Your first appointment

At your first appointment with CAMHS, staff will want to get to know you, find out more about what life’s been like for you, and what might be making you feel the way you do. This will help you work out the best way to work together.

Our staff will often ask to speak to you on your own, to hear your concerns and views, as part of the assessment and work. If you want to speak on your own you can ask for this to happen at any stage.

You can talk to CAMHS staff about who you want to come to appointments with you; some young people bring a friend.

We can offer you choice about who you see for your appointments. If you are uncomfortable with the person you meet because of how they are with you, or you would prefer a man or a woman, please do tell the CAMHS staff or ask the receptionist to help you with this.

You are the expert on what it means to be you. You should be completely involved all the way through the care process