The Children and Young People's Service (CYPS) provides Specialist Tier 3 mental health assessment and intervention. It also provides Tier 2 targeted services to those in special circumstances (see below)in line with its CCG commissioning arrangements
The service consists of a multi-disciplinary team of mental health practitioners including psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychological therapists and psychologists, occupational therapists and administrative staff.
The integrated team operates to meet the tier 3 specialist mental health needs of all children and young people regardless of their circumstances or other needs. They operate within a multi-agency framework and would see their role in supporting EHC plans mainly in the delivery of the specialist mental health element of the comprehensive plans to the young person
The service can provide consultation, advice and support directly to families but also to other agencies working with children and young people presenting with mental health difficulties and will support the team around the child in relation to EHC plans where appropriate.
The service provides direct consultation into the Special Schools so enabling school staff to have access to specialist mental health support in a timely way. Where young people then require an intervention from the specialist mental health service this can then be facilitated by the CYPS professional.
Children and young people referred into the service are usually seen in the date order of which they are referred however all cases are reviewed and prioritised if necessary based on their mental health need.
The service has a practice guidance note in place to support the smooth transition of young people who require ongoing mental health support at aged 18.
Criteria for access
They expect access to their service to be simple and easy. The criteria for acceptance is:
- The child or young person must be within our age range 0-18 years
- They must be presenting with some degree of psychological distress or mental health difficulty. This includes children and young people in special circumstances whereby advice, consultation and/or support is being sought by other professionals(**)
- They must have been seen by the referrer who will undertake an assessment of need prior to referral. This will help us to prioritise cases where necessary
- They must have given informed consent to the referral being made
There is an expectation that a first level intervention must have been attempted prior to referral and information on the outcome of this is included in the referral.
Anyone wishing to have a discussion about a case prior to referral can contact the helpline for advice, information or support
If a child or young person is not suitable for the service they will contact you to explain why and at the same time provide advice, help or support to access a service more appropriate to meet their needs.
** Special circumstances includes those individuals :
- With a learning disability whose behaviour is challenging
- Who are/have been Looked After or accommodated including those adopted from care
- Who have been neglected or abused
- Who have a chronic or enduring illness
Who are homeless or who are from families who are homeless - Who have parents with problems including domestic violence, illness, dependency or addiction
- Who are at risk of, or are involved in offending
- Who are from a minority ethnic or minority cultural background including travellers.
Children in these circumstances are more vulnerable to psychological distress but do not necessarily present with mental health difficulties.
They are happy to discuss children and young people with you to determine whether they need the service or, if not, they will suggest what may be helpful.
Targeted Services - Special Circumstances and Tier 2
The service provides consultation, support and advice to agencies working with children and young people who find themselves in a range of challenging situations which may place them at a greater risk of developing mental health issues. This includes children and young people who may be Looked After, and those who have learning disabilities with a challenging behaviour
The service offer direct intervention where the young person meets the Specialist Mental Health criteria for access into the service.
Specialist services - Tier 3 Specialist mental health service
As its core business the service is able to provide:
- Assessment, diagnosis and intervention on a range of mental health difficulties
- Intensive home based treatment for those children and young people whose mental health is causing significant concern
- An Intensive Eating Disorder Service to support children and young people on the eating disorder pathway who are at risk of an inpatient admission
- A comprehensive transition support package to those young people who are approaching their 18th birthday and may need continuing support as adults
- 24 hour access to support (via the IRT team outside of the service extended hours)
Training, consultation, support and advice to front line staff working in targeted services for children and young people in special circumstances including;
- Looked After Children Services and Services for Care Leavers
- Social Care Services
- Services for Children with disabilities including learning disability services, special schools and specialist education services
- Paediatric Services
- Children and Young People’s Substance Misuse Services
- Youth Offending Service
- Adult Services in particular Adult Mental Health Services, substance misuse and services supporting families in crisis
- Young Carers Services
- Services for children, young people and families from minority cultural backgrounds