We are a community based specialist mental health service in East and West Suffolk for children and young people who have a learning disability and are under 18 years old. We offer assessment and intervention for children and young people who have mental illness, and/or associated complex neurodevelopmental disorders, and present at high risk to yourself or others.

When you are referred to the service, we meet with you and make suggestions as to how we can help you, or advise you if there are other services that could offer you the best support. In some cases we help you to access mainstream services in the first instance, or other more specialist services.

We also look at your physical health and other social, educational and environmental factors that may be affecting you. This includes working with you and those who know you well to identify any aspects that may make you unsafe or feel unsafe. Throughout your assessment and the creation and review of your treatment plan, you and your family are involved, to ensure you have the help needed to sustain your recovery.

If we can help, you have access to a range of specialist professionals which may include one or a combination of the following:

•              Specialist Learning Disability nurses

•              Behaviour Therapist 

•              Clinical Psychologist

•              Consultant Psychiatrist 

They can offer a range of interventions around your mental health. This includes working with you, and those who support you, at home, work, school, and in the community, in addition to medications and referrals to other services.

What conditions do you treat?

Mental illness and/or complex neurodevelopmental disorders with high risk behaviours.

What age range does this service treat?

Up to 18 years

What geographical area does this service cover?

Suffolk​

We work with your family and carer across home, work, school, and community settings, if required. Support includes training, advice, information and education about your condition from the perspective of your mental health, in addition to signposting to other services and supporting further referrals.​

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Name of Matron: Paul Cathmoir

Clinical Lead: Sam Gillings-Taylor

Service administrative address: 2nd Floor, Mariner House, 43 Handford Road, Ipswich IP1 2GA

Office hours (days and times): Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm

Telephone number (general): 01473 237055

Telephone number (urgent): If you are a service user, you are in crisis and need support urgently, you contact the service (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm): 01473 237055. Between 8am and 8pm, contact the crisis team via the Access and Admission team: 0300 123 1334.

If there is an emergency and people are in immediate danger, call 999 for an ambulance.

If you are not a service user but require urgent support, contact your GP or call:
Samaritans: 116 123
NHS 111 (NHS support for non-life threatening situations): 111

For more information, see Help in a Crisis.​