Some of your questions answered...
What is a child psychiatry inpatient unit?
The majority of children with mental health problems, and their families, receive help and support in the local community from GPs, outpatient clinics, Social Services and Education. The input of these services is usually enough to make a difference. However, sometimes when a child’s problems have not shown improvement or are more serious, your local Child and Family Team may wish to consider, with your agreement, making a referral to an inpatient unit for more specialist help.
Collingham Child and Family Centre offer intensive assessment and treatment by a skilled multidisciplinary team on a Monday to Friday residential basis. Most children attend on a Monday to Friday basis but some children, whose families live within easy travelling distance, attend on a daily basis from 9am to 5pm. It is our aim that children should return to home and school as soon as possible along with whatever community-based support they may continue to need. Children stay, on average, for a period of sixteen weeks.
Our service is based in Marloes Road in Kensington, close to Earls Court and High Street Kensington underground stations.
How does admission happen?
When we are asked to consider a child for admission we will usually arrange a meeting with you at your local child and family clinic, together with the referrer and any other locally based professionals who have been working with you. We will hear everyone’s concerns and think carefully about whether Collingham Child and Family Centre may offer something that would be helpful.
If we can define a clear task for us and you want to find out more, we will invite you to the unit for a visit and further discussion about how we would work together. If we reach an agreement, the decision about admission will be yours to make. You may need some time to think this over. We understand that this is a big step to take.
What does Assessment and Treatment involve?
Our team is made up of a group of highly skilled professionals. We work hard together to understand your problems and discover ways to help your child and the family change and cope with things in a positive way. We design an individualised plan of care for each child and family, which is tailored to your specific needs. This Care Plan will form the basis of our work and may involve you being in contact with many different members of our team. Our team includes: Child Psychiatrists, Nurses, Teachers, Family Therapists, Social Workers, Clinical Psychologists, an Occupational Therapist and a Speech Therapist.
Our work is based upon an understanding of the individual child, their ability to manage as part of a group and of the family as the central platform for a child’s growth, experience and emotional development. Assessment and therapy is focussed in all three of these main areas and will be directed towards finding positive solutions to problems by building on existing strengths and developing new and effective skills.
Will my child feel homesick?
Most children settle in well after a day or two but if a child is feeling upset a member of staff will always be on hand with a reassuring word when it’s most needed.
How can I stay in contact with my child?
You can visit or phone your child after the school day is over at 3.30pm. A nurse will always be available to give you feedback and to answer any questions you may have. You can ring at any time during the day to talk to a member of staff about your child. If someone is not available to speak with you immediately we will return your call as soon as possible.
If you are planning a visit, please call us to let us know what time you will be arriving.
How will I be involved during my child’s stay?
A weekly family meeting will be arranged for you, at which time you will have the opportunity to talk about your worries and think about new and different ways of living with and managing your child’s problems.
A family support group takes place each Monday morning at 9.30am. Parents and carers are offered the opportunity to meet together in an informal setting to share thoughts and experiences about their children. Many carers have commented that it was extremely helpful to discover that they were not alone in struggling to live with very difficult problems.
Some parents worry that they might lose control about making decisions for their child, which is something we work hard to avoid. Our main goal at Collingham Child and Family Centre involves working In Partnership with you to achieve change and progress. You will be involved in the decision making process at every stage and important changes to your child’s care and treatment will not be made without first consulting with you.
Should you be unhappy about any aspect of our work, please let us know. Most differences can usually be resolved by talking through the issues. However, if you remain dissatisfied it is your right to make a formal complaint. Please see our Trust’s complaint procedure for further information about how to do this.
Will my child make progress?
It is our aim for every child to maximise their individual potential while they are with us at Collingham and that families should begin to feel they could manage again. The majority of children make good progress. This is especially true when we are able to work closely with one another and with the community based services that may continue to be involved when your child leaves the unit and returns to home and school. In an effort to achieve this we will continue to liaise with community services during your child’s stay. The community services and yourself will be involved in a review meeting about half way through the placement and again at a discharge meeting at the end. We will discuss what therapeutic work or support may need to continue to help you and your child to maintain the progress that has already been made.
Most parents’ worry about what it will be like for their child to return to school. Our teachers will plan a careful reintegration together with you and the school to make sure this transition happens as smoothly as possible. Your local child and family clinic and social services may also continue to support you following your child’s discharge.
What will my child need to bring to the unit?
Day patients should wear comfortable clothing including an outdoor coat and footwear. They will also need swimwear once a week. Inpatient children should bring sufficient clothing for five days including an outdoor coat and footwear plus swimwear. Toiletries should include flannel, towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste and a hairbrush or comb.
Personal items such as a cuddly toy and posters for their bedroom will also make a child feel more secure. £2 pocket money a week should be more than sufficient for your child to bring for little extras they may want to buy.
Items such as matches, lighters, tobacco, alcohol, aerosol sprays, radios and personal stereos, knives or other dangerous objects should not be brought onto the unit under any circumstances.
Please help us to maintain a safe environment.
…...and finally
Staff at Collingham is fully committed to providing a service based on equal opportunities for all our clients. Knowing and understanding your beliefs is very important to us. To achieve this we will need your help in being made aware of the things that are important to your family’s way of life We don’t pretend to always get things right but believe that working In Partnership gives us all the best opportunity to make positive changes together.
Please do not hesitate to ask us any other questions that you do not feel have been covered.