Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Specialist psychiatric assessment beyond ADHD

Although ADHD is a major focus of Kheir Care, the service also provides Consultant-led psychiatric assessment and treatment for selected child and adolescent mental-health presentations suitable for specialist outpatient care.

Assessment is provided face-to-face by Dr Alamin Kheir, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, with time to explore the young person’s difficulties in depth and understand them within the context of their development, family, education, relationships and wider circumstances.


The aim is not simply to identify symptoms, but to develop a clear clinical formulation, consider relevant diagnoses and contributing factors, and provide individualised recommendations for treatment and next steps.

Presentations Assessed at Kheir Care

Depending on the individual referral, these may include:

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Low Mood & Depression
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Adjustment Difficulties
  • School-Related Mental-Health Difficulties
  • Other Selected Psychiatric Presentations

Each referral is clinically reviewed before an appointment is offered to ensure that Kheir Care is an appropriate service for the young person.

Face-to-Face Consultant Assessment

The assessment is tailored to the individual presentation and includes consideration of the following, as relevant:

  • Detailed psychiatric and developmental history
  • Exploration of current symptoms and concerns
  • Assessment of emotional, behavioural and social functioning
  • Educational and school functioning
  • Relevant medical and family history
  • Family and wider psychosocial circumstances
  • Consideration of relevant differential diagnoses and co-existing difficulties
  • Information from parents and other relevant sources
  • Structured questionnaires or other assessment tools where clinically appropriate

The information gathered is brought together to develop an individual clinical formulation, with diagnostic clarification where possible and recommendations based on the young person’s needs.

Findings, detailed report & recommendations

Following the assessment, the findings are discussed with the young person and family, including the clinical formulation, any relevant diagnosis or diagnostic considerations, and recommendations for treatment or further assessment where required.


A comprehensive written assessment report, including the assessment findings, clinical formulation, diagnostic conclusions or considerations, and individualised recommendations, is provided following completion of the assessment.


Recommendations may include psychoeducation, psychological or behavioural approaches, practical or educational supports, liaison with other professionals, further specialist assessment, or medication where clinically appropriate.

Ongoing Treatment & Follow-up

Continuity of care after assessment

Ongoing treatment and follow-up are separate from the initial psychiatric assessment.


Where ongoing care through Kheir Care is clinically appropriate, Dr Kheir can continue to provide face-to-face treatment and review following the assessment. This provides continuity of care with the same Consultant who completed the assessment and developed the clinical formulation and recommendations.

Ongoing care may include:

  • Review of symptoms, functioning and progress
  • Further diagnostic review where required
  • Treatment planning and adjustment
  • Medication prescribing and monitoring where clinically indicated
  • Liaison with GPs, schools and other professionals where appropriate
  • Review of emerging or changing clinical needs


Following each follow-up or treatment review, a written clinical update will be provided to the referring GP/doctor, subject to the usual requirements regarding consent and confidentiality.


The frequency of follow-up is determined by the individual clinical needs of the young person.

A specialist outpatient service

Kheir Care provides planned specialist outpatient care for selected presentations. Referrals are accepted where the young person’s needs can be safely and appropriately assessed and managed within this setting.


Kheir Care is not an emergency or crisis mental-health service and does not provide urgent or out-of-hours care. Young people requiring emergency assessment, intensive psychiatric intervention or inpatient care should access the appropriate emergency or specialist services.

Referrals

Referrals are accepted from GPs and appropriately qualified medical professionals and are clinically reviewed before an appointment is offered.