The Complex Needs Service (CNS) is a team of experienced and specialist clinicians who provide consultancy, psychological formulation, specialist assessment, supervision and training for professionals involved with young people who have complex and specific areas of need.
The staff in the service include:
Clinical Psychologists, Assistant Psychologists and Speech & Language Therapists, who work mainly with Lincolnshire County Council's Future4Me service, which supports young people between the ages of 14-18, with any or all of the following vulnerabilities:
- Being open to the Criminal Justice Service
- Being on the “edge of care” ie at risk of needing to be accommodated by the Local Authority
- Being a 16/17 year old presenting as homeless
- Being at high risk of exploitation, including sexual or criminal exploitation, radicalisation or county lines.
As the Complex Needs Service is integrated within the Future4Me service, referrals can be made directly by the staff.
A Leaving Care Mental Health Practitioner, who works with the Barnardo's Leaving Care Service. Leaving Care Workers are able to contact the Leaving Care Mental Health Practitioner directly for help and support.
Children in Care Mental Health Linkworkers, who support staff and children in Lincolnshire County Council's residential homes. The linkworkers visit the homes regularly to support the staff and develop knowledge about the children who live there. Referrals and requests are made by the residential home staff.
Harmful Behaviour Service, which can be accessed by professionals working within LPFT's Children & Young People Services, or Local Authority Childrens Services. The service is for any child in Lincolnshire presenting problematic or harmful sexual behaviour. The service can be contacted via a dedicated email address, lpft.cyphbs@nhs.net
How we work
We use a trauma-informed approach and aim to work collaboratively with the professional network around a child, so that everyone involved can share relevant information and develop an understanding of the child's needs in relation to their life experiences, development, their relationships with their parents or caregivers and their family, as well as the current difficulties. This helps everyone involved to identify the right help, and to provide it at the right time to the young person and/or their family.
We do not see every child who is referred to us as our work is usually in the background, helping the other professionals. We do provide specialist assessment or therapeutic work with children, where this is appropriate.
We provide bespoke training and workshops to partner agencies.
We can offer support to help children and young people engage with mainstream services.
Referrals
Because the Complex Needs Service provides a consultation based approach to professionals, referrals and requests cannot be made by young people or families directly.
