Kingston and Richmond Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) - single point of access (SPA)

We screen referral for children / young people under the age of 18 who either:

• live in Kingston or a have Kingston GP
• or live in Richmond or a have Richmond GP.

Our opening hours

Monday – Friday: 09:00 - 17.00

Email: CAMHSSPAADMIN@Swlstg.nhs.uk – for referral queries only

• Service Manager: Peter Maasdorp
• Professional Lead / Clinical Psychologist: Dr. Rachel Mahoney
• Consultant Psychiatrist: Dr. Alex Doig
• Clinical Psychologist: Dr. Tania Al-Atassi
• Clinical Psychologist: Dr. Helen Albon
• Clinical Psychologist: Dr. Joana Pinhel
• Clinical Nurse Specialist: Isobel Britton
• Assistant Psychologists: Flora Buer and Bhavisha Jaiprakash
• We have a trainee clinical psychologist and a Psychology undergraduate placement student on rotation with us.
• We also have locum clinicians working with our service
• Lead Administrator: Ruth Bolton
• Administrator: Jen Strong
• Administrator: Kirsten Wyeth
• Administrator: Terri Eastop

The CAMHS SPA team screen all referrals to ensure that the child/young person is directed to the most appropriate service, including completing telephone screenings with the family and/or relevant professionals, or Face-to-Face assessments as deemed appropriate.   We cannot offer assessments for all referrals, so request that referrers please complete all referral questions on the form, including demographics and risk details.

The referral may be accepted to one of the South West London & St George’s Mental Health Trust Tier 3 CAMHS services, or for the Emotional Health Service (Tier 2 CAMHS Services) within Achieving for Children. We also accept referrals on behalf of local youth counselling services and may signpost young people and their families to other local support services and resources.

CAMHS SPA can be contacted for queries 9am-5pm Monday to Friday on: 020 8547 6171.

Please note that we do not accept telephone referrals. Formal referrals must be made using the online referral form as detailed below.

 CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (s)) is the umbrella name for a range of services that assess and / or treat young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.  There are a variety of services within Kingston & Richmond providing “CAMHS” support, and our CAMHS SPA receives and triages new referrals for young people to consider which service would be the most appropriate to support them with their current difficulties. 

Our CAMHS SPA also receives and triages referrals looking at possible Autistic Spectrum Disorder / Condition (ASD / ASC) and / or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  For these referrals we do request as much information as possible within the original referral; including examples of concerns from different settings (for example home, school, clubs, other social activities) and examples / evidence that concerns have been present over a prolonged period of time.  There are a variety of possible explanations for any behaviour, therefore it is important to make sure it is appropriate to initiate neurodevelopmental screening.  Further information about the neurodevelopmental screening pathway through our CAMHS SPA and specific ASD / ADHD resources can be found here.  If a referral is accepted for neurodevelopmental screening then screening forms will be posted out to the family, included will be forms for both the family and school to complete (included with this pack of forms will be a developmental history questionnaire and a school report form).    

To make a new referral: 

• GP’s are advised to make any CAMHS referrals via the Electronic Referral System (eRS).  This route will be the only way for GP Practices to send in referrals. 

• All other professional referrers or parent/family can refer directly to our CAMHS SPA by downloading this referral form and emailing it into our Kingston & Richmond CAMHS SPA Referrals inbox: krcamhsreferrals@swlstg.nhs.uk 

• We welcome 16 / 17 year old young people who wish to make a self-referral to complete this self-referral form and email it to us on the above email. 

• If you are concerned that a child / young person may have an eating disorder, it is recommended to make a direct referral to the SWLSTG CAMHS Eating Disorder Service:

https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/our-services/find-a-service/service/children-and-young-person-s-community-eating-disorders-service-cyp-ceds

Please note:

• Any referral forms with missing information may not be progressed, and a request made for any missing information to be provided. 

• If a young person is already open to a CAMH service, we would encourage families to contact that service directly with any concerns they may have as our CAMHS SPA has no influence over treatment / appointment waiting lists, or with influencing changes to an existing treatment plan. 

If you would like to make an enquiry prior to making a referral you can call the CAMHS SPA on 020 8547 6171, 9am – 5pm on weekdays.  

Should you have concerns about a young person’s safety then please do refer to our template Safety Plan Letter which can be used by families and young people, alongside this Advice and Resources Handout.  

Useful links

• Mental Health Crisis Line 24/7 – 0800 028 8000

Please contact the South West London & St Georges Mental Health Trust 24 hours mental Health Support Line.  Anyone can use this line even if you open to a CAMHS service. The crisis line is supported by trained mental health advisors 24/7, 365 days a year. 

CAMHS SPA Resources – please click to download:

CAMHS SPA - Crisis and Safety advice for CAMHS referrers

CAMHS SPA - Resources and Crisis advice

• Please see Richmond and Kingston Local Offer and the Emotional Health Service resource hub websites below for further information of Mental health support available locally:

https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/young-people/information-and-advice/emotional-health-service/resource-hub/introduction-to-the-emotional-health-service-resource-hub

• SEND support through Achieving for Children

https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/local_offer

• https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/local-offer/information-and-advice/assessment-and-education-health-and-care-planning/golden-binder-needs-assessment-education-health-and-care-plans-ehcp-processes-guidance-forms-and-templates

Other services you may wish to refer to:

• CAMHS Eating Disorder Service – they can accept direct referrals where an eating disorder is suspected

https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/our-services/find-a-service/service/children-and-young-person-s-community-eating-disorders-service-cyp-ceds

• Community Paediatrics - for neurodevelopmental queries for children under the age of 5

Kingston: https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/local-offer/information-and-advice/health-services/health-services-kingston/community-paediatric-service-kingston

Richmond: https://www.hrch.nhs.uk/our-services/services-directory/hounslow-and-richmond/community-paediatrics/

• Occupational Therapy - for queries about motor skills or possible Dyspraxia. 

Kingston: https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/local-offer/information-and-advice/health-services/health-services-kingston/community-paediatric-occupational-therapy/community-paediatric-occupational-therapy

Richmond: https://www.hrch.nhs.uk/services/search-services/occupational-therapy-children-richmond

• Speech & Language Therapy:

Kingston: https://yourhealthcare.org/services/childrens-speech-and-language-therapy/

Richmond: https://www.hrch.nhs.uk/services/search-services/speech-and-language-therapy-children-richmond

• Educational Psychology - for queries about learning, progress in school or possible Dyslexia.  Parents should speak with their schools SENCo about their concerns, the SENCo can then seek a consultation with their allocated EP. 

• Education Inclusion Support Service (EISS) through Achieving for Children - https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/local-offer/information-and-advice/education/education-services/education-inclusion-support-service-eiss

• Social Care SPA - for safeguarding referrals or referrals for Early Help. 

https://www.richmond.gov.uk/services/children_and_family_care/single_point_of_access/single_point_of_access_for_professionals/make_a_referral_to_spa

• Parenting services - You can find more information on the Kingston and Richmond Achieving for Children (AfC) parenting page which has links to information, other agencies and online parenting courses:

https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/community-information/information-and-advice/parenting-support/parent-carer-training-courses

Or families can contact Karen Williams, Parenting Officer in Kingston & Richmond, for more information about available courses and what might be the most suitable parenting provision for them. 

Telephone:      0208 547 6965       

Email:              Karen.williams@achievingforchildren.org.uk

• Mental Health Support Team (MHST) in schools - https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/local-offer/information-and-advice/health-services/emotional-health-service/mental-health-support-teams-mhst

• Counselling services:

• Kooth is a free, anonymous counselling and wellbeing platform for young people - www.Kooth.com (Kingston & Richmond)
• Relate “Real Talk” - www.relate.org.uk (Richmond only)
• Off the Record - www.otrtwickenham.com (Richmond only)

• Richmond and Kingston School Health Service

The School Health Service provides confidential advice and support to young people attending a school or being home schooled in Richmond or Kingston, to help promote physical and mental wellbeing.  Contact them on:

Richmond:       0208 917 4220 or CLCHT.richmondschoolnursing@nhs.net

Kingston:         0208 549 6323 or KU19@yourhealthcare.org

CAMHS SPA - Crisis and Safety advice for CAMHS referrers

CAMHS SPA - Resources and Crisis advice