Child and Adolescent social workers work with children and adolescents who attend CAYS.

The social worker participates actively in the clinics/teams they work in, to offer integrated professional input to the service users. The focus of one’s practice is to address psycho-social matters, to safeguard the rights of minors, to work towards helping to improve the well-being of the service users and to educate significant others (including parents, other professionals, carers and the general public) about psychiatric conditions in minors and best treatment practices. Child and Adolescent social workers work in partnership with children and adolescents, their families, professionals, agencies and communities in order to facilitate the holistic well-being of minors and young adults with mental health problems. They promote social justice through specialist, integrated and evidence-based social work practices in combination with a client-centred, proactive and principled approach.

The social workers’ role within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services includes the following:

• working actively within a multi-disciplinary team.
• conducting clinic new case assessments.
• contributing to the formulation and monitoring of the care plan.
• conducting home/ school visits and social work/ and other assessments.
• applications and referrals on behalf of the client.
• compiling social work reports, conducting and attending case conferences and professionals’ meetings.
• liaising with agencies, relatives and professionals on behalf/ together with the clients.
• being the point of reference between the psychiatrist, other professionals or agencies.
• supporting and empowering relatives.
• advocating for the clients.
• safeguarding the rights of minors by reporting any form of abuse and following up with relevant services.
• delivering/facilitating groups according to availability.
• teaching and guiding parents about parental skills based on Incredible Years
• carrying out outreach work to prevent admissions and to improve functioning and quality of life.
• forming part of the Family Focused Reflective Team.
• compiling data collection as per directions of Social Work Department, National Mental Health Services; and
• attending meetings/activities organized by the Social Work Department, National Mental Health Services.