Care Experienced Health & Wellbeing Service – Dumfries & Galloway Health & Social Care

Care Experienced Health & Wellbeing Team

Who are we?

We are a multi disciplinary health and wellbeing service for children and young people up to 18 years old who are care experienced and living in Dumfries and Galloway.

The child or young person may be care experienced at home, in kinship care, in residential care or adopted.

Our Team

Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Consultant Psychiatrist
Nurse Co-ordinator
3 Mental Health Workers
Care Experienced Nurse
Support Mental Health Worker
Assistant Psychologist

What do we do?

Training on mental health and wellbeing issues that are relevant to looked after young people and those who support them.
Consultation Service for professionals working with looked after young people.
Indirect work, advice and guidance to parents and carers about ways of working with and supporting children and young people.
Direct work including appropriate therapeutic interventions with the child or young person and or families/carers.

Who Can Refer?

Referrals will be considered from:

How to Refer?

We accept referrals by letter, email or Request For Assistance Form.

Information to be included in a referral;

What the current concerns are and the impact on the child?
What services are currently involved with the child/family and what work they are undertaking?
What assistance is being requested?

Have a look at our walk through building tour of The Willows, Children, Young People and Family Centre.

Contact Us

Click for Bus Times Table

Stagecoach - No5 Dumfries Burns Statue to the Crichton

Other information that would be helpful:

An overview of the current living situation
Significant life events that may have occurred
A brief family history or any other background information that is available.
Our service would encourage referrers to contact us for a discussion of their concerns about a young person prior to making a referral.
We can only accept a referral if consent has been gained by whomever holds parental rights for the young person.
Referrals for out-of-region young people must always be made by their social worker

Referral Criteria:

1. The child is Care Experienced and Accommodated, and/or in kinship care or adopted.

2. The young person is between the ages of 0 – 18.

3. The young person is resident in Dumfries and Galloway.

4. The young person is displaying significant emotional and/or behavioural difficulties related to care experienced and accommodated, including neuro-developmental difficulties.

Referral's to the Specialist Care Experienced team are
not likely to be appropriate when:

1. The young person’s presenting difficulties are not related to their care experienced status.

2. The primary concerns are school based e.g. difficulties are only present in the school environment.

3. The concerns are only related to substance or alcohol misuse, in which case referrals should be directed to ISSU18.

4. An emergency psychiatric assessment is required because of suspected psychosis, suicidal intent or a life threatening eating disorder, in which case referrals should be made urgently to Dumfries and Galloway CAMHS on (01387) 244662.