CAMHS Network

Over the past decade, there has been an increasing need for mental health services to support children and young people (CYP). The pandemic resulted in a greater number of CYP presenting with mental health disorders, often in crisis and with complex needs requiring acute or intensive care within paediatric medical, CAMHS inpatient or inappropriately placed in adult services.

A range of recent research studies and government-commissioned reports have laid out the nature and extent of the challenges facing children and young people and families, and organisations and staff trying to provide care for them.

What is needed now is a generation of practice-based evidence and innovation to respond to these pressing challenges.

NAPICU, as part of an ambitious plan to improve the national evidence base and drive forward the quality of CAMHS inpatient and acute care provision, is bringing together the CAMHS community, to enhance understanding of the challenges, share and learn from the many examples of excellence in everyday practice, and develop creative child-centered solutions, rooted in clinical practice.

In a timely response, this hugely relevant event will feature a series of informative and insightful plenary presentations, showcase examples of best practices, and provide the setting for professional networking and interprofessional discussion, to progress the national discussion about how best to improve the experiences of children and young people experiencing acute mental health. It is envisaged that this first day will be the first in a series of events, developing a national community of practice forum to respond to the challenges facing children and young people who are experiencing acute and complex mental health needs.