Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (DCAP)
Staff
A multi-disciplinary team comprising of child and adolescent psychiatrists and psychologists, clinical social workers, an occupational therapist, psychiatric nurses, a teacher, and trainees specialising in child and adolescent psychiatry.
Activities
Clinical services, consultation, education, training and research are core activities. The clinical services associated with the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is based at two sites, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and Sawkins Road (Map - for Sawkins Road campus parking is available across the road at Rondebosch Common) .
Outpatients
The Child and Adolescent Outpatient Service provides assessments and individual, family and group therapy to children and adolescents aged 3 -18 years with a range of emotional and/or behavioural problems.
The Infant Mental Health Service provides services to infants under the age of three years and their parents. Tel: 021 685 4103
The Neuropsychiatry Clinic sees children and adolescents with complex neurodevelopment disorders and co morbidities. Tel: 021 685 4103
Consultation-Liaison
The Consultation-Liaison Service provides services mainly at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. (Services are provided at other hospitals on request). Consultation, assessment and treatment are provided for children with a range of needs. Tel: 021 685 4103
Inpatients
The Therapeutic Learning Centre (TLC) assesses and treats children aged 6 – 12 years, who have not benefited sufficiently from outpatient interventions. Children attend as day- or in-patients. The service offered at TLC includes a school programme, individual and group therapy, parenting and family work within a ward therapeutic milieu. Parents are involved in treatment. Tel: 021 685 4103
Referrals to the TLC are via Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Outreach service
An Outreach Service is offered to those working in local community health clinics and helps to make services accessible to communities. Activities include education, training, clinical guidance and supervision, liaison and support. Tel: 021 685 4103
Referrals to the Outpatient services are received from the local Community Health Centres.
Service Innovations
ADHD Psycho-education and Support Groups – Monthly psycho-education support groups initiated by Srs Mokitimi and Manual for parents/carers of children and adolescents with ADHD. These support groups are open to all who care for children and adolescents with ADHD and have contributed enormously to the non-medical management of those with ADHD.
Early-Bird Intervention for Autism – John-Joe Dawson-Squibb is currently combining a much needed service for children with autism with a research project to look at whether the intervention programme is appropriate for South African families.
Teaching & Learning
The Division is actively engaged in a range of teaching and training activities across various levels from local to national and international, to a range of healthcare and other professionals, and the public. Here we will outline some examples:
Undergraduate • Medical students (2nd, 4th,5th,6th years & SSM) • Undergraduate OT students
Postgraduate • Junior registrars (2 plus 2 supernumeraries – Eastern Cape & Malawi) • Senior Registrars (2) • African Paediatric Fellowship Programme • Advanced Nursing students (Stellenbosch) • Advanced Social Work students
Observerships (to trainees from elsewhere, 1 month)
Continuous Professional Development • Peer Education (Workshops) • GP Updates • Level 2 CHCs and district hospitals • ADOS-2, ADI-R
Research
The Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry is a highly research-active Unit, with 5 main research programmes: Adolescent Health Research Unit (Director: Prof PJ de Vries), Centre for Autism Research in Africa (Director: Prof PJ de Vries), Infant Mental Health Research Unit (Director: A/Prof A Berg), Tuberous Sclerosis Research Programme (Prof PJ de Vries), and a Staff Research Development Programme (led by Prof PJ de Vries). All staff are encouraged to participate in research and research development activities. The Adolescent Health Research Unit (AHRU) is a UCT accredited research unit.
Tel: 021 6854103
