinician will join you when ready.

You don’t need to set up an account and no information you enter is stored.

What do I need to make a video call?

  • A good connection to the internet
  • A private, well-lit area where you won’t be disturbed during the consultation
  • One of the following web browsers - Google Chrome or Safari
  • Web-camera, speakers and microphone on your laptop or mobile device

Is it secure?

Video calls are secure, your privacy is protected. You have your own private video room that only authorised clinicians can enter.

How much does it cost?

  • The video call is free (except for your internet usage)
  • You don’t use any data while waiting for a clinician to join you
  • A video call uses a similar amount of data to Skype of FaceTime
  • If you’re using a smartphone or tablet, if you can, connect to a home or work wifi network to avoid using your mobile data allowance.

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

Albion Road Clinic, Albion Road, North Shields, NE29 0HG.

Telephone: 0191 219 6685

We are available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

If you require support outside of these hours, please see our other useful contacts.

If you are worried about a significant deterioration getting worse, support can be accessed through your GP. Or the Crisis Team, which provides urgent assessments for self-harm and serious mental health issues, is available on 0303 123 1146.

Useful resources

Young people aged 11 to 25 in North Tyneside can acces, Kooth. It provides online mental health and wellbeing support, via any internet accessible device.

Kooth provides an opportunity to interact in a supportive way with other young people. You can also receive support from a qualified counsellor. They are available from 12pm midday until 10pm on weekdays, and from 6pm until 10pm on weekends, 365 days a year.

At CAMHS, we run a number of workshops on a range of mental health topics. These are primarily aimed at parents, carers, or any adults working with a young person with these difficulties.

As we know, for young people with mental health difficulties, it makes a really significant impact when those around them have a better understanding of their experience. For a lot of children, this is one of the most helpful interventions they can get.

We hope that these workshops will help you support a young person in the way that they need. We hope they give you the confidence to keep developing strategies to help them achieve their potential.

Our workshops have been recorded so they are available online and accessible to a greater number of people. Some workshops have an accompanying handout for viewers to look through, so we encourage you to explore these in your own time.

We hope that the information in these workshops becomes widely understood by those working with young people, so please feel free to share this website link with anyone who might benefit.

You can view all of our workshop videos in this YouTube playlist.

We have a brief evaluation form for our workshops here, which takes a couple of minutes to complete. We are grateful for your feedback so that we can ensure we are delivering the best service we can.

Looking after your own health and wellbeing as a parent / carer whose child is experiencing mental health problems is vital. There is support available to you. The following services may be useful:

North Tyneside Carers Centre

Shine a Light

Care and Connect

Contact

Young Minds

Useful links

There are a number of resources to which we frequently direct families and schools. We have added many of these here so they are accessible for everyone.

The use of many therapeutic tools requires the support of a qualified therapist. However, we also know that adults at school or at home having some knowledge and understanding of common therapeutic techniques is invaluable for someone who is learning how to implement these strategies in their day to day life. As the saying goes ‘the real work happens between the therapeutic sessions’.

  • Therapist Aid https://www.therapistaid.com/ - This website explains what kind of techniques we might use with people experiencing different difficulties, and why they might help.
  • Centre for Clinical Interventions https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Overview - This website includes a wealth of resources on different mental health topics, and suggestions for how to support yourself, or someone else experiencing difficulties.
  • Get Self Help https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/selfhelp.htm - This website includes lots of ideas for self-help based around a cognitive behavioural approach (a very commonly used therapeutic approach), and also tools for managing anxiety, anger, phobias and many more.

  • CAMHS Resources - This website has a number of resources on a range of mental health topics, including books, websites, apps, videos, and downloads (including self-help guides).
  • Recovery College - Providing a range of online educational courses and resources to people with experience of mental health issues.
  • Anna Freud Centre - Information about a range of mental health topics and advice/sources of support, including podcasts and resources
  • Medication Information - Information for Parents/Carers children and Young People on Medications that are used in CAMHS
  • Childline - Support for family members when someone in the family has a mental health problem

  • CAMHS Resources - camhs-resources.co.uk - This website has a number of resources on a range of mental health topics, including books, websites, apps, videos, and downloads (including self-help guides).
  • Free and confidential telephone support servicefor children and young people: ChildLine childline.org.uk  0800 1111
  • 24-hour confidential emotional support to anyone who is in crisis Samaritans samaritans.org.uk08457 909090
  • Information about drugs and where to get support:Ask Frank talktofrank.com
  • Minded for Families - information on common issues and problems such as: anger, aggression, sleep difficulties, flash back, trauma, bullying and more visit Minded for families-common problems

Sensory diet 

Emotional Toolkit

Social Stories

Managing Challenging Behaviour 

Ross Greene (Clinical Psychologist specialising in challenging behaviour) has a website with a number of resources and videos on this topic. He’s also written several books, most notably ‘The Explosive Child’, and ‘Raising Human Beings’ for families, and ‘Lost at School’ and ‘Lost and Found’ for educational professionals.

Working memory difficulties information and advice The Impact of Working Memory Difficulties on Learning (melbournechildpsychology.com.au)

Further information and strategies for parents and teachers regarding working memory

Bereavement resources

Interoception Activity Guide

Feeding Advice for Children - provided by North Tyneside Children’s Occupational Therapy

ADHD Reading List

All About ADHD

Anxiety in ADHD Information for Parents

Learning Problems in ADHD Info for Parents

Low Mood in ADHD Info for Parents

ADHD Foundation - Resources, including guides for parents and teachers on managing ADHD

ADDitude Mag - Articles on all things ADHD

How To ADHD - YouTube channel ‘How To ADHD’ has a number of helpful videos on understanding the condition. This channel is American, and so some of the diagnostic terms may vary slightly, but the information is relevant to anyone with, or supporting someone with ADHD.

ADHD Siblings Leaflet - ages 11+

ADHD Siblings Leaflet - under 11 years

 

Effective Teaching Practices for Students with ASD

North East Autism Society (NE-AS) Autism Acceptance Conference 2021 videos– Autistic speakers talking about a range of topics, including mental health, Autistic Identity, and the verbal spectrum

NE-AS Autism conference links

North East Autism Society 

National Autistic Society

NeuroClastic  –  ‘The Autistic Spectrum According to Autistic People’ has articles on a range of topics, including school, family life, and self-help, and is a useful source for understanding some of the first-hand experiences of Autistic people.

Sibling Autism Leaflet - younger children

Purple Ella – This is a YouTube channel run by a woman with Autism and ADHD, and she has a lot of videos on the topic of Autism, and her and her family’s experiences of being Autistic.

List of YouTube talks on topics relating to Autism

CAMHS ASD pack

 

ADAPT (After Diagnosis of Autism Parent support Training) is for parents of children and young people who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).

You will need to create an account in order to access this course. We have done this, and written a step by step guide for you to do this (it should take approx. 10 minutes).

 

  1. Click on this link - www.recoverycollegeonline.co.uk/
  2. You will need to create an account to access this course. Do this by clicking ‘login’ in the top right hand corner of the page
  3. Search ‘ADAPT’ in the search bar – click on the course titled ‘ADAPT – After Diagnosis of Autism Parent Support Training’
  4. At the bottom of the page there will be a message saying ‘guests will need to create an account to access this course’ – click the button to create a new account.
  5. Enter your details (make a note of the username and password – you will need these to login)
  6. Click ‘continue’ at the bottom
  7. Again, search for the ADAPT course in the search bar, click on it, and click continue – this will take you to a page which asks you to login – enter the details from step 5.
  8. Confirm your account via email (we waited about 10 minutes for this email to come through – remember to check your junk mail)
  9. Now you should be able to access the course – there will be a button at the bottom of the course page that now says ‘enrol’ – once you click this it will take you to the course.

Attachment and Trauma resources – This list has been compiled by the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, and is a really helpful directory of places to start when learning about attachment and trauma.

UK Trauma Council – For further information and explanations of trauma, and advice for working with young people who have experienced adverse life events.

An Explanation of Trauma 

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) network – This website has a number of helpful resources explaining what DDP is, when it might be used, and the principles of it that can be applied to everyday parenting/interactions with a child

Parenting in the Moment –  A nice brief explanation of how to manage difficult emotions when they’re happening with a child/young person.

Using PACE in Schools – PACE is an approach developed by Dan Hughes, creator of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, to support children and young people who have experienced difficulties related to attachment or adverse experiences. This document details how teachers and schools can reflect this approach with children and young people.

Important information

Everything you say to a member of staff will be confidential, unless they feel you or anybody else is in danger of being harmed. If this happens, your CAMHS worker will talk to you about who they need to tell and what details will be shared.

If you would like to know more about privacy, confidentiality, consent or capacity, visit http://mycamhschoices.org/

We believe every young person should have the opportunity to make informed decisions about their own mental health support, care and treatment. Working alongside their family, carers and professionals to decide what is best for them.

Understanding your rights helps you to be in charge of your own treatment. You should always:

  • be asked for your consent if possible before treatment options are agreed
  • be given what you need to make decisions, e.g. an interpreter if you need one
  • know how to complain and what the complaint process is
  • be given access to an independent advocate if you need to complain.

If you are 16 years of age or over then you can consent to your treatment. You can also refuse treatment unless it is judged that you lack capacity to make these decisions.

If you are under 16 years of age then a responsible adult must make your treatment options for you. This is usually a parent or legal guardian.

Our clinicians and staff aim to provide you with the highest quality of care. To do this we need to keep records about you, your health and the services we have provided or plan to provide to you. We value your privacy and the security of your personal information.

Your clinician will discuss confidentiality with you in your first session. We understand how important confidentiality is and abide strictly to data protection laws that allow us to share information only with your knowledge and consent, or, in very rare instances where we are legally obliged to do so.

Your therapist has a  professional duty of confidentiality, it means that he or she must not disclose anything shared by you without your agreement.

Confidentiality may only be broken where there is an identified risk to your health, safety, or welfare. Or where there is a risk to other's health safety or welfare. This outweighs the right to privacy. The decision to break confidentiality will be shared with you and the reasons why.

We may also ask for your consent to contact school or other professionals to support us in understanding your needs.

Consent means that you / your parents and carers agree to what is being proposed and understand the reasons for it. This will be based on adequate, accurate information being provided about what is intended in a format that your or your parents / carers can understand.

Everyone whose first language is not English, or who has communication needs, has the right to access a professional interpreter.

Professional interpreters should also explain relevant information about treatment and care to carers and family members whose preferred language is not English.

CAMHS staff will make arrangements for translation and sign language interpreters if necessary.

Your CAMHS record is securely stored in a trust electronic system that is also used and accessed by other trust clinical services and GPs. These services may be able to see you are open to CAMHS, but should not access your full record unless there is a clinical reason to do so.

This also means that CAMHS may be able to view records relating to any care you receive from other services that use the system. Records marked as private will not be visible to other users. Where clinically relevant, information within your record can be shared with other professionals for safeguarding purposes. All records are stored and processed in accordance with Data Protection legislation.

If you would like to know more about how we use your information or if, for any reason you do not wish to have your information shared, please speak to the health care professionals concerned with your care or email igofficer@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

It is your right to be able to see the notes and records that we keep of you. There is a process that you need to go through for this.

Please discuss this with your healthcare professional.

What the law says

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 applies to all people who are 16 years and over. Once young people reach the age of 16, they are presumed in law to be competent and can give consent for their own treatment, and refuse, including admission to hospital.

Parents cannot override consent or refusal from a competent 16 or 17-year-old. The Department of Health recommends that it is good practice to encourage young people to involve their families in decisions about their care unless it would not be in the young person’s best interests to do so

Mental capacity is the ability of a young person over the age of 16 to make their own decisions. This means being able to:

  • understand information given to them in relation to a decision
  • remember the information long enough to make a decision
  • use or weigh up the information available
  • communicate their decision in any way which can be recognised.

If a young person is unable to meet these criteria, they are considered to be ‘lacking capacity’. If a young person lacks the capacity to consent, they may be treated without their consent under the Act as long as the treatment does not involve a deprivation of liberty (this only applies to over 18s).

Treatment can also proceed with the consent of someone with parental responsibility as long as the treatment falls within the scope of parental responsibility. While only one person with parental responsibility needs to be approached, it is good practice to involve all those close to the child if possible. The definition of ‘parental responsibility’ is set out in the Children Act 1989.

Children and young people under 16 years of age

For children and young people under 16 years of age, the Mental Capacity Act does not apply. Children and young people need to be assessed whether they have enough understanding to make up their own mind about the benefits and risks of treatment – this is termed ‘Gillick competence’. The term ‘Fraser guidelines’ are also sometimes used.

Although often used interchangeably, they are two different concepts: Fraser guidelines refer to specific guidance that must be followed by the healthcare professional to provide contraceptive advice to a child; and Gillick competence refers to the ability of the child to give consent and is used more broadly.

Parents cannot override a competent child’s refusal to accept treatment.

The Mental Health Act is a law that tells people with a mental health disorder what their rights are and how they can be treated.

The Mental Health Act Code of Practice tells everyone how to use this law and what they must do.

Under this law, a person can be admitted, detained and treated in hospital for a mental disorder without their consent.

 

Admission to hospital would only occur if it’s the only way for young person to get the treatment and support they need.

This will usually be with a young person’s agreement to going into hospital. But in some cases, like under 16s, a parent or carer might be able to agree on their behalf.

If the young person or their parent or carer don’t agree to admission, and the doctors think the only way to keep the young person safe and get the support they need is by going to hospital, they could be sectioned. Being sectioned means that the young person is kept in hospital under the Mental Health Act.

There are different types of sections, each with different rules to keep them safe and give them treatment. The length of time that they can be kept in hospital depends on which section they are on.

Being sectioned is different to being a voluntary patient, which is when they agree to go into hospital. This is sometimes called being detained.

Being sectioned means that you have to go into hospital so that you can get the urgent treatment you need to help you get better. This happens when a team of mental health professionals (usually including two doctors) have looked at all your options and decided that hospital is the best place for you to be.

According to the law, you have to go into hospital even if you do not want to or you disagree with the doctors’ decision. This is also known as being detained.

You will only be sectioned if doctors think you are very unwell. They might be worried that your behaviour is dangerous to yourself or might be dangerous for others around you, even if you do not intend it to be.

The Mental Health Act 1983 is the law that gives mental health professionals the ability to section someone. It also sets out the different types of sectioning and your rights as a patient.

It may not be possible to challenge the health professionals' opinion while you are being sectioned. The decision to section someone is never taken lightly, but here are some possible ways you can get discharged once you are in hospital:

  • Ask your hospital managers to consider discharging you
  • Ask your responsible clinician to discharge you
  • Ask your nearest relative to discharge you
  • Apply to the Mental Health Tribunal to be discharged

Whether young people are admitted into hospital voluntarily or sectioned, the doctors and wider care team will help the young person, their family / carers understand what’s happening. They will listen to everyone’s feelings and views, and answer all questions.

Advocacy

An advocate is a person who works with you on a problem until it is sorted out. Once the problem has been sorted out, the advocate will stop working with you. Advocates often work this way because lots of different people need the help and support of an advocate.

They aim to empower vulnerable people to have their voices heard, to be properly involved in their own care, to have information about their rights and to access the services they need. The charity Independent Advocacy aims to continuously deliver high-quality advocacy services that are accessible, responsive and appropriate to the diverse needs of different client groups.

Advocacy provides the support someone needs to express their views, to communicate their choices and to participate in decision making. It can enable people to take more responsibility, have choices and control over decisions that affect their lives. It promotes individuals’ overall health and wellbeing by increasing self-determination and on a larger scale helps to promote social inclusion, equality and social justice.

Independent Advocacy helps the person to look at options and to be part of the decision-making process. It can help with care plan assessments, support plans, reviews of care and safeguarding enquiries or assessments and reviews. It can also help with various issues and concern such as housing, complaints, family, etc.

  • An advocate is someone who can help you to speak up.  
  • Advocates listen to you and help you to explain yourself.  
  • Advocates can speak on your behalf if you want them to.  
  • Advocates will not tell you what to think or say.  
  • Advocates can come with you to important meetings.  
  • Advocates can find the right people to help you.  
  • Advocates can help you to be treated fairly.  
  • An advocate will be on your side, not anybody else's!

National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS)

The NYAS provides information and support to young people. NYAS states: “You are the expert in your own life and know what you need.  We will champion your rights.  We will listen to you and help you to get your voice heard.  We will help you to make informed decisions and speak up on matters that affect you. NYAS is always on your side.”

NYAS has a lot of useful information on their website. If you are living in care, a care leaver or on the edge of care, NYAS has lots of ways you can contact them to get the help and support you need. They provide a freephone helpline – 0808 808 1001.

North Tyneside Advocacy Services

Contact an advocate:

Telephone: (0191) 643 8215

Mobile: (call or text) 07971 294247

Email: advocacy@northtyneside.gov.uk

Independent Advocacy North East ( IANE)

work with young people between the ages of 16-25 who are currently in education within North Tyneside. They help with their transition from child to adult services, ensuring their voices and opinions are heard and acted upon.

Independent Advocacy North East, Room B14, Linskill Centre, Linskill Terrace, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE30 2AY

Email: info@iane.org.uk

Telephone: 0191 2596662

Fax: 0191 2963767

Independent Advocacy North East is a Registered Charity (Number 1148607) and a Company Limited By Guarantee (Number 7949689).

Feedback and concerns

North Tyneside CAMHS aims to provide a quality, effective service. We are really keen to receive feedback from children, young people, families and carers who use the service.

This feedback enables us to review the care we provide and develop the service. You may be asked to complete questionnaires or surveys about your care. Your feedback is really appreciated.

If you are a young person and would like to share your experiences of care with us, please contact us at patient.experience@nhct.nhs.uk.

With the help of young people, we have made animations to explain some of the services available to young people in Northumberland and North Tyneside.

The animations include top tips for your mental wellbeing, where to get help and how to access our services.

For those of you aged 11 to 15, watch this animation:

For those of you aged 16 +, please watch this animation:

 

We always strive to provide a high-quality service for all children, young people and their families. We know, however, that sometimes we may not get it right.

It is important for us to know when we have not met your expectations. We always want to learn and improve.

Our staff are open to you discussing your concerns and working with you to resolve them. If you do not feel you can or do not want to talk to a member of the team, you can contact the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS). They will listen to your concerns and share them with the service on your behalf.

Tel: 0800 032 0202

Text: 07815 500 015

Email: northoftynepals@northumbria.nhs.uk

Post: Freepost PALS

If you need help or support making a complaint, you can contact the independent complaints advocacy organisation.

North East NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy (ICA), Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead, NE8 3HU.

Tel: 0808 802 3000

Email: ica@carersfederation.co.uk

Website: www.nenhscomplaintsadvocacy.co.uk

We assure you that raising a concern will not adversely affect the care or treatment you / your child will receive.

Video consultations

video-call-blue-250x222.png

We can offer online consultations where appropriate via a video call to make it easier for you to attend.

Rather than travelling to your appointment, you will receive a text or email before your appointment and simply need to click to join. Find out more here.

 

Children's Mental Health Services
Referral form
Guidance for making a referral to CAMHS