Neurodiversity
World Autism Day is an opportunity for CAMHS to support the autistic community, but their efforts seem performative. Their lack of post-diagnostic support and failure to address mental health concerns in autistic children highlight significant shortcomings. It's time for World Autism Day to be a day
Neurodiversity
Every day, it seems, brings new heartbreaking stories of autistic children failed by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). It's no secret – devastating reports clearly show the system is broken. Yet, those in power – the NHS, the government – turn a blind eye, leaving a generation of
Autism
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) have been a focus of mine for quite some time now. I have talked about how they failed me, and how they are still failing Autistic children and young people over 15 years later. I have highlighted the fact that our government are aware of their fai
Mental Health Treatment Rights
The Dynamic Support Register (DSR) aims to reduce inpatient admissions for Autistic and Learning Disabled individuals through risk identification and coordinated support. Despite the promise of meaningful everyday lives and person-centered care, there are concerns about CAMHS' (Child and Adolescent
Neurodiversity
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) focus on improving the mental health of children and young people but often fail to support Autistic individuals. This leads to high rates of mental health issues and su*cide in Autistic adults. CAMHS failures create a burden on adult mental health
disability
The impact of CAMHS failures extends beyond autistic children to their families. Parent carer blame, deeply rooted in history, is perpetuated by neoliberal ideology and institutional practices, leading to distrust and vilification of parents. CAMHS exacerbates this blame, causing detrimental effects
Trauma
This article delves into the persistent challenges faced by Autistic individuals in the UK, particularly in the domains of education and mental health. It highlights the shortcomings of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision and the inadequacy of Child and Adolescent Mental Health
disability
I have talked extensively of the failures of CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) to support Autistic young people. There have been a great number of tragedies at the hands of a service that is not fit for purpose. I have explored my own experiences, parliamentary evidence, research, and
Autistic Rhizome
When we consider the journey to getting an autism diagnosis, we can be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed. From start to finish the process can take many years, many disappointments, and enough paperwork to make it feel like you have fallen into a bureaucratic block hole. Some find the
Society
"Max Sumner, 17, took his own life on 13 May 2022 while he was under the care of Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (‘CAMHS’). The Coroner concluded today (23 January 2024) that the care he received by CAMHS contributed to his
Autistic Rights
There are many things about being Autistic that we can celebrate. However, we have to be careful that in doing so we don't inadvertently engage in the erasure of our struggles. Campaigns like #ItsNotOkToNotBeOk will only succeed if we commit to improving the things that cause our suffering.
Society
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are known for failing to support the mental health of Autistic children. Unfortunately this is not the only issue with such services, they are often responsible for the assessment and diagnosis of neurodivergence such as autism or ADHD. Within the context of autism,