Primary Infant Mental Health Specialists (PIMHS)

Who are we

Primary Infant Mental Health Specialists (PIMHS) usually come from a background of health visiting, clinical psychology or child psychotherapy. PIMHS have specialist training in working with preschool age children and their families, particularly focusing on emotional wellbeing. PIMHS work in partnership with other professionals that families might be involved with, such as children’s centres, health visitors and social care. Our overall aim is to support frontline professionals who are helping and supporting young children (0-4 years) and their carers when there are concerns about mental health and emotional wellbeing.

What we do

PIMHS professionals are based within the specialist CAMHS teams and link with the wider community and other children’s organisations and services, including nurseries. PIMHS offer advice, specialist consultation and some training to other staff who work with children in their early years, and their parents and carers. We also work within the CAMHS clinics directly with young children and families.

Parents – how to get help

If you think you may need our support, you can speak to your GP or Health Visitor, or one of the workers at a children’s centre. They can speak to us about whether a referral to our service is appropriate, or whether another service might be a better fit for your family’s needs.

Professionals – how to refer

Many professionals working with children can access consultation and advice from a PIMHS in CAMHS. For example health visitors, children’s centres, social workers, Early Help in Bristol, First Point in South Gloucestershire, GPs and Community Paediatricians have existing arrangements under our core offer. A PIMHS will only get to know children and young people’s names if a parent or carer has consented to this and we recommend this as the best way to have an informed discussion. Otherwise a consultation will be anonymous and confidential without mentioning names.

PIMHS are located in each of the three CAMHS teams in Bristol: in North, South and East/Central, and in the South Glos CAMHS team. Each CAMHS team has one or more PIMHS who only work with pre-school aged children. PIMHS can be contacted at the local CAMHS clinic in your area.