cahms

[hev]

when i take steve to see cahms we sit in a room talk about his behaviour and we leave in the same position as when we went in,do your cahms offer any other help than talking to the doctor?i know some people have hadgood experiences with them,i m wondering if they offer any other services

[lil_me]

The lady at our CAMHS team basically asked me what I wanted her to do for us, which was quite a change, maybe just ask them outright for the services you need/would like.

Edited August 22, 2005 by lil_me

[bluejean-genie]

Hi

Nat is 13 years old and he now sees a youth worker who is there to help Nat overcome his difficulties regarding the way he feels. His counsellor is there to support Nat until he no longer requires him. Nat sees him once a week and he goes in on his own, recently we have been seen by the chartered psychologist to discuss Nat's difficulties from our point of view while Nat has been with the counsellor.

[bevalee]

Hi Hev

 

We had the same with our Camhs team. They just sat and talked about R's behaviour and we went out feeling the same as when we came in!

 

They did ask me how they could help, but just didn't have the funding to support anything.

[BuntyB]

I agree, you need to be clear about what you need.

If you need training on how to deal with behaviour, have you been offered this? You can ask about Early Bird or Early Bird courses if you haven't already been on one.

 

Failing this, try other options. Do you have a social worker? You are entitiled to an assessment and this could lead to respite care or other services. Is there a support group near you? We offer parent led activities and support and we put on training as and when parents need it. We also have visiting experts that parents can talk to. If there isn't a group, can you set one up?

[MARGOT10]

I have got to say the help I am getting for my daughter is wonderful.She has a social worker who I can call anytime and always calls back,she has a play therapist.I have told them the problems I struggle with and they are going to arrange help for me.The social worker is going to arrange a meeting with the school to arrange behavior management interventions in school and to discuss all my concerns and the difficulties she has.So far so good I have told them what I WANT AND GOT IT.

[baddad]

I'm always amazed when i read about people actually GETTING to camhs!!

We've tried everything: they have referals for both of us seperately and 'collectively' as a family from GP's/Ed Psychs/CP's etc etc, and have even attended emergency meetings at school (exclusion imminent at the time), but throughout this two year period we've got no closer to a meeting whatsoever! I know it's a real postcode lottery, and certainly in my own area there's a political agenda over funding too, but - Christ - it's frustrating and absolutely scary that so little provision can be forthcoming...

MARGOT - wonderful to hear that there can be another side to the coin

BD

[Tez]

We've been very lucky with CAMHS. A sees a psychiatrist there and she is very supportive and very knowledable. Like others we were asked what we wanted from her. She always takes time to listen and will always try to suggest solutions. Of course, these don't always work but then if it was that easy autism wouldn't be the disability that it is.

 

I have this psychiatrist's mobile phone number and her email address and have been told to contact her whenever I like. She always responds to any messages that I leave her quickly. I think that sometimes all I need is an "expert" to back whatever I've already decided to do such as withdrawing A from school, backing my insistence that he be allowed to access his work via a laptop, attending meetings at the school to explain to staff exactly how A's difficulties effect him and his psychiatrist at CAMHS is excellent at doing this.

 

Baddad - sorry you're having such a difficult time accessing support for CAMHS. When A was diagnosed we were told that there was a 3 year wait for CAMHS. A just wasn't coping and our GP said this was unacceptable. He picked up the phone and insisted on an appointment that week and refused to put the phone down until he got one. Maybe we were just lucky but it worked for us, might be worth a try if you're ever desparate.

[MARGOT10]

baddad,I thin thay was your screen name.Iam so sorry you are having such a hard time.I have got to say that we only got reffered as my daughter was badly bullied,came hme with a bruise of a whole foot print on her leg.I had d in a school that came top of the league tables in the midlands.So therefore her learning and behavior problems that I kept asking about were ignored as was the bullying.I moved her school in what some may say is considered a deprived area.The school have said yes she is behind,yes she has difficulty with social skills and yes we think there is cause for concern.

My d now has a learning mentor who checks on her progress,the big and little children are in seperate playgrounds but if my d is on her own at playtime the school allow eldest to go into her.Also If d is overwhelmed in class eldest is bought into the classroom to settle her.I know this is not ideal but until other stratagies are put into place it works for now.

What iam trying to say is that I find the better or more reputable the area you live or send kids to school,the less proffessionals seem to acknowledge what you are saying.Academicly the school is not as high as the one before but I dont want a rocket scientist i want acknowledgement of my concerns and a smile on my d face.And it has taken two and half years to get her to assessment.

[baddad]

Hi again -

Thanks all for your thoughts and suggestions, but the plain fact is in good old TWells the CAMHs team is pretty much overwhelmed. They've openly said that they are fire-fighting emergency situations only: suicidal kids, firestarters etc. The 'support tier' Ben and i fall under has next to no funding whatsoever... There is a lot of local politics involved too.

At some point I know we have to start that whole thing of getting MP's involved and 'formal complaints' and all that cr*p, but at this point I'm just trying to get as much 'evidence' together as i can to make that process as foolproof as possible.

Best

BD