Mental and Emotional Health

Mental health and emotional well-being issues remain significant to many children and young people in Newcastle with consistent referrals into Children and Adult Mental Health Service. Social workers, working with clinical colleagues, are achieving a response to all referred service users within the 13 week required timescale.

Which groups of children are at high risk of developing mental health problems?

Children who are living in poverty
Children who exhibit behavioural difficulties
Children who are experiencing parental separation and divorce
Children within families experiencing bereavement

How many children are estimated to be expected to have a mental health disorder?

The assessment of need carried out by Newcastle Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) partnership estimates that 6,070 children and young people aged 0-18 are expected to have mental health disorders. However, this is based on the prevalence mental ill health identified nationally extrapolated to the local population and it is suggested that this is likely to be an underestimate of true needs given the high prevalence of risk factors for mental ill health in Newcastle.

What have we done to improve mental and emotional well-being?

We have implemented a CAMHS strategy 2008/11 to improve mental and emotional well-being.

What does the new CAMHS strategy include?

Services for children with ADHD as the top priority, followed by services to support young people into independence. Children and young people were actively involved in Programme Budget Marginal Analysis (PBMA) exercise that established these priorities
CAMHS engagement in the Aspire Service to more effectively meet the needs of looked after children, and a social work team leader for CAMHS to refocus the Social Care Service.
An action plan to prevent inappropriate admissions to adult wards for young people with mental health issues
JSN Assessment for children and young people for Mental Health Services

What will we do next?

We will implement Targeted Mental Health in Schools Project (TAMHS) into 3 secondary school clusters: All Saints, Walbottle and Walker Technology college (a total of up to 21 schools) to improve the mental health of the children, young people and families involved in the project with a main focus on children within Reception to year 4.

We will also improve access to CAMHS services for BME groups.

Key documents

CAMHS Strategy 2008/11
Children and young people with high care needs presentation (pdf, 89.4kb)
High care needs assessment form (Pdf version) or (Word version)

Related information

Child Adolescent Mental Health Strategy (CAMHS)

Children's Be Healthy Partnership

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) - shared online information resource for everyone who commissions, provides or uses health, social and children's services in the city.

Newcastle Bridges - hospital school (external link)

Family services directory (external link)

Educational Psychology Service (pdf, 40.1kb)

Targeted Mental Health in Schools Project