
A checklist for parents with children with mental health
problems
Working in
partnership with psychiatrists and members of the Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
This leaflet is aimed at parents or carers of
a child with mental health problems and suggests questions they
might ask at appointments to get information about their child’s
condition.
Professionals may also find this checklist a
helpful guide.
It suggests ways of improving communication
and partnerships when a child has first been referred, identified
or diagnosed with a problem.
Children can have a variety of different
emotional and behavioural problems. Some of these will be
short-lived while others will be disorders that will need
treatment. Going to see a psychiatrist or other mental health
professional about a child’s difficulties can be a very daunting
experience for many parents.
The CAMHS team is there to work in partnership
with parents and young people, to help sort out the difficulties
that are brought to them. Professionals understand that parents can
feel that nobody appreciates what it is like to have a child with
problems and may worry that they will be blamed. They are also
aware that it is not easy to ask for help. Sometimes taking a
relative or friend along can be helpful in providing support or
explaining the problem clearly.
For parents/carers
As a parent, you will be asked a lot of
questions by the professional who sees you, in order to gather
information (carry out an assessment) to help determine the nature
of the problem (make a diagnosis), and decide what should happen
next (treatment).
Some of the questions you may want to ask are
listed below. However, the checklist is not exhaustive and you
would have your own questions specific to your child or
situation. Please also refer to other sources of information
below which you may find helpful.
About the problem
Not every child will have a formal diagnosis.
Children may have had short-lived behavioural problems which
do not have an underlying diagnosis and can be resolved with help
and support.
|
What sort of problem does my child
have? |
 |
Is it mainly
behavioural?
|

|
Is it mainly emotional? |
 |
Is it a mixture of both?
|
 |
Is it a mental
illness?
|

|
Is it a problem of learning and/or development? |

|
Is it a problem with relationships? |
Assessment
Getting more information to help sort out a
problem is important. You should be told how this information will
be gathered.
 |
How will you (the
professional) find out if there is an illness or diagnosis?
|

|
What information is needed? |
 |
What information do you need from
me?
|
 |
Will the school need to be
contacted?
|

|
How long will it take to find out what is
wrong? |

|
What tests are needed? |
If a diagnosis has been
made
At this stage, parents will have many questions.
Make sure that you are given time to obtain the information you
need.
 |
Are any further
tests/ specialist assessments needed?
|

|
How will my child be affected? |
 |
Will he/she grow out of their
problems?
|
 |
Where can I get more
information about what is wrong with my child?
|

|
Are there any groups for parents whose children
have this problem? |

|
Is help available for brothers and sisters or
other family members? |
How might I be involved in my child’s
care and treatment?
Parents are very important in helping to sort
out their child’s difficulties, whatever they are.
 |
How can I manage my
child’s behaviour better?
|

|
What sort of help and support can I expect? |
 |
Will I be expected to join a
parents’ group?
|
 |
Are there other parents I
can share my experiences with?
|
The role of the school
Children spend a great deal of time at school.
It is important for CAMHS to have a good communication with
schools, and to keep parents informed.
 |
Does the school need to
know about my child’s problem?
|

|
What if we don’t want the school to know we have asked for
help? |
 |
How can school help my child?
|
 |
Who do I need to talk to
in school to get help?
|

|
Will we all need to meet together? |

|
If the problem gets better, will my child do better at
school? |
|
How might social services help?
|
 |
What services are provided by social
services for children with mental health
difficulties?
|

|
Can I receive any help or support in taking care
of my child? |
 |
In what circumstances should I
contact social services?
|
 |
How can social services
help if:
- My child is aggressive or hurting others?
- My child is getting into trouble with the
law?
- My child is abusing substances?
|
|
Involvement of other professionals
|
 |
Are there are professionals who
may be able to help?
|
|
Getting help
|

|
If I need help, how can I contact you? |
 |
Who else can I contact?
|
 |
Whom do I contact in an
emergency?
|
Medication
Some children may need medication, along with
other treatments, although many do not.
 |
Will medication help?
|

|
What would medication do? |
 |
Is it safe for children?
|
 |
How does it work?
|

|
Has this medication been used with other children? |

|
What
are the side-effects? |

|
Does my
child have to agree to take it? |

|
Would my child need any tests like blood tests before or while
taking medication |

|
How
long will my child have to take medication for? |
Hospital admission
Very few children will need to go into hospital.
However, for a very small number an admission to hospital might be
necessary.
 |
Why does my child
need to go to hospital?
|

|
How will they help? |
 |
How long would he/she have to
stay?
|
 |
What will it be like for
my child?
|

|
What will be the age of the other children
there? |

|
Can I
stay with my child? |

|
How often can I visit? |
|
Confidentiality
|

|
Will you share the information that I give you with
other professionals? |
 |
Can I speak to you in person without
my partner or child?
|
 |
If my child talks to a
professional in team, will they tell me what he/she said?
|

|
If
not, how will I be kept informed? |
|
If, I am not satisfied with my child's treatment
and care who can I speak to:
|
 |
To make comment?
|

|
To get a second opinion?
|

|
To make a complaint?
|

|
To get
support? |
Sources of information
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has produced
a factsheet on ‘Who’s who in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Services (CAMHS?)’ which can be downloaded from www.rcpsych.ac.uk/info
C
arers' Trust
Carers Trust is a charity which was
formed by the merger of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and
Crossroads Care in April 2012. Carers Trust works to improve
support, services and recognition for anyone living with the
challenges of caring, unpaid, for a family member or friend who is
ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.
With our Network Partners, we aim to ensure that information,
advice and practical support are available to all carers across the
UK.
Contact a Family is
a UK charity for families with disabled children. We offer
information on specific conditions and rare disorders. Free
helpline: 0808 808 3555; email: helpline@cafamily.org.uk;
Young Minds Parents
Helpline for any adult concerned about the emotions
and behaviour of a child or young person. They offer information
and professional advice, via telephone and email - contact
0808 802 5544 or parents@youngminds.org.uk.
With grateful thanks to Dr Margaret Bamforth
and members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Child and Family
Public Engagement Editorial Board. We are also grateful to Contact
a Family and their members who commented on this checklist.
This leaflet was produced as part of the
Partners in Care campaign, a joint initiative between the Royal
College of Psychiatrists and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers.
One of the aims of the Partners in Care campaign was to show that
if all
those involved in the care of people with mental health problems or
learning disabilities can work together, a trusting partnership can
be developed between carers, patients and professionals which will
be of benefit to all.
© May 2015.
Royal College of Psychiatrists.
This leaflet may be downloaded, printed out, photocopied and
distributed free of charge as long as the Royal College of
Psychiatrists is properly credited and no profit is gained from its
use. Permission to reproduce it in any other way must be obtained
from
permissions@rcpsych.ac.uk.
The College does not allow reposting of its leaflets on other
sites, but allows them to be linked to directly.

For a catalogue of public education
materials or copies of our leaflets contact:
Leaflets Department, The
Royal College of Psychiatrists, 21 Prescot Street, London
E1 8BB. Telephone: 020 3701 2552.
Charity registration number (England and Wales) 228636 and in
Scotland SC038369