Social Care Workers in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) work as part of a specialist multidisciplinary team to provide an holistic approach to assist you or your child. Social Care Workers liaise with other services such as G.P.’s, Schools, Tusla, Jigsaw, Springboard etc. on behalf of you and your family to promote quality of care. Social Care Workers are also part of the rotational Team Coordinator Role. This role has the responsibility for the management of new referrals, referral queries, waiting lists etc.
Social Care Workers work collaboratively with team members carrying out Initial Assessments, Individual Sessions and Group Sessions. Current theoretical approaches include Parenting Support programmes, Home Support Visits and Hospital Visits in order to facilitate diagnosis, to identify needs, to put appropriate interventions in place and to provide supports that empower you or your child and the family in the promotion and maintenance of positive mental health and positive outcomes.
Social Care Workers aims to build relationships with you or your child in a flexible and needs-focused way that enables the delivery and maintenance of the agreed action plan while seeking solutions to your issues or family issues by negotiation and engagement. Social Care Workers tailor their approach in agreement with both the team and with you and your family while recognising and respecting the need for your involvement. The agreed treatment plan will implement models of best practice in dealing with current difficulties and will change according to need. The Social Care Worker will communicate openly and transparently with you and your family and all involved professionals throughout your journey through CAMHS.
Social Care Workers work within legal frameworks for example the Children’s First Guidelines (1999) and the Mental Health Act (2001) and undertake continuing professional development (CPD) as appropriate. In the future and with additional post graduate training, it is envisaged that Social Care Workers may offer a dual role within the CAMHS team via clinical care programmes or other therapeutic interventions such as play therapy, CBT etc.
