Worried about your child or the young person you care for?

How do I know if CAMHS is the right support for my child or young person?

There are lots of different reasons why you might be worried about your child or young person, they go through lots of changes, physically, emotionally and socially. These changes can be experienced as very stressful. If your child or young person is finding it more difficult to cope, then they may need some extra support from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

You may have noticed your child or young person is feeling sad, worried or angry a lot of the time. While these are normal feelings that we all experience, experiencing these too much can start to affect their relationships, their home and school life and leisure activities.

Sometimes a child or young person may notice this and seek help from their GP, School or by referring themselves into HPFT services through our Single Point of Access.

However it is also often that you may notice something different and request they get some more support with it.

How can I get help from CAMHS for my child or young person?

You would need to be referred to CAMHS by your child's GP, if the school have a pastoral team, they can often also refer to CAMHS on your child's behalf.

Alternatively you can call our Single Point of Access (SPA) on 0800 6444 101 to discuss your worries and concerns and refer your child on their behalf.

Once I have been referred will I be seen by HPFT CAMHS?

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) only provide CAMHS services at Tier 3 and Tier 4 levels, therefore it may be decided that our services are unsuitable and you may instead be referred to Tier 2 or Tier 1 services for support. To help you understand these 'Tiers' please visit our CAMHS Tiers page.