Haringey CAMHS Generic and NDS Team

Haringey CAMHS (Generic Team) is a multi-disciplinary out-patient service which provides assessments and treatments for children and young people aged 0-17 who are experiencing serious mental health problems or marked emotional and behavioural problems which are complex and enduring and have a significant impact on the child or young person’s functioning.

We provide:

• urgent and routine assessments,
• consultations,
• and short, medium term and longer term interventions.

We offer a comprehensive range of treatments, singly and in combination, including:

• Family Therapy
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
• Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy
• Parent-Infant Psychotherapy
• Specialist Speech and Language Therapy
• Parent Consultation
• Art Therapy, Medication
• Bereavement Groups
• Group and Individual Parenting Programmes
• Video Interaction Guidance

Children and young people are seen in various locations: most commonly at our clinic, and sometimes at home or school.

We work in collaboration with the children and young people attending our service, and also with their parents and carers, and aim to provide an accessible, accountable and flexible service. Our work often involves close liaison with colleagues in other services in order to create and deliver integrated interagency care plans.

Who we see

Children and young people aged 0-17 can attend Haringey CAMHS (Generic Team). Children aged 0-2 where there are concerns about emotional and behavioural problems or parent-infant relationship issues are initially seen by the Parent Infant Psychology Service (PIPS) team who can then involve Haringey CAMHS (Generic Team) if necessary, as agreed on a case by case basis.

This service sees children and young people with a wide range of mental health problems, including:

• depression
• anxiety
• suicidal preoccupations or ruminations
• self-harm
• psychotic symptoms
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• obsessive compulsive disorder
• severe behaviour problems and conduct disorder
• complicated bereavement
• ADHD

We screen young people aged 12 and older with possible autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and where necessary refer them onwards to Great Ormond Street Hospital for diagnostic assessment. Children aged 11 and under have ASD diagnostic assessments at the Haringey Child Development Centre.

Many of the children and young people we see have special educational needs, learning disabilities or autistic spectrum diagnoses, but these problems and conditions do not automatically confer eligibility for this service unless the children and young people are additionally experiencing mental health problems of sufficient severity and pervasiveness to meet the threshold for Haringey CAMHS.

How to access the service

Children and young people can be referred to Haringey CAMHS by any professional involved with the child, for example, the GP, Social Worker, or SENCO. For referrals from schools, we ask that the SENCO or Head teacher countersign any CAMHS referral to ensure that they are aware it is being made.

Although all of the children and most of the young people who come to CAMHS will be seen with the knowledge and involvement of their parents and carers, older or more mature adolescents who want to be seen without their parents or carers being aware can also come to CAMHS. However where there are potential risks we may need to involve parents, carers or others as part of a safety plan.

Training our staff have had in supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

Although Haringey CAMHS (Generic Team) is not a team specifically for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, many of the children and young people attending our service will have additional needs. Staff working at CAMHS have plenty of experience in working with children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities and will have addressed these issues as part of their professional trainings. Some staff also have additional experience and training with this client group from previous professions.

Haringey CAMHS (Generic Team) comprises clinical psychologists, child and adolescent psychotherapists, family therapists, child and adolescent psychiatrists, speech and language therapists, art therapists, and others. All of the team have post-graduate professional qualifications, several at doctorate level. All are registered with the relevant professional bodies.

All staff have regular continuing professional development training in safeguarding, health and safety, risk assessment, information governance etc.

In addition to its experienced and well-qualified clinical staff, Haringey CAMHS (Generic Team) hosts senior trainees in:

• psychiatry
• clinical psychology
• child and adolescent psychotherapy
• educational psychotherapy
• family therapy
• speech and language therapy 
• art therapy