Finally CAMHS will be seeing my daughter next week. We were referred by the GP and school, but heard nothing for ages. It appears that they were trying to contact me by phone, but had the wrong number! They could have written to me instead!

Anyway, I am not too sure what to expect on this first visit. What was your first visit experience and what is your overall rating of CAMHS? I guess I want them to fix my daughter there and then.

Tracey

Hi Tracey. I'm sure as with everything that each CAMHs is only as good as the staff and so every CAMHs unit must be different, some good, some bad. I can only tell you about my experience but yours may well be very different. Firstly, don't expect a quick result. At our first appointment we were told that they needed to assess our daughter so they set up 3 fortnightly appointments for her at which they asked questions and gathered notes. After that they take the notes to a panel of experts (they have weekly meetings)to decide what treatment is needed. That can take a while. Ours took 2 months. I was advised by a friend to not sit back and wait quietly but to make a bit of a fuss and have a paper trail otherwise you keep going to the bottom of the list and it never gets to the panel. Don't know how true that is but we heard nothing and then after getting the school to send a letter (about the self harming)and after calling out the paramedics on 2 Sundays in a row because of self-harming (due to anxiety of going to school the next day) my daughter finally got reviewed at the panel. The decision was that they needed more assessment before they could make any decisions. i was not happy! So more bi-weekly assessment sessions to gather notes, this time my husband and I were seen so that they could get our background etc. Again it went off to a panel in which they decided that our daughter suffers from General Anxiety and needed bi-weekly counseling sessions. NOT CBT as I had specifically requested, but just some sessions so that she could talk about her anxiety . We were also offered family therapy.
We had our first appointment in April last year and her counselling sessions started at the end of January this year. I've tried not to sound too bitter or disillusioned as hopefully your service will be quicker and better. I know lots of people have had a very successful relationship with CAMHs. I'm also hopeful that now we're in the system things may improve.

I am just wondering, Tracey and Paula and anyone else reading, does it cost too much to find a private psychologist in the UK? Or do you have to use camhs for your child to stay in school or not be prosecuted?

I know things are different down here but our camhs isn't something we have to work through (I think they are much smaller) so considering the wait to see them as well here - I just went private. It cost me a lot but I feel it got onto the issue quickly. If you can find the right psychologist to do CBT you could do 4-5 weeks of weekly sessions and see some change whilst waiting for camhs? You can then decide whether to have follow up or keep working with camhs? Can you use both systems?
Seems such a shame that a system that is supposed to help your children is just putting them on hold for so long and then not always providing the right therapy/help. And you are totally dependent on the particular staff that work in your area. Anyway - curious to know why - if not the money - not many choose to find a private psychologist?

Paula - I am sorry to hear the extra stress you are under at the moment. I hope your daughter receives the help she needs soon. What about homeschooling?
Wishing you both a good weekend,
Linda xx