Transition from Child to Adult Services and Mental Health

Planning for transition. Find out if a young person and their family are eligible for services as an adult.

The Care Act says that if a child, young carer or an adult caring for a child is known as a 'child's carer'. When they, or the child they care for, turns 18 they must assess them if it would be a 'significant benefit' to them.

This is regardless of whether the child or individual currently receives any services. When either a child or a young carer approaches their 18th birthday, they may ask for an assessment. A parent or carer may also ask for an assessment as the child they are caring for approaches 18.

To find out more, read the NHS moving from children's to adult's services page [External Link]

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

CAMHS is the name for the NHS mental health services for young people. Their needs may be emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties. Sutton CAMHS is for children and young people up to the age of 18 across the borough. They must be registered with a Sutton GP.

CAMHS is not an emergency service. You would need to be referred to the service via the single point of referral by a:

• GP

• Other Healthcare Professional

• School

CAMHS Team members include:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists

• Social Workers

• Clinical Psychologists

• Community Psychiatrists

• Occupational Therapists

• Other Therapists

To find out more, Visit CAMHS' service profile.

For more about transition between services, read Sutton's Transition Protocol [External Link].

Online mental wellbeing support

Kooth

An online mental wellbeing community. It provides free access and safe, anonymous support. They have qualified counsellors, therapists and support workers. These provide guided and outcome-focused support to meet individual needs. You can access Kooth through any device. You can log on wherever you are and access professional counselling. They are open until 10pm, 365 days a year. To learn more, visit Kooth's directory page.

Off the Record.

A free support service for young people aged 11-25. They offer remote or face to face counselling services. They also have online workshops with information on what to do if you need advice now. To find out more, visit Off the Record's directory page.

Barnardo's

Barnardo's offer practical and emotional support. They help young people enter adulthood with confidence to achieve their full potential. For more information, visit the Barnardo's website [External Link].