(CAMHS) and Schools - London Health Programmes

department who liaises with school staff over referrals. Another service provided
monthly discussion groups in a high school on mental health issues and monthly
meetings with the year heads.
Training – teachers, SENCOs, school nurses
46 of the CAMHS described training school staff. 4 This training ranged from INSET
days for teachers, conferences and running regular groups. For example a family
therapy interest group which was attended by teachers and health visitors, or regular
seminars through the year. Several of the CAMHS that were running specialist
groups or health promotion packages included a training element for the school staff.
Other training included presentations on the role of the CAMHS and training on
specific mental health problems such as autism, ADHD, aspergers syndrome,
deliberate self -harm and depression.
Support to school nurses
Support to school nurses was mentioned specifically by CAMHS (20) in addition to
support to other staff. This support ranged from case by case consultation to training
and direct supervision of their work.
3.3.2 Assessment and observation
Several of the CAMHS described conducted assessments (48) and observation (7) of
children in schools or early years settings. This was either in response to the school’s
concern who wanted to make a referral, or when a child has already been referred to
CAMHS and is assessed in a school or early years setting. This occurs more
frequently in early years and primary settings than in secondary school settings.
Several also mentioned contributing to SEN statements.
3.3.3 Working with parents
Just over half the respondents who were working with schools said that they worked
with parents, although it was not clear if this is necessarily within a school. The work
with parents was more common in early years settings and primary schools than in
secondary schools. Parent support included directly running groups for parents in the
school setting, and awareness raising on general mental health issues and about
specific conditions. Parenting classes were run directly by CAMHS staff, or by
education staff, with their support. This could be in the form of training Tier 1 staff in
parenting (two mentioned a Webster Stratton parenting programme specifically) or
offering ongoing supervision to staff running them. Some CAMHS mentioned
providing home/school programmes. Other CAMHS mentioned liaison meetings at
schools with parents and school staff about individual children. As with staff training,
some of the specific intervention programmes with children and young people
involved training for parents at the same time. Although work with parents in
secondary schools was less common, one CAMHS mentioned attending parent
evenings with an information stand, and running parent workshops.
4 these figures come from descriptions of the work the respondents gave in an open question, which
was then coded, rather than to a direct question (ie do you train staff – yes/ no, and thus may be an
underestimate.