The Beacon Centre

Description

The Beacon Centre is a 16-bed specialist acute mental health facility which provides assessment and treatment services for young people.

Who we are

We are a 16-bed adolescent unit for young people aged 12-17 who may be having difficulty coping with emotional, social or family issues and have a mental health problem. The Beacon Centre wants to give young people the right skills to cope with their condition. The ward is made up of nurses, doctors, psychologists and occupational therapists.

What we offer

The service  offers inpatient assessment and treatment, tailored to the needs of the young person and their family/carers. We can help young people who are: 

• Feeling low or more worried than normal
• Experiencing high levels of anxiety
• Thinking about deliberate self harm
• Obsessive and have habits that can’t be stopped, such as obsessive compulsive disorder
• Having lots of worrying thoughts about themselves or others
• Suffering from psychosis
• Struggling to cope with mental health problems and may have associated behavioural difficulties, such as worrying levels of conflict or fights

We provide a safe therapeutic environment offering a comprehensive range of treatments including psychological therapies and medication. Wherever possible, the New Beginning service will work to maintain young people in the community through the following areas of expertise:

• Providing advice to referrers on alternative options to admission, given the risk assessment and clinical indicators
• Undertaking assessments in the community as an alternative to admitting for assessment
• Providing a step-down service that facilitates transition from secure to non-secure facilities
• Providing brief programmes of collaborative care and liaison with medium-term specialist services

Who is the service for

Young people aged 12-17 years old. 

Referral information

If you have concerns about your child please contact your GP or take them to A&E if there is a serious risk of harm. Referrals can come several sources including, directly from GPs, CAMHS community teams and A&E departments.