skip to main content
Text size:

Health

Health

This section contains information on a range of health-related topics including where and how to find GPs and dentists, prescriptions, childrens mental health, adult mental health, pregnancy, patient transport, support for families with long-term conditions or disabilities, free sanitary products and much more. 

Coram Creative Therapies for Children and Young People

Coram run both music and art therapy for young people from Camden, which takes place from the Coram site at Brunswick Square. 

Music Therapy is aimed at helping children to express their emotions non-verbally and to help them build trust through creating an open and safe space with their therapist. Children and young people referred to music therapy do not need to have any musical skills or experience

Art Therapy can help identify new strategies for managing feelings, thoughts and behaviours at home and at school. They can build resilience in the child and encourage and support the child, their parents and teachers through the process of making positive changes. Children and young people referred to an art therapist do not need to have previous experience or skills in art.

Ordinarily, referral for music or art therapy should come from the young persons class teacher or SENCO, but Coram are currently able to accept referrals from us (at 10 June 2021). 

Here is the Coram Creative Therapies leaflet

and here is the creative therapies referral form

If you'd like some advice about creative therapies before referring, please call 020 7520 0311 or email [email protected] 

 

 

Open Minded (Camden CAMHS)

CAMHS in Camden is run by the Tavistock and supports children up to 18 with a range of difficulties including:

  • Anxiety Problems
  • Fears and phobias
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Difficulties adjusting to new situations
  • Low mood, particularly depression, self-harm and suicidal feelings
  • Mood swings
  • Aggressive behaviour
  • Hyperactivity
  • Eating Problems
  • Severe mental health problems including psychosis

There is a Camden North team and a Camden South team. Both accept self-referrals, and referrals from GPs and other professionals. 

Call 020 8938 224 to find out more or see this link Camden child and young person mental health service (Open Minded) (tavistockandportman.nhs.uk)

 

CAMHS Whole Family Team

Also run by the Tavistock, the Whole Family Team is a specialist CAMHS service working with families facing complex difficulties, who may already have been working with several professionals and may struggle to access community services. They provide specialist interventions for families where there are issues related to complex trauma and attachment. The ervice is comprised of two teams:

Referrals for the Whole Family Team should come from Camden Local Authority staff such as Social Workers and Education professionals, and GP’s. They also accept referrals from CAMHS clinicians.

You can find a leaflet for families about the service here PUB19_050_WFS_ServiceUsersLeaflet-FINAL.pdf (trustsrv-io-tavistock-tenant-mediabucket-jxlat5oi107p.s3.amazonaws.com)

and for more information about the Whole Family Teams, click here Whole Family Service (tavistockandportman.nhs.uk)

 

Camden Adolescent Intensive Service (CAIS)

CAIS is also run by the Tavistock and offers intensive support to young people aged 11-18 in mental health crisis to keep them safe and out of hospital. They accept referrals from mental health professionals in the Open Minded service. More information about CAIS is here Camden adolescent intensive support service (CAISS) (tavistockandportman.nhs.uk)

 

CAMHS Waiting List Parent Support Group

Brandon Centre, in partnership with Mind in London, are delivering a pilot group parent support programme to support parents/carers of adolescents aged 11-16 who are on the treatment waiting list for CAMHS services.

 This 8- week online group will be run by qualified mental health professionals and parent support workers. The programme will aim to provide broad strategies for supporting young people’s mental health as well as supporting parents’ resilience. Part of this programme will be educational while the other parts will be practical strategies and facilitated peer support from other parents facing similar challenges. There is also an offer for signposting into additional local services to address psycho-social factors that may be having an impact on the family.

For more information about the programme or referrals please email  email: [email protected] There is a leaflet here and the referral form is here 

 

The Hive

The Hive is based in Finchley Road, and offers a free drop-in health and wellbeing service to support young people aged 16-24 who are connected to Camden.  You can drop in at any time during our opening hours to participate (10am - 7pm). More information here The Hive | Catch22 (catch-22.org.uk)

 

Kooth

Kooth offers free, safe and anonymous online wellbeing and mental health support for young people in Camden aged 11 to 18. You can sign up now for confidential support through a text-based conversation with a qualified counsellor.

You can also join regular online forums and discussion boards with other young people, read articles written by young people and contribute your own article or short story.

Kooth also has fun and easy-to-use tools to enable you to track your moods - what makes you feel relaxed, happy, stressed or upset - and set personal goals.
 
Counsellors are available from 12noon to 10pm on week days and from 6pm to 10pm at weekends, every day of the year on a drop-in basis. Young people can access regular booked online counselling sessions as needed.

Outside counselling hours, young people can message the Kooth team and get support by the next day.

More information here Home - Kooth

 

Brandon Centre

Brandon Centre is a place for young people aged under 25 to get help with personal problems, offering free and confidential counselling and psychotherapy services. They currently accept referrals from those living within Camden or Islington. More information here Mental Health & Therapeutic Support | Brandon Centre (brandon-centre.org.uk)

 

NCL Eating Difficulties Service

The Eating Difficulties service is a specialist service that supports children, young people and families experiencing a range of eating difficulties and other presentations. The team also supports children, young people and families who are diagnosed with Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).

The team supports the emotional health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families. The team will assess and treat a wide range of emotional and behavioural problems including:

  • Food avoidance based on smell, taste, texture, sight or caused by other mental illnesses
  • Restrictive and compensatory behaviours
  • Body image concerns
  • Weight loss
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Weight and shape concerns

Please contact the Eating Difficulties and ARFID service on 0208 938 2463 and 0208 938 2276. More information here NCL Eating Difficulties Service | Waiting Room (nclwaitingroom.nhs.uk)

 

Kids Time (for children with parents or carers with a mental illness)

KidsTime Camden and Islington is a workshop for young people and their families where a parent or guardian has a mental illness. These take place at Vadnie Bish house. 

Young people can express themselves, without feeling exposed or judged. Often, this is the first time they’ve spoken about their parent’s difficulties, but there is no stigma or shame here. At the workshops, these children find strength, hope, encouragement and a friendly community where they can have fun. Together, families learn about mental illness through discussion, drama and games. 

More information here KidsTime Camden and Islington | Our Time

Last updated: 29 August 2023