Service overview
We treat children and young people living with anxiety disorders, such as:
- generalised anxiety disorder
- social anxiety disorder
- separation anxiety
- panic disorder
- fearing that they have no escape in situations, known as agoraphobia
- selective mutism
- specific phobias
- obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
- tic disorders.
We’re based at the University of Reading but have clinics across all our Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Berkshire.
Accessing our service
When we receive your child's referral, we’ll email you with a video and an information pack.
These will cover how our service works, more about the condition your child may have, and the types of support available. We will also briefly cover what to expect from treatment.
You'll also be invited to join SHaRON, which is our online moderated peer support network. It allows you access to shared experiences and practical advice.
Depending on your child’s needs, our team may offer an individualised assessment, individual and group therapy, alongside medication if required. We don't offer medication as a standalone treatment.
We also work closely with other professionals involved in your child’s care.
If we feel it will help with your child's needs, we may guide you to other services which may be the right fit.
Referral
You can use our online form to refer your child.
Preparing for your assessment
We use cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) as part of the treatment process for anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
It can be delivered in a variety of ways.
Our current treatments include:
- Individual CBT for anxiety disorders
- Individual CBT for OCD and BDD, including exposure and response prevention
- Group anxiety management for children and young people, called ‘Taking Charge of Anxiety’
- Group CBT for adolescents with social anxiety disorder and OCD
- Online support and information group for parents, called ‘Understanding Neurodiversity and Anxiety’
- Online psychoeducation group for children, young people and their families about tics
- Habit Reversal Therapy for tics
- Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for tics
Our treatment sessions take place once a week, for one hour.
The length of therapy will depend on how your child or young person progresses. We include regular reviews to see how they're getting on, and think about what happens next.
Managing your health
Managing feelings
Access advice and information on how to support your child or young people navigate emotions, from anxiety to depression, stress and trauma.
Your e-Health Passport
Your e-Health Passport lets us know what's important to you - from your preferred name and pronouns to how you'd like us to support you and communicate with you.
Learn moreContact us and FAQs
Frequently asked questions
How long will I have to wait to start treatment?
There may be a wait between the referral, and starting treatment.
We'll explain this to you within the information we give to all new referrals into our team.
What if I can't make my appointment?
If you need to cancel your appointment, please let us know as soon as you can. Ideally this should be at least two working days so that we can try to offer your slot to someone else.
You can email or call our admin team.
Due to the high demand for our services, if you repeatedly miss or cancel your appointments, or if we can’t contact you, we may close your referral.
We will then transfer you back to the care of your GP so that we can be available for someone else on the waiting list.
We will contact you by email, letter, or SMS text to let you know if this is happening.
How will I know it will work?
The treatments we offer are approved by the NHS, They are based on methods that are known to help people with:
- generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
- social anxiety disorder
- obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- depression
- phobias
We follow guidance from health experts to make sure people receive safe and effective care. These are based on approaches recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE).
We find that treatment is most effective when patients regularly attend their appointments and complete the tasks set in between sessions.
It may take a few sessions before you notice a change, but many people start to feel better over time with the right support.
You can talk with your therapist if you have questions or worries about your treatment. They can offer options with you to help make sure we’re supporting you in the best way possible.
We can also help you with:
Is there any information for friends, family and carers?
If you’re a family member, carer, or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available from a range of local communities and national organisations.
How do I request an interpreter?
We can provide language translation and interpretation support.
Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.
We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:
- Telephone interpreting
- Video remote interpreting (VRI)
- Face‑to‑face interpreting
- Written translation
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
How can I get information in an accessible format?
Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to get information in a format that meets their needs.
The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) is a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers. This means making sure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand our information and communicate with us easily.
We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- Large print
- Braille
- Audio
- Easy read
- Text message
- Face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present
If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.
Are service dogs allowed at my appointment?
Yes, you are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.
These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.
To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.
Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.
What does it mean to treat our team with respect?
Respect is important.
We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.
Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.
We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.
This may include contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.
How do I find my NHS number?
The easiest way to find your NHS number is using the official NHS online service which can be accessed below.
You may also want to read our guidance page for more information about other ways to find your NHS number or what to do if you cannot find yours.
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