Deaf Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

• ​Clinics and consultations
• Referral criteria
• How to refer a child or young person
• Important information for referrers
• Useful resources

Any professional working with a child, young person, or their family can make a referral. This includes schools, teachers of deaf children, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, GPs, paediatricians, and other parts of the National Deaf Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, and Children’s Services.

Clinics and consultations

We run clinics across the North of England as part of our outreach service. We also provide consultations to professionals, including those in mainstream and residential schools, generic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, and social care.

If you want to talk about a possible referral, please get in touch with National Deaf Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service – North.

Referral criteria

To be referred to the service, the child or young person must have:

• Evidence of a significant mental health condition or significant emotional and/or behavioural concerns
• A severe or profound hearing level or British Sign Language as his/her preferred language
• Where a hearing child has a parent/carer whose first or preferred language is British Sign Language, or has a severe or profound hearing level

How to refer a child or young person

You can contact the teams for a referral form by emailing the National Deaf Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service – North.

Important information for referrers

• The child or young person must be age 0-18. If the individual you are working with is aged 18-25 please visit 18-25 Deaf Mental Health Assessment Service.
• The child/family need to consent to the referral.
• When making a referral, please make sure you are available to discuss this referral, for at least 1 week after sending it to us.
• The referral form must be completed in full, include an audiogram and include as much detail as possible.
• Incomplete referrals will be returned.
• Referrals that don’t meet our criteria will be declined.
• Due to our large geographical area, we may require referrers to provide a room for us to carry out any appointments / assessments, or to signpost us to the availability of suitable locations.
• We are not an emergency service. If you feel an urgent response is needed, or have an emergency, please access your local Emergency Department or GP Service.

Useful resources

Top tips for health professionals

Made by deaf young people, this resource suggests ways to improve deaf awareness and communication skills amongst health professionals when working with deaf young people. Visit top tips for healthcare professionals.