CAMHS information – for 11-18 year olds
Information to help you understand how Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS, or SCAMHS in Wales) can support young people. You can also find information on what happens when you leave CAMHS or move to adult services.
How we can help
Some young people experiencing poor mental health, or difficult feelings or experiences, might need to get support from CAMHS. It's important to understand:
- What support CAMHS might be able to offer
- How the people who work at CAMHS might support you
- What to do if you're not getting the treatment and support you need
- What happens when you leave CAMHS, including if you're referred to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) or another organisation
Our pages on CAMHS cover all sorts of information, plus advice from young people we spoke to.
Healing mentally won't happen straight away, it's a process. However, CAMHS do try and support you as much as they can throughout this journey.
These pages can help if you're looking to get help from CAMHS, or waiting for their treatment and support:
Understanding CAMHS
Detailed information on what CAMHS are, what support they offer and how you can get help from them.
Appointments at CAMHS
A guide that explains appointments at CAMHS and how long you might have to wait for one.
Who works at CAMHS?
A guide that explains the roles of staff who work at CAMHS and how these people might support you.
Problems I might face at CAMHS
A guide that explains what fair treatment should look like at CAMHS and what to do if you have any problems.
When will I leave CAMHS?
A guide that explains different reasons why you might leave CAMHS and what you can expect.
Leaving CAMHS to move to AMHS
A guide that explains the process of leaving CAMHS and moving to AMHS to get support.
Problems with moving to AMHS
A guide that explains things that could go wrong when you're expecting to move from CAMHS to AMHS.
Tips for managing leaving CAMHS
Offers tips to help young people who are in the process of leaving CAMHS for any reason.
I know for some people CAMHS has really helped them, but I also know that there are a lot of people who need help.
If you need more help...
For more information
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
These are services that support young people with their mental health.
You might see them called different names sometimes, but they offer the same type of services for young people:
- In Wales, they're called Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (SCAMHS)
- In England or Wales, you might also hear them called Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS)
Find out more in our CAMHS information hub.
Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS)
These are NHS services that support adults with mental health problems.
Visit our full treatment and support glossary