Child and Adolescent Mental Health services is a growing specialty both in terms of interest from Psychiatric trainees and in terms of demand from the general public. A Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist is trained to treat mental health conditions in young people. The conditions that we treat range from neurodevelopmental disorders to affective, psychotic and personality disorders. In CAMHS a psychiatrist is trained to identify and diagnose those disorders in their infancy and working closely within a multidisciplinary team help alleviate distress and treat, making a positive change in the prognosis of their patient.
In CAMHS you are never alone. You work very closely with a multidisciplinary team and have the opportunities to learn from many other healthcare professionals including Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Clinical Nurse Specialists. This is not an exhaustive list.
You have a great opportunity to develop your communication skills to suit different age groups and communication styles within a range of different cultures, given the multicultural nature of the West Midlands.
As a Child Psychiatrist you learn to interact with Professionals of different disciplines and can make a difference in the Education Plans for your patients and also help to identify the appropriate level of support a young person needs to thrive at home, school and society in general.