New autism service for young people to be introduced locally

This will be run by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust who will provide an assessment and intervention service for young people aged 12 - 18 years old. 

Dr Venkat Reddy, Clinical Director of CPFT’s Children, Young People and Families Directorate, said: “We are very pleased to be offering this new service. We know there has been a gap for young people after the age of 11, and we think this will be a very valuable step forward for young people and their families.”

In addition, CPFT has also confirmed a new CAMH 17 service for young people between child and adult services. Adult mental health services officially start at 17, but as part of improvements to increase the support available, some young people will be able to continue with children’s services until they are 18.

The trust is recruiting new staff to help support young people who are moving from children’s mental health services to adult mental health services. Decisions on which young people remain with children’s services and which move to adult services will be made in collaborations with families.

We have frequently raised issued with the trust and local commissioners about young people's poor experiences of moving from children to adults’ services. Some would move from one waiting list to the next and wait longer for treatment. This new service should help resolve those issues.