Family Ambassador Service

How can the Family Ambassador team help?

Following the admission of a child / young person to a CAMHS tier 4 inpatient unit, the Family Ambassador team aims to contact you to introduce the Family Ambassador service and how they may be able to support you.

The team aims to offer support from the point of first contact right through to the child / young person’s discharge. Our engagement and support are provided via email, Microsoft Teams and telephone calls, depending on your preference. Face-to-face meetings can also be accommodated.

The support that the Family Ambassador team can offer is varied, and often includes:

• Providing you with emotional support and a listening ear throughout the young person’s admission and transition to next stage of their journey
• Helping you to understand the roles of key professionals involved in your young person’s care
• Helping you to identify concerns and work alongside the clinical team to resolve them
• Explaining the purposes of different meetings, helping you prepare for these meetings, and offering a debrief afterwards
• Explaining the legal processes that you may come across, such as the Mental Health Act and Section 117 Aftercare
• Offering support and guidance around the young person’s education, such as applying for or reviewing education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments
• Providing help if you want to apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independent Payments (PIP), or make travel claims
• Supporting you if the young person needs to move to a different setting
• Providing a wealth of information on topics from supporting siblings to understanding mental health conditions and much more
• Providing a safe space to discuss your family’s wellbeing
• Signposting and referring to community resources to support your family’s needs

East Midlands CAMHS tier 4 inpatient services 

The East Midlands Family Ambassador Team will support parents / carers across a number of CAMHS Tier 4 Inpatient services including:

• Seacole ward at St Andrew’s Healthcare, Northampton
• The Sett, Northampton
• The Burrows, Berrywood Hospital, Northampton
• The Lookout Adolescent Unit, Hopewood, Nottingham
• The Beacon, Bradgate Mental Heath Unit, Leicester

What is the Family Ambassador programme? 

Watch this selection of YouTube videos to find out more information on what the Family Ambassador Programme is and how it can support you and your family through a CAMHS inpatient admission.