Dorset Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

Forensic CAMHS (FCAMHS) is a specialist mental health service working with colleagues and young people under the age of 18 who reside or originate from Dorset.

We are a small team including a forensic psychologist and a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Most of our work is aimed at supporting professionals already involved in the case in dealing with the risk of harm to others. This could be done either in a specifically arranged consultation slot or within our Risk Of Serious Harm to Others Forum (ROSH). In very few cases we might offer direct assessment of the young person if we view this as appropriate to help with risk management.

At this point, FCAMHs accept referrals from professionals only when there is a concern about a young person’s mental health and behaviour that puts others at risk of significant harm is present, for instance:

• violence
• fire-setting
• stalking
• internet offending
• animal cruelty
• damage to property
• terrorism/concerns about radicalisation.

Young people do not need to have had contact with the police to be referred to our service. 

If you are a professional and would like to make a referral please send us an email on dhc.fcamhs@nhs.net and we can briefly discuss the case to determine if referral is warranted. Further information for professionals.

If you are a parent, you can read information about our service and you can also access information on adolescent to parent violence.

If you are a young person referred to us, here is some information about us and how we can be helpful.