(CAMHS) and Schools - London Health Programmes

‘You get completely different insights - see things in a different way. For example I
was trying to get child to behave well before allowing him to move to another class.
The CPN tactfully pointed out that the relationship with the teacher had broken down
so badly that he should be moved. They have a trouble shooting role and gives a lot
of help and advice and alternative plans.’ (head teacher)
These findings were re-iterated in the evaluations. For example both in Southwark and
Portsmouth, having linkages between tier one staff (including schools) and CAMHS,
Tier one staff felt more confident about mental health issues (see Chapter 4).
6.2 Impact on children
This section draws on the evaluation materials available from the case studies,
comments on the questionnaires and interviews from the case studies. Unfortunately
,not all evaluations were complete and outcome data is not available for all areas. All
interviewees were asked about the impact of the work and were prompted for impact
on peer relationships, behaviour, academic achievement, school ethos, attendance and
exclusion. Some described the impact by giving examples of individual children.
6.2.1 General impact on children
Many interviewees described the positive impact that the work had on the children in
general – their happiness.
‘We and the schools have witnessed great changes in young people using the group
facility. The groups give young people a sense of identity, support and a place of
safety. The young people value their group, and many have developed new skills in
terms of communication, developed greater insight into others and formed healthy
attachments to adults.’ (questionnaire)
‘Other children know they are getting special treatment and know that they aren't
being left high and dry. You see children smiling - desperately unhappy children
smiling and you can’t measure that. Children who are violent, trying to do something
about it and using strategies.’. (Head teacher)
6.2.2 Children’s behaviour
The majority of those who were asked said that they saw positive impact on children’s
behaviour and their peer relationships. Evaluations of Scallywags showed
improvements in children’s behaviour and parental stress on standardised measures,
as had the clinical work in Southwark. In the latter, the improvements were seen to be
sustained over a one year period.
‘The project meets them, counsels them and gives strategies to change their thinking
and what to do if they are upset. Sort of thing we do all the time at school but this has
a cognitive feel to it. It hasn't stopped the behaviour, but children now understand
why they do it. They don't fly off the handle when challenged by someone.(…) I find
that now children are more willing to talk. One child had got worse since the project.’
(head teacher)