At our service we assess and support those under 18 years of age meeting criteria for moderate to severe ADHD. The young ADHD people attending our service can face challenges across multiple different areas of their life such as in their academic achievement, social engagement, and home life. Our society is not set up with the neurodivergent brain in mind, which can cause ADHDers to struggle. We see those who require a high level of support.

If you think you meet criteria for ADHD (or you think your young person does), we require a referral from a medical practitioner, usually your GP (family doctor). On the referral the medical practitioner should outline the ADHD features experienced, supports currently in place, and any other confirmed or suspected diagnoses. This referral is then reviewed by members of the young person’s multidisciplinary team at our service. Based on this information, a decision is made about whether the young person is to be screened for possible ADHD with our service. The decision will be communicated to you by post.

To screen for possible ADHD we require information from the young person’s parents/guardians and school. This allows us to understand the young person’s strengths and challenges across more than one setting, and is a mandatory requirement for ADHD assessment. Parents/guardians and teacher(s) will be asked to complete online screening questionnaires. They will also be asked to complete bespoke questionnaires to give context to these results. You will be asked to provide copies of past school reports and any assessment reports.

When all this information is returned it is reviewed by the clinical team and a decision is made as to whether the young person meets criteria for CAMHS for a full ADHD assessment. The outcome of the screening will be communicated to you by post.

Following the screening process (if criteria are met) as part of an ADHD assessment we will meet the young person in the clinic. We will talk to them about their experience of the world. A member of the clinical team will also speak with parents/guardians to learn more about the young person’s development since birth and how their ADHD features currently present. This meeting is usually completed in a single visit with the young person and their parents/guardians attending together.

Sometimes, we need additional information to help with assessment. We might observe the young person at school (usually only primary school age children), and we might interview one or more of their teachers. We might have additional clinical interviews or observations in the clinic too. There might be more standardised testing such as more forms to complete or tasks to do where we compare the young person’s performance to others of the same age and gender.

To accurately diagnose ADHD, we might need further assessment to be completed outside of our service. When this happens, the young person’s file is closed and re-opened when the assessment(s) is completed, and your GP re-refers to us with a copy of the report(s). This might include an assessment of need, a primary care assessment, a National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS) assessment and/or an assessment by the Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT).

If a diagnosis of ADHD is confirmed by our service, you will meet with the team to discuss possible medication management. Occasionally medical tests such as blood tests and/or a measure of heart functioning may be necessary to determine suitability for medication.

If the young person and their family decide to begin a trial of medication this will be done with the support of your psychiatrist or nurse. You will attend the clinic regularly for health reviews, usually through the ADHD clinic on your team. It is important to attend these reviews when scheduled so we can make sure the young person is healthy and well. We cannot continue to prescribe medication when these reviews are not attended.

While attending the service, we will re-assess for ADHD when needed to ensure medication is still indicated.

ADHD Ireland is funded by the HSE to provide non-medication supports. A confirmed diagnosis is not needed to access their services. Please see their website for additional information here.

Sometimes young people are referred to our service for ADHD supports following assessment in another public service such as another CAMHS team, or privately. To stand over the medication management of ADHD we need to complete our own assessments. The screening and assessment pathway is the same for those who have been assessed previously and those who have never been assessed.

Sometimes young people are already taking medication when they are referred to our clinical teams. To accurately screen and assess for ADHD we require the young person to be off their ADHD medication for a continuous period of one month while attending school. Before referral to our service, we recommend discussing this with the prescribing clinician.

If you’re not sure if CAMHS is suitable for you and your young person, here are some other services you might try:

National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS). 

NEPS is the psychology service for the Department of Education. Across Ireland, each NEPS psychologist is assigned to a group of schools working to make sure children and young people’s educational needs are being met. They work with young people, families, teachers, and schools to make sure the right supports are in place. You can get referred to NEPS through your school so talking to your young person’s teacher(s) and principals about your young person’s needs is the best way to start. More information is available at the link.

Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (PDS).  

The PDS provide services to children or young people with disabilities, while also offering support to their families. If your young person is diagnosed with a disability, or you think they might have one, you can find information, advice, and supports for parents through their website.

Assessment of Need (AON). 

AON is a legal process all young people born after 2002 are entitled to. AON will identify your young person’s health needs and what services are required to meet those needs. An AON is helpful in figuring out which service is most appropriate for your young person based on their diagnosis and needs profile. Parents, legal guardians, and advocates can apply for AON for their young person and there’s no need to talk or get letters from anyone else such as a GP, school, or mental health service (though you might like to). Young People aged 16 or 17 can also apply for their own AON if they want to. All the information you need to apply is at the link.