Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services - CAMHS

St Andrew’s Healthcare provides low and medium secure Tier 4 CAMHS inpatient services, with the objective of enabling young people to live well and to their full potential in the least restrictive environment possible.

Sycamore focuses on the core therapeutic aims of assessing, diagnosing and treating and reducing the symptoms of their mental health condition, particularly any risk behaviours.

In addition to this it importantly addresses the young person’s ongoing personal development in terms of their ability to:

• take responsibility for their emotions, thoughts and behaviours to the level which they can act safely towards themselves and others
• increase their level of personal autonomy, so they can increasingly make responsible  and well considered decisions with decreasing levels of external support and intervention
• increasingly be able to live independently in the world, being able to structure their day and attend to their own daily living needs

Sycamore: Boys, Mental Health Low Secure Ward

Delivered by a full time, on-site MDT, patients will benefit from our therapy programmes, specially adapted for the needs of vulnerable young boys.

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) which provides a framework in which therapeutic staff and the young people work collaboratively to understand and manage the relationship between thoughts, emotions and behaviour
• Behaviour therapy, including moral reasoning work, aggression management strategies, drug and alcohol education/relapse prevention work and adapted fire-setting work
• Vocational therapy including work experience programmes through Workbridge
• Self-care groups to promote cleanliness and confidence.
• Theraplay®-based interventions for enhancing attachment, self-esteem, trust in others and joyful engagement.
• Pets as Therapy (PAT)
• Education
• Sensory integration.

Next steps

Discharge is considered at admission and our clinical and social work teams work with appropriate case managers to support a transition.