Acorn Centre – Vale of Leven Hospital

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, known as CAMHS, are teams of professionals who support children and young people (up to 18 years old) experiencing ‘moderate to severe’ mental health difficulties. These are difficulties that significantly affect their daily life. These difficulties get in the way of going to school, doing their activities or socialising, or puts them at risk of harming themselves or others. Lots of children and young people referred to CAMHS have already tried other support.

CAMHS work in partnership with children, young people and their families or carers. CAMHS often work together with other services in the child or young person’s life such as their school. Most CAMHS support is provided in community settings. Although some CAMHS teams are based in hospitals. You can find out more about CAMHS services on the Children and Young People’s page in MyApp: My Mental Health which has been developed for young people in NHSGGC.

Neurodevelopmental Teams work together with both the Specialist Community Paediatric Teams and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Teams to assess for and diagnose neurodevelopmental differences like autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Nurses work in partnership with children, young people, and their families in various health and care settings. They support the physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people under their care. This involves assessing their needs, planning care, delivering treatment, and monitoring their health.

“Occupational therapy helps you live your best life at home, at work – and everywhere else. It’s about being able to do the things you want and have to do.” Royal College of Occupational Therapists, (2023).

Occupations are the activities that you need, want and have to do every day. Everything from getting washed and dressed in the morning, to going to school or work, to hobbies and leisure activities.

Occupational therapists work with any child or young person who is having difficulty doing their occupations. Occupational therapists support children and young people to recover and overcome barriers which are stopping them from doing what matters to them.

Community paediatricians are specialist doctors who provide out of hospital care for children and young people with long term disabilities with a focus on their participation and quality of life.

Children’s physiotherapy is the management and care of babies, children and young people from birth to 18 years or school leaving age (some young people may be directed to adult services as appropriate). Physios work together with children, young people, their families and others involved in their care. They support children and young people to reach their physical potential.

Specialist Community Paediatric (SCP) Teams work with babies, children and young people with a variety of disabilities and genetic conditions and those who are developing differently to what would be expected. They work in the community to support those who have ongoing needs but don’t need to be in hospital. They work to identify, assess, diagnosis, treat, support and monitor babies, children and young people.

Children and young people might be seen by one or more of these professionals together or separately depending on what they need. The SCP Teams work with the baby/child/young person, their family and the team around them (such as Education, Social Work, Third Sector professionals). How they work will change over time depending on what the baby, child or young person needs.