Coordination of interagency work:
Perhaps the most important role that SMART has played has been in the coordination of multiple professional responses to families where a level of need has an impact on a child’s education. Often the individual professional responses are of high quality but characterised by a lack of coordination. This can end up causing families greater harm.
Through the medium of properly conducted multi agency meetings (chaired by a SMART representative), and latterly our involvement in the Common Assessment Framework, we have seen the benefits to children in school of properly coordinated professional responses.
CAMHS
Hello, to everyone. My name is
Here’s a quick introduction to the Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Agenda that is ‘Everybody’s Business’ and the how the Primary Mental Health Service fits in.
The mental health of children and young people should be, and increasingly is, everybody’s business rather than the exclusive concern of those operating in the more specialist services of CAMHS.
Professionals and workers in universal children’s services frequently encounter early manifestations of mental health difficulties, problems and disorders.
The number of children experiencing mental health problems in primary care has been found between 20-25% (Kramer & Garralda, 2000). Whilst some of these problems are complex and require referral to specialist CAMHS, others can be successfully managed within the child’s usual settings such as within home and school by those already working with them providing they have the knowledge ,skills & support.
The role of the camhs primary mental health service is distinct in that the main aim is to act as an interface between universal services for children and families and specialist CAMHS with the aim of:-
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Strengthening the Child mental health knowledge and skills of those working in Universal services in order to improve the capability for early identification and intervention.
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Promoting the mental and emotional health of children and families in the community, in line with guidance for the Children’s NSF,2004.
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Working across agencies to develop a co-coordinated response to children’s mental health.
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To promote the provision of accessible, responsive interventions for children and families within a non-stigmatising environment.
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Enhancing the accessibility of services for children and families who may not always use statutory or specialist services
This is achieved by working in partnership with other services in the form of providing Training, Consultation, Liaison, Joint working & Support.
I hope this is useful as a way of introduction. I will be based at both the Smart Base and the