Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services: national service specification

1. High Quality Care And Support That Is Right For Me

These are the CAMHS 'experience of service' standards to be delivered for children, young people and their families:

1.1 Publish information in a clear, accessible format about what and who CAMHS is for, and how children, young people and their carers can access CAMHS.

1.2 Offer a first appointment to all children and young people who meet the CAMHS Scotland referral criteria. This first appointment, unless in unscheduled or urgent care, should be as soon as possible and no later than 4 weeks.

1.3 Provide support and personalised, meaningful signposting to the child/young person and their family/carers, with informed consent, to access other services within the children and young people's service network, in cases where families' needs are best met elsewhere.

1.4 Conduct a full initial assessment, based on the information from the referrer, and the Child's Plan where completed and available, which includes a comprehensive psychosocial assessment.

1.5 Assure that the member of staff undertaking the initial assessment is appropriately trained and experienced to undertake assessments, to identify strengths and difficulties including identification of mental health disorders, supported by formulation or diagnosis where appropriate.

1.6 Provide interventions and treatments, where required and agreed with children, young people and families/carers, as soon as possible, and no later than 18 weeks from first referral, with the median experienced wait for treatment being no longer than 12 weeks.