Collingham Child and Family Centre

The unit offers a five-day (Monday-Friday) service and is able to offer both residential and day placements. The age range is 5-13 years.

The team aims to provide broad-based assessment and focused treatment for pre-adolescent children who have severe and/or complex mental health problems.

A child's age is not an absolute barrier to considering admission and children over the age of 13 may therefore be developmentally appropriate. Conversely, some 12-year-olds may be better served within adolescent units.

The unit is staffed by psychiatrists, registered mental health nurses and childworkers, teachers, family therapists, clinical psychologists, social workers, an occupational therapist, speech therapist, unit administrator and unit manager.

Education is provided on-site by skilled teachers from the Chelsea Children's Hospital School.

Referral to Collingham Gardens can only be made by a child and family mental health outpatient team with the involvement and/or knowledge of the local child psychiatrist. It is important for the team to know that the child has received an appropriate out-patient mental health assessment.

The first 6-8 weeks of an admission is predominantly an extended assessment phase, and the next two months the treatment phase. Children may be admitted for assessment or combined assessment and treatment. Most children stay for about 16-18 weeks.

Each family has a regular weekly family meeting. Work is done in partnership with the family to reach identified goals for change.

PALS Link Worker:
Paul Byrne  Tel: 020 8846 6644
Karen Purcell  Tel: 020 8846 6644

Visiting Hours*:

*Due to the nature of the service only immediate family are allowed to visit. Other visitors need to be agreed with the Nurse in Charge in advance. Usual practice is for children to have visits on Wednesdays with telephone calls on the other evenings.