Developing a tier I CAMHS foundation course: report on a 4-year initiative

Despite a growing recognition of the strategic importance of the UK's Tier 1 in supporting children and young people with mental health needs, detailed descriptions of the developmental hurdles and content of such courses remain obscure. There are a number of initiatives being undertaken nationally to remedy this and the aim of this article is to contribute the authors' experience to what is becoming a burgeoning national endeavour. Particular attention is drawn to the problems of developing volume multiagency trainings in areas of significant social deprivation and mental health morbidity but innovation is needed to balance the competing needs for quality, penetration into Tier 1, pressures on staff time and managers' release constraints. A core syllabus is tentatively suggested, with additional skills components, and a teaching session is explored in detail to illustrate the authors' methodology and approach.