"Concerns about CAMHS and Child in Need Team in Manchester. Council"

I referred myself to Children's Services for support last year because I was concerned about my daughter's ability to access education because of her mental health needs and my complex health needs, and school wouldn't provide home tuition. Following an initial assessment by a lovely social worker we were then referred to the Child in Need Service where we happy to engage with services.

I also referred my daughter to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) for treatment for severe anxiety. She has a diagnosis of school phobia, & anxiety disorders. I asked for help from children's services because I have complex health needs. I was told no funding. I'm on home haemodialysis. I discovered that last year that confidential information was being shared by the RMN (Registered Mental Nurse) from CAMHS with my daughter's school, so I recently requested copies of my daughter's medical records. My renal team were not present at this meeting and I actually have medical evidence from my renal team disputing non compliance. I'm outraged that CAMHS seem to think they have the right to make comments about my medical treatment without the facts and share this personal information with others without consent. I don’t feel that despite so called confidentiality claims, they keep your information safe

I was told my daughter was a CIN because of her mental health problems. I also signed a form that was an agreement from CIN on their part that if there were any safeguarding concerns I would be informed about this. We continued to engage and I attended all CIN meetings despite not always feeling well. As a result I no longer trust CAMHS with our personal information.

Recently I requested copies of my daughter's mental health records to discover a safeguarding meeting had took place without my knowledge citing the reason as emotional abuse based on what felt like hearsay by the school, citing we hadn't engaged with the Child and Adolscent Mental Health (CAMHS) Team and non compliance with my own treatment. Now I was completely upset and livid at these allegations as my daughter & I had fully engaged with CAMHS and there was no evidence from my healthcare team to state I had been non compliant.

They have also cited incorrect comments about my daughter and I refusing an autism test when in fact she had this test last year which the RMN was present for!

I also wouldn't have asked for help from children's services in the first place if I knew I was going to be accused of emotional neglect. My experience caused me not to trust the CIN service. I felt that they acted in a very unprofessional and underhand way. We ask for help from these services to be told there is no funding then get accused of child abuse. In my view a disgusting way to treat the most vulnerable in society.