Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

CAMHS is an NHS service which includes a team of mental health professionals who specialise in helping children, teenagers and families to cope with mental health difficulties.

How to access the service?

The CAMHS site in Moray sits in the Rowan Centre in Elgin. For an appointment in CAMHS, you need to be referred by a professional. This can be your GP, social worker, educational psychologist or a named person (head teacher, guidance teacher). Talk to them if you feel like you are struggling. They should be able to direct you to the appropriate support service.

Professionals can find guidance on making a referral to CAMHS here.

What to expect from your first CAMHS appointment?

If you are referred you will receive information about your first appointment. When you arrive at your appointment you can let the receptionist know and sit in the waiting room. Your mental health professional will come meet you and invite you for your appointment. Your first appointment is a confidential, screening appointment. This means your clinician will listen to you, ask some questions to help them understand and decide with you the best way forward. This might mean coming to CAMHS for more appointments or directing you to other services that can help. You and your clinician will be working collaboratively in finding helpful ways to cope with your difficulties.

What if I need urgent help?

If you are struggling and feel like you need urgent care, talk to a trusted adult, contact your GP, NHS 24 (999) or Emergency Services (see Urgent Help page).

To find out more about CAMHS click on the links below:

• NHS Grampian CAMHS page
• Young Minds guide to CAMHS for young people
• Anna Freud guide to mental health services for children and young people
• CAMHS self-help resources for children and families:

Private Counsellors

For fee paying private counsellors and psychological therapists within Moray visit: