Project details

Summary

What is the study about?

Increasing numbers of children are being referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), but a quarter are unsuccessful - many for simple reasons. Unsuccessful referrals are distressing for children and families. The current process also costs the NHS because of the clinical time taken reviewing children who do not need CAMHS’ help.

In our previous 'ENCAMHS 1' project, we spoke to many children and families. We explored the problems they and professional referrers faced and the solutions that might improve what happens now and reduce pressure on CAMHS. Families and professionals told us a digital tool could help make the referral process easier and clearer for everyone.

What are you trying to find out?

This research aims to develop a digital tool to improve the CAMHS referral process so that children and young people receive the help they need as quickly as possible. 

We aim to develop a simple, clear way for children to get the right support for their mental health problems when they need it. We aim to solve the problems people told us about and to improve the quality of referrals made to CAMHS. We hope this helps CAMHS and enables people to learn about non-CAMHS support. We shall talk to children, families, GPs, school staff, CAMHS staff and policymakers and build the new referral process with them. We shall be advised throughout by our Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG) and by our Parents and Professionals Advisory group (PPAG). The YPAG and PPAG from our ENCAMHS 1 project have told us they would like to work with us again on this project. We shall also recruit new members to these groups for this project.

We want this project to transform how children and young people get access to appropriate mental health support and in doing so reduce some of the pressures on CAMHS. We shall share our learnings widely with national NHS bodies. We shall make the digital tools we build widely available with the support of our key partner, MQ. We shall also publish the academic findings and share widely through social media and our mental health partner networks.

Who is it for?

You might be able to help this project if you are: 

• a young person (aged 16 or over) referring yourself to CAMHS;
• a parent, carer or individual with parental responsibility referring your child to CAMHS; or
• a professional who refers to CAMHS and therefore, are in a position to use the online tool. 

What does taking part involve?

You can find out more information about taking part in this study by reading the key documents at the top of this page.

We would like you to either use the digital tool to make a referral into your local CAMHS or use the digital tool to add extra information to a referral into CAMHS for a child or young person. 

Following this, you will be asked to take part in an optional one-to-one interview with one of the research team to discuss your experience of using the digital tool. The interview will be held over Microsoft Teams and will take place between 10am and 6pm.  

We would like to audio and video record the interview. This is so we can have a written record of the discussion, and the video recording will allow us to accurately identify who was speaking and when. All personally identifiable information will be removed during transcription, and the audio and video recordings will be permanently deleted following transcription.  

You will also be asked to complete an optional demographic questionnaire relating to age, gender, ethnicity and level of education achieved.

We anticipate that involvement and preparation for using the tool should take 20 minutes and we anticipate the follow-up interview should take 1 hour of your time. 

Why is it important? 

The information you give us will help us to develop new ways of helping children and young people. We hope the meetings with  our research team will provide an open and comfortable space in which you can feel free to share your thoughts, feelings, and opinions. 

How can I find out more?

You can find out more information about taking part in this study by reading the key documents at the top of this page.

You can also find out more about this project by visiting GM.Digital research unit's webpage here. If you have questions for the research team, click the button below to email us:

Email the research team