Organisations involved in adolescent mental health services

This section includes links to organisations involved in adolescent mental health that focus on policy, research, training and information services. Organisations are listed under the broad categories of:

Academic and research
Government
Charities
Membership
Trainers and publishers
Service providers

ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH

We have listed organisations here because their focus is on the study and research of adolescent mental health.

The Child and Maternal Health Observatory (ChiMat)

ChiMat is a national public health observatory offering wide-ranging, authoritative data, evidence and practice about children, young people and maternal health. It's a great source of information, with its Knowledge Hub and email alerts covering relevant guides and statistics, information on key trends, policy developments and themes, and suggestions on how to improve service delivery in adolescent health. Go to the ChiMat website.

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Evidence Based Practice Unit (CAMHS EBPU)

This academic unit is part of University College London (UCL) and the Anna Freud Centre. It develops and disseminates information on the latest research about children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Current e-learning modules draw on the learning of the CAMHS Outcomes Research Consortium (CORC) and the work in Hertfordshire NHS Trust. Go to the CAMHS EBPU website.

CAMHS Outcome Research Consortium (CORC)

CORC is a membership organisation of mental health specialists working in services for young people, from across the UK and beyond. It offers research and free training to members. Go to the CORC website.

Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition (CYPMHC)

Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, CYPMHC brings together leading charities to campaign jointly on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Its focus is on public mental health services for adolescents in England. CYPMHC produce policy briefings and it is actively involved in key government consultations on adolescent mental health. Go to the CYPMHC website.

Institute of Mental Health

The Institute of Mental Health is the UK's prime location for inter-disciplinary research in the mental health field. Go to The Institute of Mental Health website.

GOVERNMENT

Department for Education (DfE)

The DfE website gives useful information on current policy and consultations affecting children's health and well-being. It has a children and young people section and covers relevant research, publications, and information on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Go to the DfE website.

Clinical Research Network Portfolio Database

This is a searchable public database, listing projects being carried out by NHS organisations across the UK. Go to the Clinical Research Network website.

e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH)

This DH and NHS project offers national, quality assured online and distance training for healthcare professions. It covers a range of relevant subject areas including a learning module on safeguarding young people. Go to the e-LfH website.

ICP Toolkit

Developed by government regulator Healthcare Improvement Scotland, this toolkit is primarily for service providers working within, or in partnership with mental health services in Scotland. The site offers national standards and their evidence base along with contacts, practical help and resources. Go to the ICP Toolkit website.

Mental Health Network (MHN)

This is a membership group for NHS-funded mental health and learning disability service providers in England. MHN works to promote excellence in mental health services, and the importance of good mental health. Its website offers news, events and other resources including members' briefings, reports and factsheets. Go the MHN website.

Mental Health Research Network (MHRN)

Part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), MHRN recruits people who use and work for NHS services to help in research studies carried out in England. Run by the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London and the University of Manchester, MHRN works with around 60 NHS trusts to help them recruit participants for research projects. Go to the MHRN website.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)

Nice produce a range of relevant evidence-based guidance. Its guidance helps health and social care professionals deliver the best possible care based on the best available evidence. For NHS, local authorities, charities, and anyone with a responsibility for commissioning or providing healthcare, public health or social care services. Go to the NICE website.

Hands on Scotland

A toolkit that will help professionals encourage children and young people to improve their emotional wellbeing. It gives information, ideas and activities to help promote positive mental health and includes activities and videos on topics including mindfulness and confidence. Go to the Hands On Scotland website.

CHARITIES

Please note that we are only able to list those charities whose focus is on children and adolescents.

Anne Freud Centre

This national charity provides mental health treatment for children and undertakes research on childhood mental health and provides high-quality training for mental health professionals. Go to the Anne Freud website.

Association for Young People’s Health (AYPH)

Charity and membership forum that supports those working to improve young people’s health and well-being by sharing learning and best practice. Resources are developing, thanks to DH funding, and AYPH is now working on content with ChiMat. AYPH charges a membership fee and only members can access some of its valuable resources. Go to the AYPH website.

National Children's Bureau (NCB)

NCB is a national charity, supporting children, young people and families and those who work with them. Although covering all aspects and issues affecting children, NCB does offer a wealth of information on mental health, including current thinking and policy. It is a key player in some key government projects, including the proposed training e-portal for mental health professionals. Go to the NCB website.

National Youth Agency

A charity that works with a range of organisations to support and improve services for young people and those working with young people, particularly those who are hard to reach. Go to the National Youth Agency website .

St Andrew’s Healthcare

The UK's largest mental health charity to provide NHS care for people also runs a research centre, St Andrew’s Academic Centre, in partnership with the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. This researches mental illness, learning disability, neurodegenerative disorders and brain injury. Exempt from joining the NHS, St Andrew's is a charity. Go to St Andrew’s Healthcare website.

YoungMinds

This UK charity is committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people. It is involved in a number of important UK initiatives, including working on research projects and developing new policy. It is a key player in some key government projects, including the proposed training e-portal for mental health professionals. Go to the YoungMinds website.

Youth Health Talk

This charity, which works closely with the Health Experiences Research Group at the University of Oxford, offers a database of personal experiences through in-depth qualitative research into different illnesses and health conditions. The results are published on two websites, including one about young people. Go to the Youth Health Talk website.

MEMBERSHIP

Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH)

ACAMH is a multi-disciplinary membership association for those engaged in child and adolescent mental health. It offers the usual membership benefits: research, publications, conferences and events. Go to the ACAMH website.

British Association for Counselling (BACP)

BACP is a membership organisation and works with organisations to set up counselling services, assists the NHS on service provision, works with voluntary agencies and supports independent practitioners. Go to the BACP website.

British Psychological Society (BPS)

This membership organisation develops, promotes and applies psychology. It offers research, a directory of chartered psychologists, and provides conferences and events and relevant publications. Go to the BPS website.

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH)

This membership organisation for paediatricians offers a guide to the current NHS health reforms, along with relevant news and events. Go to the RCPCH website.

Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych)

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is the professional and educational body for psychiatrists in the UK. Go to the RCPSYCH website.

Young People's Health Special Interest Group (YPHSIG)

YPHSIG aims to raise the profile of young people's health and promote the development of high quality health services for young people in the UK. Go to the YPHSIG website.

United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

Membership organisation that promotes psychotherapy, and offers its members research, news and events. Go to the UKCP website.

TRAINERS AND PUBLISHERS

Children & Young People Now (CYPN)

Offers a jobsite and access to its magazine, Children & Young People Now, aimed at professionals working with children, young people and families. Its associated websites are CYPNow.co.uk and CYPNowJobs.co.uk, for managers and frontline practitioners. Also offers the Children & Young People Now Awards to celebrate innovative initiatives by professionals. Also offers conferences. Go to the CYPNOW website

Child and Family Training

Child and Family Training is a training organisation that has developed a range of evidence-based assessment tools with associated training programmes to assist practitioners and clinicians using the Assessment Framework. These assessment tools are recommended in a range of government policy and guidance and procedures relating to children and families. Go to the Child and Family Training website.

Training Together

Training Together provides evidence based parenting skills programme ‘ESCAPE & Parallel Lines’ (formerly on Formerly Young Persons in Focus). The company is also offering relevant training programmes. Go to the Training Together website.

SERVICE PROVIDERS

Counselling Directory

A directory of counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK. Go to the Counselling Directory website.

Cygnet Health

Cygnet is a company that provides private and NHS commissioned mental health services, including acute services for young people. Cygnet are recognized as a specialist provider by the NHS across England and Wales. Go to the Cygnet website.

Priory Group

Established in 1980, the Priory Group is Europe's leading independent provider of acute mental health care, secure and step down services, specialist education, complex care and neuro-rehabilitation services, fostering and care homes. Go to the Priory website.

Hypnotherapy Directory

A directory of professional hypnotherapist. Go to the Hypnotherapy Directory website for further information.