Attending your appointment

How long will my assessment appointment take?

You will usually meet with the people from CAMHS for up to an hour and a half for your first appointment, and if you are allocated a Buddy he/she may be able to support you with this.

Some people find that they might not feel very keen to return to work or school immediately after talking about important or difficult issues, so it might be worth considering whether you want to take time out afterwards.

Who will I meet with?

You will usually meet with two people, one of whom will be a qualified member of the team. They will explain what their job or profession is. Sometimes we have people training or studying to become professionals working within the team.

What will actually happen during the assessment?

Mostly what will happen will be talking. We will ask some questions, and you will have the chance to ask us questions and say what you think is important.

Sometimes we check height, weight, blood pressure and pulse if there is a need to check your physical health but we do not give injections.

Will I get a chance to talk on my own?

Yes! We try to give children and young people as well as parents/carers a space to talk on their own with someone. However, you can choose to only talk together if this is what you would prefer.

What will happen afterwards?

By the end of the first appointment you will be told what is going to happen next.

You may be told you will be contacted about possible care or treatment.

Sometimes we need to see you again to find out more information. We will ask your permission to get or give information to someone else, such as your school or other people who may be involved in supporting you, if this is useful for your care.