Lewisham’s specialist CAMH service for adopted and children looked after

The Symbol Therapy Team – often just called Symbol – is a tier 3 specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in Lewisham for adopted and looked after children. The team was named by a young person who used the service and felt that, like a symbol, young people’s relationships to the team of staff were different and unique to each person.

 

Who we are:

The team is comprised of health care professionals including: a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist (1 day a week), clinical psychologists, family therapist, psychotherapists (dramatherapy and MBT-C therapy), senior specialist mental health nurses, a CAMHS practitioner, and assistant psychologist.

 

Who we see:

The symbol team offers assessment and treatment of Looked after Children either placed by Lewisham (within the SLaM boroughs; Lewisham, Lambeth, Southwark, Croydon) or out of borough children placed within Lewisham and adopted young people living in Lewisham. The Symbol team also offers a service to children on a special guardianship order with significant social care involvement (for example, the child has an allocated safeguarding social worker). Dependent on clinical need, we offer service to Lewisham Looked after Children up to 18 who are placed within non-slam boroughs in a 5-mile radius of Lewisham who agreed to attend the Lewisham Park site.

 

What problems can we help with?

Symbol offers therapy services to young people who are struggling significantly with distressing thoughts or feelings, difficult relationships, and those that are experiencing moderate to severe mental/emotional health difficulties such as,

· Anxiety related disorders

· Depression

· Self-harm

· Suicidal ideation

· Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

· Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

 

What we offer:

· Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

· Eye Movement De-sensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

· Family therapy

· Individual Psychotherapy

· Drama Therapy

· Mentalisation Based Therapy (for children).

 

How to refer into our service:

Symbol accepts referrals for looked children and children on a special guardianship order from social workers up to 18 years old (However, if a young person is referred at 17,8 months, then we will assess the clinical need and consider process of transition to adult services) and referrals for adopted children who are registered with a Lewisham GP. We accept referrals from GP’s, schools, and other health care professionals.

Address: 78 Lewisham Park, Lewisham, London, SE13 6QJ
Telephone: 020 3228 1000
Email: Symbol@slam.nhs.uk