The Southend, Essex and Thurrock Child and Adolescents Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS) is a free service providing both preventative resources and targeted, specialist emotional wellbeing and mental health support for young people aged between 0-18, living in Southend, Essex or Thurrock. The service is also available to anybody with Special Educational Needs (SEN) up to the age of 25.
The type of support offered by SET CAMHS will vary depending on the needs of the young person. The service offer a range of both individual and group talking therapies.
To access the service:
A child or young person can contact SET CAMHS directly
Any parent/guardian or professional such as a teacher, school nurse or GP can contact the service on the behalf of the young person
Online referrals
A new online referral form will launch on 2 December 2024.
This online form will replace the word document paper form, which will be fully phased out by 31 December 2024.
Single Point of Access (SPA) referrals will as usual be screened, triaged and reviewed by mental health practitioners. This online form is designed so that any person can request support and advice when concerned about mental health. The parent/young person must be aware of the completion of this form and consent to this.
When needed SPA mental health practitioners will contact the child/young person/family or carer to gather additional information which will then clarify next steps. Based on the available information and the SPA knowledge of support and resources available, a decision can be made to identify appropriate responses to meet individual need.
Practice Guidance and Care Pathway for Children and Young People who are admitted to Psychiatric In-patient Units in Essex - (UNDER REVIEW)
Neurodiversity is a term used to describe a variation in normal human evolution which means some people think different to others. Neurodiverse conditions include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, tourette syndrome and complex tic disorders. (definition from Oxfordhealth.nhs.uk)
Neurodiversity has been a key theme in recent CSPRs, with the following recommendations made:
All agencies working with children and young people should increase awareness of neurodiversity across their workforce and ensure that practitioners develop skills in:
Essex safeguarding partners should work together to develop an Essex autism strategy to ensure that where a young person has complex needs which cut across mental health, social care and disability services there is a coordinated response with access to services, roles and responsibilities being clearly defined.
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