Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services: national service specification

6. We Fully Involve Children, Young People And Their Families And Carers

The Children and Young People's Mental Health Programme has been built on and informed by significant involvement of children, young people and their families: in particular, but not limited to, the Rejected Referrals Report, The Youth Commission on Mental Health and the Children and Young People's Mental Health Taskforce. CAMHS will work in partnership with children, young people and their families in all aspects of service design and delivery.

6.1 Provide clear ways and simple to use means for children, young people and/or families/carers to provide regular feedback or to complain. This feedback should be used to improve the support offered.

6.2 Ensure independent advocacy and support services to the whole system are well signposted and children, young people and/or families/carers are supported to access the help available.

6.3 Seek feedback from children, young people and/or families/carers, and other professionals involved with the child or young person with agreement, each time they are supported and are involved in reviewing progress, goals and outcomes.

6.4 Involve children, young people and/or families/carers in all decisions/plans that affect them. This includes the design, planning, delivery and review of services.

6.5 Develop leaflets, websites, social media and other communications aimed at children, young people and/or families/carers in partnership with them.