Child Psychiatry in the UK

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY

 

Mental health difficulties can affect many areas of a child or young person’s life, including their wellbeing, relationships, education and family life. When concerns are persistent, becoming more difficult to understand or affecting everyday life, an assessment with a child psychiatrist can help establish what may be happening and what support may be appropriate.

 

The Therapy Company provides child psychiatry appointments for children and young people across the UK. Face-to-face appointments are available from our Preston location, with online appointments available where clinically suitable.

 

Our Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists can assess emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties, provide diagnostic feedback where appropriate and discuss treatment, further assessment or other forms of support based on the individual needs of the child or young person.

 

Families looking for a private child psychiatrist in Preston can access face-to-face appointments from our Preston location. If your main concern relates specifically to possible ADHD, we also provide dedicated child ADHD assessments.

Child receiving support during a psychiatry assessment with a mental health professional

CHILD PSYCHIATRY PRICING

INITIAL CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST APPOINTMENT: £450 | CHILD FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT: £225

 

These fees apply to appointments with an experienced, GMC-registered Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.

 

Your psychiatrist will assess your child’s symptoms, background and circumstances and discuss appropriate next steps, which may include diagnostic feedback, medication, therapy, further assessment or another form of support where clinically appropriate.

 

Payment in 3 instalments is available through PayPal.

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WHEN MIGHT A CHILD SEE A PSYCHIATRIST?

Parents and carers may consider speaking to a child psychiatrist when emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties are persistent, affecting everyday life, or require specialist assessment.

This may include concerns around anxiety, depression, OCD, eating difficulties, traumatic experiences, intrusive thoughts, self-harm or other changes in a child's emotional or behavioural wellbeing.

HOW CAN A CHILD PSYCHIATRIST HELP?

A child psychiatrist is a medically qualified doctor specialising in the assessment and treatment of mental health difficulties affecting children and young people.

 

An assessment can help build a clearer understanding of the difficulties a child is experiencing. Where appropriate, a psychiatrist may provide a diagnosis and discuss treatment options, further assessment or other forms of support.

 

Recommendations will depend on the individual child or young person and may include psychological therapy, medication where clinically appropriate, further assessment, support for the family or referral to another specialist support.

WHAT HAPPENS AT A CHILD PSYCHIATRY APPOINTMENT?

 

A child psychiatry appointment provides an opportunity to understand the difficulties your child is experiencing, how these are affecting their everyday life and what support may be appropriate.

 

During the initial consultation, the psychiatrist will discuss the current concerns and ask about your child's mental health and wellbeing. They may also explore relevant aspects of their medical history, development, family circumstances, education, relationships and any previous assessments or support they have received. This helps the psychiatrist build a fuller picture rather than considering individual symptoms in isolation.

 

A parent or guardian will normally play an important role in the assessment, particularly for younger children, by providing background information and explaining any changes or difficulties they have noticed. Depending on the child's age and circumstances, the psychiatrist may also spend some time speaking directly with the child or young person.

 

Following the assessment, the psychiatrist will discuss their findings and the most appropriate next steps. This may include a diagnosis, further assessment, psychological therapy, medication or another form of specialist support. Recommendations will depend on the individual needs and circumstances.

CONDITIONS AND DIFFICULTIES A CHILD PSYCHIATRIST MAY ASSESS

  • Depression
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Eating disorders
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Psychosis
  • Bipolar disorder
  • ADHD
  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
  • Personality disorders
  • Phobias
  • Social anxiety
  • Addiction and substance misuse
  • Other emotional and behavioural difficulties
Client Testimonials

What Our Clients Say

I would like to thank the secretaries Sheila and Chris for providing a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Also, in my opinion, Dr PT Saleem is the best psychiatrist. I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

- Mariama Camara

I have suffered with PTSD flashbacks anxiety and panic attacks since a horrific road traffic accident 3 yrs ago. My life is now on the up thanks to Debbie’s help guidance and EMDR. I can’t thank this place enough for her care compassion and understanding

- Claire Lawrence-Gray

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone at the therapy co. For the past couple of months I’ve been looked after by Kate. She has been professional, welcoming, calming and extremely helpful. I feel I’ve come a long way in a short time. Also the receptionist have been very helpful and I would high recommended this practice to anyone

- Tony Currie

I am very happy and thankful for Dr Ahmed for seeing my daughter and making her feel so comfortable when talking about difficulties she is experiencing. He was really professional and knowledgeable about childhood neurological disorders and he was personally very likeable. I would definitely recommend seeing Dr Ahmed and I will go back in the future if we need to!

- Donna Cosgrove

I have had only positive experiences with The Therapy Company. The staff are exceptional at what they do, incredibly caring and personable with a wealth of knowledge and skills to help individuals dealing with emotional/mental difficulties or difficult times. They respond quickly, and ensure you are seen to as soon as possible. I regularly recommend them to people seeking support and would contact them in the first instance should I ever need support in the future.

- Emma Clancy

Excellent therapist and therapy sessions. I found the flexible times for appointments and via phone or video very helpful. Was able to work through what I needed in a reasonable time with a caring therapist. Thank you!

- Kristina Babbitt

Nicole gave me the confidence to get back on the motorway and enjoy driving again.

- Lillie-mae Martin

The Therapy Company are an efficient, client centred company who have been so helpful to our family in terms of therapy provision. The staff are friendly and approachable and they offer a range of services in a very timely manner.

- Helen Evans

My son met with Dr Ram, and I couldn’t be more grateful for her down to earth approach. She was incredibly empathetic and caring. At our initial meeting she put my son at ease immediately and really took the stress out of a very stressful situation. Her warm approach and great sense of humour makes a significant difference in our experience. I would highly recommend her to anyone seeking compassionate and knowledgeable psychiatric care.

- Patient mother

Wonderful and caring!

- Avril Willis

CHILD PSYCHIATRY APPOINTMENTS ACROSS THE UK

The Therapy Company provides child psychiatry appointments for children and young people across the UK, with face-to-face consultations available from our Preston location and online appointments available where clinically appropriate.

 

Families travelling to Preston can access our child psychiatry service from across Lancashire and the wider North West. For families elsewhere in the UK, online appointments can provide an alternative to travelling where this is clinically appropriate. The most suitable format will depend on the child’s circumstances, the reason for the appointment and the psychiatrist’s clinical judgement.

 

Whether an appointment takes place in person or online, the focus remains on understanding the concerns affecting your child or young person and identifying appropriate next steps. Where further assessment, treatment or psychological support is recommended, this will be discussed with you following the consultation.

WHY CHOOSE THE THERAPY COMPANY FOR CHILD PSYCHIATRY?

Finding the right support for your child can feel difficult, particularly when you're unsure what may be causing changes in their mood, behaviour or everyday life. At The Therapy Company, our child psychiatry service focuses on understanding the individual child or young person and building a clearer picture of the difficulties they are experiencing.

 

Our Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists have specialist experience in assessing and supporting children and young people with a range of mental health difficulties. Where appropriate, an assessment may lead to a diagnosis, recommendations for treatment, further assessment or referral to another form of support.

 

As a multidisciplinary mental health service, The Therapy Company can also provide access to psychological therapies and other specialist services when these form part of the recommended next steps. This allows support to be considered around the individual needs of the child or young person rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

 

Face-to-face appointments are available from our Preston location, with online appointments available across the UK where clinically appropriate.

ENQUIRE ABOUT CHILD PSYCHIATRY

If you're considering child psychiatry and aren't sure what type of appointment or support your child may need, send us a short message and our team can discuss the available options with you. If you'd prefer to speak to someone, you can also call us on 01772 440321.

FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Below are a selection of our most frequently asked questions. We hope that you get your questions answered below, but if not, please do reach out to us and we’ll be more than happy to help. Alternatively, if you’re ready to book your initial consultation with our team, please call us on 01772 440321.

What is child psychiatry?

Child psychiatry is specialist medical care for children and young people experiencing emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties. A child psychiatrist is a medically qualified doctor who can assess symptoms, consider possible diagnoses and discuss appropriate treatment or support.

A child psychiatrist can help assess and support a range of mental health difficulties in children and young people, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, eating disorders, traumatic stress, intrusive thoughts, self-harming behaviours, and other emotional or behavioural concerns. The most appropriate support will depend on the child’s symptoms, history, and needs.

A child psychiatry appointment usually begins with an initial consultation to better understand the child’s mental health history, current difficulties, and any relevant background information. The psychiatrist will ask questions in a supportive and age-appropriate way and use the appointment to build a clearer picture of what support or treatment may be helpful.

Parents or guardians will usually be involved in a child psychiatry assessment, particularly for younger children, as they can provide important background and developmental information. The level of parental involvement may vary depending on the child or young person’s age, circumstances and the type of appointment.

Yes, a child psychiatrist can assess whether a child’s symptoms may be linked to a particular mental health condition and provide a diagnosis where appropriate. A diagnosis is not always the outcome, but the assessment can help clarify what is going on and guide the next steps for support or treatment.

Depending on the child’s needs, treatment may include approaches such as CBT, counselling, EMDR, medication, or other appropriate therapies. The aim is to recommend a treatment plan that reflects the child’s individual difficulties and supports their wellbeing over time.

The Therapy Company provides face-to-face child psychiatry appointments from its Preston location, with online appointments available across the UK where clinically appropriate.

Yes, child psychiatry can be helpful when a child has been experiencing ongoing emotional, behavioural, or mental health difficulties and a family wants a clearer understanding of what support may be needed. An assessment can help identify concerns, provide guidance, and plan the most appropriate next steps.

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