These Guidelines are intended for professionals who are considering making a referral to our community services. When making decisions about possible referrals, you are welcome to telephone team members for advice.

LPFT Child and Family Services are integrated multi-professional community services, currently consisting of Child Psychiatry, Specialist Social Work, Specialist Nursing and Child Psychological Therapies. Some areas also have input from specialist education staff. The service aims to work with colleagues from other services where appropriate e.g. Community paediatricians, Educational Psychologists

Service Thresholds & Referral Guidelines are kept under review to adapt to changes in wider children’s services.

Who can make a referral?

Referrals can be made by

• Doctors
• Social Workers
• Specialist Youth Offending Service Nurses
• Educational Psychologists
• Child & Family Primary Mental Health Workers

Referrers other than GP’s should copy their referral letter to the child/young person’s GP.

Primary care services should be in place and appropriately active before referrals are made.

What sorts of help does the service offer?

The service offers assessment, diagnosis, management and treatment of children and young people where there are concerns about their mental health &/or psychological well-being, to do with:

• Emotional health
• Development
• Physical health &/or disability (including learning disabilities & difficulties)
• Behaviour *
• The apparent onset of mental ill health

*It is expected that behaviour management advice has been provided by primary care or other services prior to referral.  LPFT Child & Family Services provide behaviour management advice ONLY as part of intervention with mental and emotional health difficulties.

Please refer to Appendix 1 for guidance on relevance and complexity to assist you in decision making.

Other community services offered include:-

• A specialist service is provided for children who are ‘looked after’ by the local authority, both to the children/young people & their carers
• Primary mental health workers are available is most areas to provide advice, consultation, support, liaison and training to professionals working at  primary care level
• A limited specialist service is available to provide forensic risk assessment
• Specialist nursing input to Youth Offending Services