Local CAMHS Teams

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is an NHS service that helps children and young people under the age of 18 years. In some areas this service is referred to as CYPS.

CAMHS Teams offer support for children or young people struggling with moderate to severe emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties.

These difficulties may include:

• eating disorders
• low mood or depression
• feelings of worry or anxiety
• hearing voices or seeing things
• self-harm and/or suicidal thoughts
• experience of trauma or abuse
• emotional and behavioural difficulties

BATHNES CAMHS

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CAMHS

There are five locality CAMHS teams based across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. You will see the team that is affiliated to your GP surgery.  For children under five years of age, please visit  Primary Infant Mental Health Specialists (PIMHS) page for further advice.

Gloucestershire CAMHS

Wiltshire CAMHS

Further Mental Health Support

Kooth: https://www.kooth.com/

Samaritans: Call 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/

Childline: Call free on 0800 1111 https://www.childline.org.uk/

Shout: 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if struggling to cope and need immediate help. Text 85258. https://giveusashout.org/

Only available in mainland UK

Mental health for people aged over 18 yrs

If you are still receiving support from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) you will need to transition to adult mental health care. Mind have set out some guidance on how this works.

You can also get support from Health in Mind.

Online support and counselling (available universally)
Youth Wellbeing Directory
Lists local services where you can find support for young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Webpage: https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/youth-wellbeing/

The Mix:  https://www.sane.org.uk/who-we-are 

Tellmi (formally MeeToo) Age Range: 11+  https://www.tellmi.help/ 

Calm Mindfulness and meditation for older adolescents and young adults  https://www.calm.com/

Parents’ Wellbeing

Parenting children always comes with highs and lows, but parenting traumatised children can be particularly emotionally draining and bring its own added challenges for parents. Trauma and neglect have a profound impact on the development of a child’s brain, which can manifest into feelings of anxiety, dysregulated behaviour and difficulties developing attachments to their caregivers. This can be exhausting for parents, who may experience added stress, feelings of rejection, or secondary trauma from their children, making it difficult to experience the joys of parenting.

Breaking The Cycle

When caring for a child, it is important to remember to take some time out to care for yourself. Taking time to relax, have fun and reconnect with yourself and others will give you the chance to express your emotions in a safe way and to process your feelings and reactions to reduce the feelings of shame and rejection. It’s important for adoptive parents to have a support network of their own.

Tips on reducing stress include:

• Reconnect and socialise with friends and family.
• Join a support group with other adopters and foster carers from providers such as the National Association of Therapeutic Parents
• Regular exercise to help burn up stress hormones
• Take some time to be reflective with yoga or meditation
• Consider linking up with one of Peer Support Groups to meet others and feel understood and supported.