Whole Family Team with Perinatal Specialism (CAMHS for under 5s)

We support families in Camden who are likely to fall through the gaps in other services. We offer a non-judgemental and supportive approach. We understand that many of the families referred to us can find it hard to access help and build relationships with professionals because of their life experiences. We think carefully about how to develop relationships with the families that we see and we are set up to work in a flexible and responsive way to facilitate this. 

The team

Our multidisciplinary team includes expertise from: Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Systemic Family Therapy, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Psychiatry and Social work. 

Where the service is available? 

Typically we offer appointments in Children’s Centres or in other local authority or NHS locations. We offer a flexible service and will visit families in their home if they have difficulties in attending appointments out of the home.

Who do we support?

• Babies/young children and their carers who have had difficult or traumatic experiences
• Parents/carers who struggle with the transition to parenthood
• Parents/carers who experience antenatal or postnatal low mood, stress or anxiety, or experienced trauma where this is having an impact on their parenting or relationship with their child.
• Parents/Carers who are experiencing difficulty mentalising for their child
• Parents/carers who are in conflict and experience relationship difficulties
• Parent/carers who are concerned about aspects of their child’s behaviour or emotions
• Young Parents
• Parents who experienced difficulties during pregnancy or birth

What do we do?

We work in collaboration with families and professionals to assess the therapeutic needs and develop an intervention and support package that is individualised and based on the best evidence for change. On some occasions, we might decide that our team isn’t the right fit, we will help you reach the right service by making an onward referral. 

We offer highly specialised assessments of therapeutic needs and different types of appropriate and evidenced interventions: 

• Attachment informed interventions
• Interventions to promote parental sensitivity to the young child
• Video Feedback – VIPP & VIG
• Parent-infant psychotherapy
• Family therapy /Couples work
• Complex individualised parenting work
• Mentalisation based work
• Emotional regulation work
• Trauma-focused therapy 
• Incredible Years programme (Group & Individual)
• Together Time (a parent-infant group based on Watch Wait Wonder)
• Individual therapy for parents

What do we offer to professionals?

Psychological therapist embedded in each Children’s Centre hub

Monthly case review for all Family Support and Health Visiting staff to reflect on practice and  formulate cases

Individual consultations with children’s centre staff to discuss specific cases

Network coordination and support in managing complex networks

Bespoke training packages on aspects of parenting, parent-infant relationships, trauma, attachment & mental health

How to access the service

A family can be referred through any professional supporting them. We work in collaboration with other services such as Midwives, Health Visitors, Family Workers, Social Workers, Speech and Language Therapists, Adult Mental Health Workers. We also accept referrals from CAMHS colleagues from other teams. 

What families that have used our service think:

 “The help and support has helped me to become a more confident mum. I’ve developed a better understanding of my son” Service user, April 2018

“Very professional, caring. I would highly recommend. I feel more confident and my child is more expressive. We feel more healthy and happy” Service user, June 2018

“The service I receive is very good and helpful.” Service user, January 2019