National Assembly for Wales

Children, Young People and Education Committee

CAM 21

Inquiry into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Evidence from : Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Community Health Council

Thank you for offering the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Community Health Council the opportunity of commenting on the above consultation.  Below are the points that were arrived at following our deliberations.

On a local level we have concerns about the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in Cardiff and the Vale which at present are provided by AMBU Health Board.  There needs to be improved collaboration and coordination between CAMHS and children’s services across the area.  The absence of co-location means that opportunities for a joint approach are missed.

The use of children’s wards at University Hospital of Wales for the assessment of disturbed children, alongside seriously ill children, is unsuitable for both groups.

Health and Social Services need to work closer together on the “assessment of risk” combining both the clinical assessment and the social assessment.  The lack of a joint approach puts some very vulnerable children at serious risk.  This lack of an overall and joint approach leads to the most vulnerable being passed around the system, including between different areas and services as a cost shunting exercise.

As an example, in the past, we have been aware of children going through education in specialised hospital units because neither the host nor placing Authority would take responsibility.  Arguably education is a means through which the most disadvantaged children can be tackled.  There needs to be a clearly resourced approach to responding to the needs of a very small group of children with the highest needs.

Your letter also enquires about certain areas the Committee is interested in regarding CAMHS provision, but there is no reference to the Services available to young people who are in youth offending institutions/prison in Wales or Welsh Nationals currently serving their sentence in England, especially women.

Mr Robert Woodward

Mrs Jill Shelton

CHC Members