Welcome to CAMHS
Need help now?
If a child or young person needs help now, contact NHS 24 (111) or in an emergency, phone 999 or go to the closest A&E department. Alternatively, contact Childline (0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk), Samaritans (116 123 or www.samaritans.org/) or Shout 24/7 (text ‘FIFE’ to 85258).
What is CAMHS?
CAMHS is a service for children and young people up to 18 years who are experiencing persistent, complex or severe mental health difficulties.
If you have been referred to CAMHS, please have a look at Coming to CAMHS.
If you are a parent or carer and have concerns about your child's mental health, please contact your health visitor, school, GP or other professional involved with your family.
What does CAMHS do?
CAMHS is a multi-disciplinary service which includes Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Mental Health Nursing, Clinical Psychology, Child Psychotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Systemic Psychotherapy, Art Therapy and Social Work.
The CAMHS teams provide specialist assessment and a range of evidence-based, therapeutic interventions to individuals, groups, families/carers and wider support networks depending on the presenting need. CAMHS also provides consultation and supervision to professionals who support children and young people with mental health issues.
CAMHS offers specialist assessment and interventions for complex mental health difficulties that often overlap, these can include:
- acts of self-harm and/or thoughts of suicide
- eating disorders and disordered eating such as food restriction, self-induced vomiting, purging or significant reduction in body weight
- extreme distress or acute agitation
- increased, persistent anxiety
- persistent mood disturbance
- persistent, obsessive or repetitive behaviours that interfere with daily function
- unusual behaviour or confusion, “voices” or other abnormal experiences/disturbed thinking
A system of support
We work as part of a big system to help make sure you get the right support when you need it. This system is called Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC). This means everyone working together to support your mental health and wellbeing, including family, friends and professionals in health, social care, education and voluntary agencies. In Fife we call this Our Minds Matter.
There are lots of options for support and this can be very confusing! Our Minds Matter describes support at 3 levels, which are called Universal, Additional and Intensive. CAMHS sits at the top end of Intensive support. For more info see Our Minds Matter.
If we’re the right service for you, we aim to offer you the right care at the right time in line with expectations set out by the Scottish Government.
