The forensic child and adolescent mental health service (FCAMHS) at
Ardenleigh incorporates two services:
Inpatient service
The forensic CAMHS at Ardenleigh is a nationally commissioned, 20
bedded, mixed gender unit for young people up to the age of 19. We
provide assessment, treatment and care for young people who are
experiencing complex mental health difficulties and pose a significant
risk to others either through direct physical violence, sexually harmful
behaviour, fire setting and who may also present a risk to themselves.
The forensic CAMHS service at Ardenleigh undertakes comprehensive
assessment and treatment of all young people in our care.
Comprehensive assessment includes opinion on diagnostic, psychological
and risk formulation. Assessments include detailed analysis of physical
and mental health needs, social care needs, educational and vocational
needs and needs with respect to family functioning and peer relationships.
Therapeutic approaches and interventions are needs driven and
implemented by the multidisciplinary team, in order to meet the holistic
needs of young people. These interventions are informed by best
evidence in the field and at times can be highly individualistic in nature due
to the complexity of needs within our varied case mix of young people. .
All the young people in the unit, are detained under either part 2 or part
3 of the Mental Health Act 1983, and are therefore managed utilising the
care programme approach framework.
The service offers a wide range of therapeutic interventions at both
an individual and group level, using a variety of treatment models and
approaches.
Treatments and interventions offered, are based on the needs of our client
group. This means we need to be flexible and adaptable in our approach
as our case mix changes. It is also part of our philosophy that we derive
strengths from the multidisciplinary approach, with many of our
interventions being delivered by a number of disciplines, so that we can
bring a number of skills together in providing these interventions, so as to
maximise positive outcomes for our young people.
Pharmacological approaches to treatment are also key components of
some young peoples care. Physical health needs are fully assessed,
monitored and managed throughout a young persons care pathway.
We also provide interventions for families including assessment, liaison,
consultation and specific family work using a variety of approaches.
Work with carers includes carer support groups, open days, forums and
individual meetings with carers.
The team
The team at Ardenleigh are comprised of:
The young person’s multidisciplinary team co-ordinate, the assessment,
treatment and care of individual young people.
Education
The James Brindley Centre for Learning provides the educational input to
the unit including the following:
-
Comprehensive educational programme matched to individual young
persons needs
-
Additional curriculum work
-
Collaboratively running groups with MDT members
-
Ongoing liaison and consultation with external educational
stakeholders.
First Step Trust (FST)
The aim of the FST department is to provide additional non-therapeutic
interventions.. These sessions help the young people focus on things that
are going to help them external to the unit and help them focus on life in
a “normal working environment”. The department also offers extended
sessions which helps to build stamina and provide young people with skills
and qualifications that will assist them with transition in the community.
These include the following:
-
Practical design sessions
-
Business administration qualification
-
Health and safety qualifications
-
Painting and graphic design
-
Car valeting
-
FST shop
-
CV building
-
Personal development plans
Facilities
Birmingham has a wealth of amenities and enjoys good road and rail
links with most of the county due to its central location. Within Ardenleigh
we have a range of facilities to support our treatment plans and enhance
recovery and positive outcomes for young people. These include:
-
A multi gym
-
Indoor swimming pool
-
Patients library
-
Astro turf
-
Hairdressers
-
Shop (with is run by the young people)
-
Multi-faith and chaplaincy service
-
Primary care suite
-
Occupational therapy workshop
-
Horticultural area
-
Graphic design studio
-
Orchard
-
Full range of educational facilities
-
Common room with access to pool table
-
Cinema screen
-
Integrated music system
-
Music room
-
Family therapy room
-
Visiting room
-
On-site family accommodation.
Within our ten bedded Units or Houses; notably Armstrong and Johnson
House we have the following:
-
En-suite bedrooms with integrated storage
-
Main communal lounges with three smaller lounges to each house
allowing separate lounges for males and females and those requiring
extra care
-
Games room
-
Cinema pod
-
Dining room
-
Clinic area
-
Choice of outside spaces within the secure perimeter
-
Laundry room
Ardenleigh referrals
Referrals need to meet the admission criteria as outlined below and need
to be supported by a consultant psychiatrist. Once a referral has been
received this will be discussed at the national referral meeting and if
deemed appropriate it will be allocated for assessment. The referrers will
be kept informed at each stage of the process. If following assessment
the young person is deemed suitable for admission, appropriate
arrangements will be made for this. There will be an expectation that the
relevant local services will remain involved throughout the young persons
care and participate in the care programme approach process.
Young people are typically referred from the Youth Justice Estate including
Youth Offending Teams (YOT), Young Offenders Institutions (YOI),
Secure Training Centres (STC), Local Authorities Secure Children’s
Homes (LASCH), adult units including Adult Psychiatric Intensive Care
Unit (PICU), open or low secure adolescent units, independent inpatient
environments and tier three CAMHS.
Admission criteria
The referral letter can be from any psychiatrist, for example, the NHS
responsible psychiatrist, a prison psychiatrist or other relevant psychiatrist.
The young person will only be considered for clinical assessment by the
Forensic CAMHS, if they meet all of the following criteria:
The young person is under 18 years of age at the time of referral
AND
the young person could be detained under either Part 2 or Part 3 of the
Mental Health Act 1983 (excluding the categories of mental impairment/
severe mental impairment only)
AND / EITHER
The young person presents a risk to others of one or more of the following:
-
Direct violence liable to result in injury to people
-
Sexually aggressive behaviour
-
Destructive and potentially life threatening use of fire
OR
The young person is in custodial care and presents a serious risk of
suicide and/or severe self harm
AND
The referrer can give evidence that serious consideration, and testing
where appropriate, of alternatives has already been tried prior to referral,
indicating that the case has exceeded the ability of available mental health
services to meet the need.
* It is not necessary that the referred young person should be facing
criminal charges for these risk behaviours, but it is necessary that
there should be reliable accounts available of such behaviour.
Referred young people who meet the above criteria will be assessed as to
the likelihood that their needs can be met by the Forensic CAMHS network
If after the assessment a decision has been made to admit the young
person to Ardenleigh, the National Commissioning Group will fund the
admission and subsequent inpatient episode. Responsibility for funding
NHS or independent secondary care for the young person will return to the
responsible funding authority when the young person is discharged from
Ardenleigh to another setting.
Referrals should be made in writing to one of the following two
consultants:
-
Dr Hilary Grant
-
Dr Ian Russell
Telephone: 0121 678 4602 / 4622
Fax: 0121 678 4609
Enquiries can be made to one of our administrative team on 0121 678
4602/ 4622
Referral checklist
Referrers should ensure that they include the following information to
ensure timely response to their referral:
-
Full referral letter from relevant consultant psychiatrist
-
Relevant supporting documentation including information from
education, social care, heath and youth justice as appropriate
-
Completed referral form
