Navigating Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents

What should I do first if I think my child needs help with their feelings?

What is CAMHS?

CAMHS helps kids and young people with their feelings. CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. They give support if you feel sad, worried, or have other strong feelings.

If you need help from CAMHS, you can talk to an adult you trust like a parent or teacher. They can help you get in touch with CAMHS. You can also try drawing, deep breathing, or talking to someone about your feelings.

How can I get help from CAMHS?

Do you want help from CAMHS? Here is how you can get it:

• Talk to your doctor: You can see your family doctor. Tell them what is wrong. They can help you get to CAMHS.
• Speak to your teacher: You can talk to a teacher at your school. They can help you and call someone for you.
• Contact your nurse: If there is a nurse at your school, you can talk to them. They will help you get to CAMHS.

It is important to share how you are feeling. Ask a trusted adult for help. They will guide you.

Some helpful tools you can use are pictures or a diary to show or write how you feel. This makes it easier to explain to others.

Do children and teenagers get free help for mental health in the UK?

In the UK, children and teenagers can get free help for mental health. This help comes from the National Health Service, also known as the NHS.

If you need support, you can talk to your doctor, a teacher, or a school nurse. They can help you get the right support.

Sometimes, there are special places where you can talk to someone about how you feel. They can listen and help you feel better.

Remember, it's okay to ask for help if you feel sad, worried, or scared. Talking to someone can make things better.

You can also try using pictures, simple notes, or apps that help with feelings. These tools can make it easier to understand and share your feelings.

What can CAMHS help with?

CAMHS is a place that helps young people with their feelings and mental health. Here are some things they can help with:

• Feeling very sad or worried a lot.
• Finding it hard to pay attention or sit still.
• Having bad dreams or feeling scared.
• Feeling angry often.
• Finding it hard to talk to people.

If you need extra help, you can:

• Talk to a trusted adult.
• Write down your feelings.
• Draw a picture of how you feel.

What can I do if my child needs help fast?

Can my child's school help with mental health?

Schools can often help with mental health. Here are some things they might do:

• Have a school counselor who talks to children.
• Teach classes about feelings and how to handle them.
• Offer special support groups for kids who need extra help.

It's a good idea to talk to your child's teacher or the school staff. They can tell you more about what they can do. If your child needs more help, they might suggest seeing someone outside of school, like a therapist.

Some tools that can help at school or home include:

• Mood journals for children to draw or write about their feelings.
• Calming activities, like deep breathing or listening to quiet music.

Remember, reaching out to someone is the first step to getting help.

How long until I can see someone at CAMHS?

Can I get private mental health help for my child?

If your child needs help with their feelings, you can look for private mental health services. Private means you pay for it. Here is how you can do it:

• Search online for child therapists or counselors near you.
• Ask your doctor for recommendations.
• Talk to friends or family who might know of good therapists.
• Check if your health insurance covers private therapy.

It's important to choose someone your child feels comfortable with. You can call and ask questions before you visit. Tell them about your child's needs.

There are tools to help your child, like drawing or talking about their feelings. Some apps or books might be helpful too.

How do parents help when their child is getting help for their feelings?

What is an EHCP and how can it help my child?

An EHCP is a plan to help your child learn. It stands for Education, Health, and Care Plan.

This plan helps if your child needs extra support at school.

How does an EHCP help?

- The plan explains what your child needs to learn better.

- It tells teachers how to help your child.

- It also helps your child get support from doctors or therapists if needed.

What can you do?

- Talk to your child's teacher if you think your child needs an EHCP.

- You can also speak to a special educational needs advisor for help.

- Use pictures or simple drawings to help your child understand the plan.

Are there groups that help parents with kids who have mental health problems?

Sometimes kids can have problems with their feelings or thoughts. Parents can feel worried or alone. There are groups that help parents talk and share with each other. These groups can help parents learn and feel better.

Here’s what you can do:

• Look online for groups that help parents. You can find websites where you can talk to other parents.
• Ask your doctor or teacher if they know any local groups that help parents.
• You can call a helpline to talk to someone who can help.

Talking to other parents can make it easier. You are not alone!

What can I find online to help with mental health?

Here are some things that can help you feel better:

• Websites: There are pages online where you can read about mental health.
• Apps: You can download apps on your phone. They can help you relax or feel happier.
• Videos: Watch videos to learn about how to take care of your mind.
• Online chats: You can talk to people online if you need support.

Ask for help if you need it. Talking to someone can make you feel better.

Can children get better from mental health problems?

Some children have mental health problems, like feeling very sad or worried. These problems can get better with help. Doctors, therapists, and family can support children to feel better.

Not all problems go away completely, but children can learn ways to manage them. Talking with someone they trust is important. There are also special tools like picture cards and calming exercises that can help.

How can I help my child's mental health at home?

You can do simple things to help your child feel good and safe. Here are some ideas:

• Talk and listen: Spend time talking with your child. Ask them how they feel and listen to them.
• Show love: Give hugs and say kind words to make them feel loved.
• Play and have fun: Do fun activities together, like playing games or drawing.
• Keep a routine: Try to have a regular schedule for meals, sleep, and playtime.
• Be understanding: If your child is upset, try to understand how they feel.
• Use helpful tools: Read books or use apps for kids about feelings and staying calm.

What should I do first if I think my child needs help with their feelings?

What is CAMHS?

CAMHS helps kids and young people with their feelings. CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. They give support if you feel sad, worried, or have other strong feelings.

If you need help from CAMHS, you can talk to an adult you trust like a parent or teacher. They can help you get in touch with CAMHS. You can also try drawing, deep breathing, or talking to someone about your feelings.

How can I get help from CAMHS?

Do you want help from CAMHS? Here is how you can get it:

• Talk to your doctor: You can see your family doctor. Tell them what is wrong. They can help you get to CAMHS.
• Speak to your teacher: You can talk to a teacher at your school. They can help you and call someone for you.
• Contact your nurse: If there is a nurse at your school, you can talk to them. They will help you get to CAMHS.

It is important to share how you are feeling. Ask a trusted adult for help. They will guide you.

Some helpful tools you can use are pictures or a diary to show or write how you feel. This makes it easier to explain to others.

Do children and teenagers get free help for mental health in the UK?

In the UK, children and teenagers can get free help for mental health. This help comes from the National Health Service, also known as the NHS.

If you need support, you can talk to your doctor, a teacher, or a school nurse. They can help you get the right support.

Sometimes, there are special places where you can talk to someone about how you feel. They can listen and help you feel better.

Remember, it's okay to ask for help if you feel sad, worried, or scared. Talking to someone can make things better.

You can also try using pictures, simple notes, or apps that help with feelings. These tools can make it easier to understand and share your feelings.

What can CAMHS help with?

CAMHS is a place that helps young people with their feelings and mental health. Here are some things they can help with:

• Feeling very sad or worried a lot.
• Finding it hard to pay attention or sit still.
• Having bad dreams or feeling scared.
• Feeling angry often.
• Finding it hard to talk to people.

If you need extra help, you can:

• Talk to a trusted adult.
• Write down your feelings.
• Draw a picture of how you feel.

What can I do if my child needs help fast?

Can my child's school help with mental health?

Schools can often help with mental health. Here are some things they might do:

• Have a school counselor who talks to children.
• Teach classes about feelings and how to handle them.
• Offer special support groups for kids who need extra help.

It's a good idea to talk to your child's teacher or the school staff. They can tell you more about what they can do. If your child needs more help, they might suggest seeing someone outside of school, like a therapist.

Some tools that can help at school or home include:

• Mood journals for children to draw or write about their feelings.
• Calming activities, like deep breathing or listening to quiet music.

Remember, reaching out to someone is the first step to getting help.

How long until I can see someone at CAMHS?

Can I get private mental health help for my child?

If your child needs help with their feelings, you can look for private mental health services. Private means you pay for it. Here is how you can do it:

• Search online for child therapists or counselors near you.
• Ask your doctor for recommendations.
• Talk to friends or family who might know of good therapists.
• Check if your health insurance covers private therapy.

It's important to choose someone your child feels comfortable with. You can call and ask questions before you visit. Tell them about your child's needs.

There are tools to help your child, like drawing or talking about their feelings. Some apps or books might be helpful too.

How do parents help when their child is getting help for their feelings?

What is an EHCP and how can it help my child?

An EHCP is a plan to help your child learn. It stands for Education, Health, and Care Plan.

This plan helps if your child needs extra support at school.

How does an EHCP help?

- The plan explains what your child needs to learn better.

- It tells teachers how to help your child.

- It also helps your child get support from doctors or therapists if needed.

What can you do?

- Talk to your child's teacher if you think your child needs an EHCP.

- You can also speak to a special educational needs advisor for help.

- Use pictures or simple drawings to help your child understand the plan.

Are there groups that help parents with kids who have mental health problems?

Sometimes kids can have problems with their feelings or thoughts. Parents can feel worried or alone. There are groups that help parents talk and share with each other. These groups can help parents learn and feel better.

Here’s what you can do:

• Look online for groups that help parents. You can find websites where you can talk to other parents.
• Ask your doctor or teacher if they know any local groups that help parents.
• You can call a helpline to talk to someone who can help.

Talking to other parents can make it easier. You are not alone!

What can I find online to help with mental health?

Here are some things that can help you feel better:

• Websites: There are pages online where you can read about mental health.
• Apps: You can download apps on your phone. They can help you relax or feel happier.
• Videos: Watch videos to learn about how to take care of your mind.
• Online chats: You can talk to people online if you need support.

Ask for help if you need it. Talking to someone can make you feel better.

Can children get better from mental health problems?

Some children have mental health problems, like feeling very sad or worried. These problems can get better with help. Doctors, therapists, and family can support children to feel better.

Not all problems go away completely, but children can learn ways to manage them. Talking with someone they trust is important. There are also special tools like picture cards and calming exercises that can help.

How can I help my child's mental health at home?

You can do simple things to help your child feel good and safe. Here are some ideas:

• Talk and listen: Spend time talking with your child. Ask them how they feel and listen to them.
• Show love: Give hugs and say kind words to make them feel loved.
• Play and have fun: Do fun activities together, like playing games or drawing.
• Keep a routine: Try to have a regular schedule for meals, sleep, and playtime.
• Be understanding: If your child is upset, try to understand how they feel.
• Use helpful tools: Read books or use apps for kids about feelings and staying calm.