Decision Report 201902230

Summary

C complained about the treatment that they and their child (A) received from the board. Over the course of nine months, C and A attended a number of appointments with the board's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in respect of difficulties A was experiencing. C complained about the content and nature of these sessions. In their view, the board failed to progress a neurodevelopmental assessment of A within a reasonable timescale, which C considered was one of the key reasons for the referral. C also felt inappropriate assertions were made about them and their parenting skills. In C's view, they were unreasonably picked on during sessions with CAMHS. As a result of this, C's view is that CAMHS failed A and did not provide them with reasonable care and treatment.

C also complained about a child concern referral that was made by the CAMHS service. C considered this to be inappropriate and that it was done in response to them raising concerns about the actions of CAMHS.

We took independent advice from two advisers: a mental health nursing specialist and a clinical psychologist, both with a background in CAMHS. We found that the care and treatment provided by CAMHS was reasonable in the circumstances. Given the content of the referrals from A's GP and social worker, CAMHS embarked on an appropriate course of treatment and therapy. While we recognised that this did not result in a positive outcome for C or A, we did not consider the board's actions to be unreasonable. Therefore, we did not uphold C's complaints about the care and treatment provided by CAMHS.