The Nottinghamshire County Child & Adult Mental Health Services (CAMHS) 2011 to 2013 strategy[PDF 358KB]
is available to read or download.
Why this matters
Positive emotional health and well being in infants, children and young people is essential to enable them to do well in later life. Emotionally resilient children and young people are more able to deal with difficulties in their lives and cope with uncertainty. They are likely to do better at school, to have good relationships with family and friends. They are less likely to take unnecessary risks or behave in an anti-social way.
Research shows that relationships, particularly with family, are most important for children and young people’s well being, alongside a sense of freedom, choice and autonomy for young people. Life events also impact on emotional health.
Ensuring positive emotional health very early in life can improve health outcomes, life expectancy, educational and economic outcomes and reduce crime and violence. Untreated mental health problems create enormous distress for children, young people, their families and carers. The negative impact continues into later life, affecting future generations.
We know that children, young people and families who experience disadvantage are more likely to have emotional health needs. Vulnerable children or young people include::
- those in local authority care
- those involved in or at risk of offending
- those with learning and or physical disabilities
- those who are from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, including Roma and Traveller children
- those who live with vulnerable adults.
When children young people and families have mental health needs, we know that they want mental health services that are accessible, provide support when needed and involve them as service users.
What we will do
Under arrangements associated with the 2011 Health and Social Care Bill, there are a number of commissioning arrangements for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). These include preventative and targeted emotional wellbeing services commissioned by the local authority public health function, specialist CAMHS commissioned by clinical commissioning groups and highly specialist CAMHS commissioned by the East Midlands Regional Commissioning Group.
The Children’s Trust has established a joint commissioning group focusing on emotional health and wellbeing, known as the Nottinghamshire County CAMHS Joint Commissioning Group.
This group brings together key partners at a strategic level to plan, agree and monitor the strategic commissioning priorities for CAMHS (including emotional health and wellbeing) across Nottinghamshire. It supports the continued provision of a comprehensive, flexible and responsive CAMHS, building on previous partnership working.
The CAMHS Joint Commissioning Group ensures that:
- there is a range of early intervention services in universal and targeted services for children experiencing mental health problems
- there is a full range of CAMH services for children and young people with learning disabilities
- 16-17 year olds who require mental health services have access to services/accommodation appropriate for their age and level of maturity
- there is 24 hour cover available to meet urgent mental health needs of children and young people and for a specialist mental health assessment to be undertaken within 24 hours or the next working day when indicated.
The CAMHS Joint Commissioning Group reports to the Children’s Trust, which in turn reports to the Health and Wellbeing Board.
When we will do this
The Nottinghamshire CAMHS Joint Commissioning Group was established in April 2011. Its CAMHS Strategy 2011-13 sets out local priorities for CAMHS.
How this will improve the lives of children, young people and families
Joint planning and commissioning will result in services that are: based on an understanding of needs, are evidence-based, and reflect value for money. This will enhance local outcomes for children, young people and their families. The group will identify specific commissioning activities, service development opportunities and associated quality or performance measures.
