Transition guidance for parents and carers

When it’s time for your young person to move on from CAMHS, it can feel uncertain for you as their parents/carers. You will also be aware of all the other changes they may be experiencing in their life as they approach 18 years of age. You may have concerns about your changing role in their healthcare.

What to expect

In the 6 months before your young person turns 18, their CAMHS worker will start to talk with them about preparing for this change. If your young person is more comfortable having you to support them in this discussion, the CAMHS worker will be happy to involve you as much as your young person would like. This will involve sharing what support options are available after CAMHS.

This could involve being referred to other mental health services within the NHS, such as Talking Therapies or Adult Recovery Teams (also known as community mental health teams).

Or, the next step could involve referral to voluntary organisations. Examples include Mind, ReThink, or Alabare.

It could also mean accessing college or university support options. Or you may receive support by going back into the care of your GP.

You will also receive information about how to access adult mental health services in a crisis and post-18.

Preparing for the change

After 18 years of age your young person will be moving to an adult approach to their healthcare. This means they are seen and treated as the one in charge. It really helps to prepare them for this by starting to practise or build on skills of independence.

Support them to develop their skills in how to book and cancel appointments online, over the phone, and in person. If it’s safe to do so, help them to work towards holding the responsibility over the management of their own medication. For example, ordering new or repeat prescriptions, and collecting medication from the pharmacy. Encourage them to take a lead in health appointments if they are not already.

Talk together about how ready they feel to make this change. Ask if they are willing to give consent for you to attend handover meetings with adult services. Talk about how this might work best for you all.

Moving into adult mental health services

If a referral to adult mental health services is considered for your young person, a transition referral form will be completed. Your young person’s CAMHS worker will lead on this process. They will include information from you and your young person.

They will also use their own understanding of needs to complete it. The referral form details why support is needed post-18. This form is then reviewed at a transition panel meeting. Local adult mental health and voluntary organisation team members attend this.

If the panel agrees that an adult mental health service is the right next step, an adult mental health worker will be allocated.  A joint meeting with your young person, their CAMHS worker, and their adult mental health worker will be arranged.

Together, they will start thinking some more about your young person’s goals and start the handover of care. As a parent or carer, you can attend this too if your young person would like you to.  After this, there may be further joint appointments, or their adult mental health worker may take over their care.

Alternatively, if your young person and you feel that support around their mental health is no longer needed, they can be discharged back to the care of their GP.

Whichever route is taken next, information and advice will be given to you and your young person after being discharged from CAMHS.