Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)

We are involved in several strands of work to support NHS Boards in improving the care they offer to the children, young people and families attending CAMH services in Scotland. 

This includes the commissioning, developing and delivery of a range of evidence-based resources from online training modules through to funding places on therapy training courses for existing staff. 

Ultimately our aim is to ensure those clients who attend CAMHS receive care which is effective, efficient, evidence based, person centred and will promote positive outcomes for children and families.  We plan to deliver this through a strategic approach to training which will promote an environment of continuous quality improvement based on personal development.

CAMHS learning co-ordinators (CLCs)

Over the last few years, NES has been building a network of CLCs across the NHS boards to support the development of training and supervision in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The network will help promote, co-ordinate and develop training and supervision for existing and new staff.

Although detail varies according to local circumstances their functions include:

Liaison with NES
Needs assessment
Co-ordination of training resources

To find out who your CLC for your Board is, please get in touch at psychology@nes.scot.nhs.uk.

Essential CAMHS

Essential CAMHS is the NES learning programme for all professionals new to working in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). The programme aims to support professionals in the transition to working collaboratively, safely and effectively with children, young people and their families.

Essential CAMHS is located on the TURAS Learn site and can be accessed by professionals who have registered for access to this site.

One year development plan (1YDP)

Building upon Essential CAMHS, the one year development plan (1YDP) uses a blending learning approach of e modules and skills workshops, to support the transition into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) of clinicians whose core professional training does not provide extensive CAMHS experience. Using the network of CAMHS learning co-ordinators work we recruit a cohort of learners twice a year.

Learners attend a half-day induction day, during which they meet their cohort, have an orientation to the programme, receive a session on self-care also introduced to the wider range of NES trainings available that might be relevant to their personal learning requirements. In addition to being supported by a local supervisor to complete both Essential CAMHS Foundation and Specialist Learning programmes with the associated learning portfolios, learners attend 9 days of workshops. These NES delivered workshops focus on skills development in the following areas:

Working with parents
Behavioural Activation for Adolescent Depression
CAMHS: Introduction to working with children and young people who have experienced trauma
Physical Health Monitoring in CAMHS
Introduction to Intellectual Disability Skills in CAMHs
Introduction to Positive Behaviour Support.

For further information, please contact you local CAMHS Learning Co-ordinator.

Cognitive behavioural informed interventions

NES specialist supervision training (CBT) CAMHS

In line with the Roth and Pilling (2008) Supervision Competences, it is recognised that in order to deliver supervision in some modalities, including CBT, additional knowledge and skills are required. These blended, NES-run courses are advertised via local board Psychological Therapy Training Coordinators, or PTTCs (for the adult based courses) and CAMHS Learning Coordinators, or CLCs (for the CAMHS courses).

Access the training programme on Turas Learn.

NES CAMHS cognitive behavioural therapy

NES offers funded training places for CAMHS clinicians in:

Certificate level training in CBT for children and young People: Year-long certificate training in CBT through University of Edinburgh, training clinicians to deliver low-intensity CBT for anxiety and depression under clinical supervision.
Diploma level training in CBT for children and young People: Clinicians have the opportunity to develop their practice beyond certificate level training in CBT for children and young people to enable them to provide high-intensity CBT interventions to children and young people who may present with a range of difficulties.
Trauma focused CBT: A skills focused training offered to experienced CAMHS clinicians with a minimum of Diploma Level CBT qualification with supervised practice. Find more information in the NES CAMHS Trauma training section below.
CBT for Eating Disorders (CBT-ED) : A skills focused training offered to experienced CAMHS clinicians with a minimum of Diploma Level CBT qualification with previous experience of delivering CBT in supervised practice to a variety of different client groups typically seen within CAMHS.

If you are interested in any of the programmes above or would like to discuss the possibility of any future NES funded opportunities, please get in touch at psychology@nes.scot.nhs.uk

Through a network of trainers within CAMHS services NES supports the training of CAMHS clinicians in the following interventions.

Brief Behavioural Activation for Adolescent Depression: Find out more about Brief BA on Turas Learn Brief BA
Let’s Introduce Anxiety Management (LIAM): Find out more about LIAM on Turas Learn LIAM

If you are interested in the above training, please contact your CAMHS learning co-ordinator in the first instance.

Training in these interventions are also available to the early intervention workforce through TIPS-EIC

NES CAMHS trauma training

We contribute to the range of training that offered by NES psychology for people to develop their skills in relation to working with children and young people who have experienced trauma. The range of current trainings are described here, Children and Young People NES Trauma Resources [PDF]

For CAMHS clinicians we offer

CAMHS: Introduction to working with children and young people who have experienced trauma:  This 2-day training offering introduction to trauma, its developmental impact and presentations, how it can be integrated into formulations and how services can be trauma informed. The training will introduce opportunities for further consideration of skills necessary for psychoeducation about trauma and skills practice of safety and stabilisation strategies. This training covers similar knowledge and skills to the adult safety and stabilisation training. This training is available through the 1 year development plan or through a network of trainers within local CAMHS services.

Trauma focused CBT CAMHS: A skills focused training offered to experienced CAMHS clinicians within a minimum of Diploma level CBT qualification with supervised practice. The aim of this training is to develop the knowledge and skills to deliver Trauma Focussed CBT for children in young people attending CAMHS with trauma presentations.Training opportunities will be communicated within health boards by the CAMHS learning co-ordinators.

CAMHS long training courses

Certificate and diploma level training in CBT for children and young people

See section above on Cognitive behavioural informed interventions.

Family therapy training

NES support Family Therapy training for CAMHS clinicians across Scotland. The following training opportunities are available:

Foundation level training
Intermediate level training
Masters level training

Find more information on the family therapy training network website. Any enquiries about this training should be directed to your CAMHS learning coordinator.

NES Interpersonal psychotherapy supervised practice

More information on this course can be found on the University of Edinburgh website.

Family based treatment (FBT) supervision for eating disorders

The FBT training pathway consists of 3 levels with each level being completed prior to moving to the next.

Introductory level: 1.5 days face to face group training delivered by The Training Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders (train2treat4ed).
Certified practitioner level: 25 hours of Family Based Treatment 1:1 supervision from an FBT supervisor who is a train2treat4ed registered faculty member or Scottish FBT supervisor who is an adjunct train2treat4ed faculty member.
Supervisor level training: 25 hours of Family Based Treatment 1:1 supervision from an FBT supervisor who is a train2treat4ed registered faculty member.

Further information is available by contacting your CAMHS learning coordinator.

CAMHS competence framework

The CAMHS competence framework is an online tool to help clinicians with self reflection, supervision, training, research and clinical governance activities. It draws on research outlined in NICE, SIGN and 'the MATRIX'.

The CAMHS Competence Framework

Contact us

NES is a national health board that provides training and education to health and social care staff in Scotland, including CAMHS. We do not work directly with children, young people and families, and are unable to give advice.

Helpful information about local services and supports is available at NHS Inform, Parent Club Scotland, or on your local health board’s website.

If there are general concerns about a child or young person’s mental health and wellbeing, we recommend that families contact their child’s named person at school, as they have a key role in supporting children and young people and linking in with and signposting to other services that can help. Families can also seek can help and advice from their GP.

If you have an urgent concern around your child's mental health, then please contact your child's GP and if out-of-hours, please contact NHS 24.

psychology@nes.scot.nhs.uk

Last updated: 17/04/2023