BC Educational Psychology Team, Bucks CAMHS

Buckinghamshire Council's Educational Psychology Team is part of the Integrated Special Educational Needs and  Disabilities (iSEND) Service. Educational Psychologists (EPs) work at individual, group, systemic and community levels to promote the personal, social and educational well-being of all children and young people aged between 0 and 25 years. Primarily this takes place through links with schools and other educational settings, with EPs typically adopting a 'consultation' approach to delivery of support - that is, EPs work alongside parents, teachers and other key adults to help understand and target support for learners. The EP Team also leads on projects that support children's well-bing, including running the Nurture Group and Emotional Literacy Support Assistant programmes for schools, and the Holding Hands programme for parents. In addition, EPs have a statutory role in the education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment process, providing jadvice to the local authority regarding the special educational needs of identified children and young people, and the provision required in order to best meet those needs.

Bucks CAMHS are specialist mental health services for children and young people provided by the NHS up to the age of 18 years. Katy Fitzgerald is the deputy operational lead for the Single Point Access Team and social worker by background.

The Single Point of Access if the 'front door' to CAMHS, where referrals are carefully triaged, assessment of risk and symptoms to ascertain mental health need, whether the  child may be presenting with an underlying neurological condition, providing specialist clinical consultation and  advice to parents/carers and professionals such as GP's, school nurses, school staff and social workers. The team also provide free training to professionals in education and primary care settings across Buckinghamshire on a range of subjects to help broaden knowledge in areas such as depression, self-harm, anxiety and attachment difficulties.