It is usually best not to make decisions about risk on your own, but rather in consultation with a senior colleague, or with a CAMHS worker (see below). In order to make a judgement about the level of risk, it is important to take time to talk to the child/adolescent and to enquire about their intentions.
- If there is a risk of serious self-harm or suicide, treat as a medical emergency i.e. emergency GP or A&E. CAMHS will become involved thereafter.
- If you feel there is evidence of depressive symptoms e.g. sleep disturbance, loss of appetite or sense of hopelessness.
How to contact CAMHS:
If it's non-urgent:
Contact Derby City and South Derbyshire CAMHS single point of access (SPOA). This online referral form is for professionals to contact the SPOA team to request support for children and young people with emotional and behavioural problems in the Derby City and South Derbyshire area only.
Alternatively, call the main CAMHS service on 0300 7900 264
If it's urgent:
Contact CAMHS RISE (Rapid Intervention Support and Empowerment) on 0300 123 3124. If the young person is already known to CAMHS it would be best to talk things through with the relevant worker at the locality team.
The team is working to ensure that children and young people who are in urgent need of care due to self-harming or suicidal thoughts get the support they require.The CAMHS RISE team will speak with the GP and the young person and provide specialist advice. Where the team recommends that a young person goes to the children’s emergency department at Royal Derby Hospital, the team (based at the hospital) will make every effort to meet with that young person, maximising the continuity of care. Where a visit to hospital is not required, but a more detailed mental health assessment is needed, the team will arrange that with the GP and the young person. The end result should be that young people get the care and support that meets their needs – and there should be fewer young people being admitted unnecessarily to hospital.
That reflects the key aims of the ‘joined up care in the south of Derbyshire’ programme – meeting the demand for quick access to complex care and for care close to home.
Please call the team on 0300 123 3124. The team is available from 8am to 11pm every day. It is important to note though that though the team members are around at these times, they cannot guarantee to answer the phone immediately because of other pressures and expectations as part of their role.
Help lines might be more useful- ChildLine, Samaritans, Hopeline, NHShelpline (111) or the NSPCC.For children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide