Duty and urgent advice
The DECC service aims to provide responsive advice, particularly when certain circumstances or ‘triggers’ have arisen in a child or young person’s life.
These include:
- The young person’s has a total score of over 14 on the ‘Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ);
- A CIC nurse has identified emotional health and wellbeing needs within the child’s annual health assessment;
- The child/young person or their carer is feeling worried about the stability of the child’s home circumstances;
- The young person or child is likely to disengage from or be excluded from their education setting;
- Members of a child’s Therapeutic Parenting Team (network) have identified a need for the child to receive emotional health and wellbeing support in relation to their trauma or attachment needs;
- The young person is at risk of entering a tier 4 mental health provision, or has a transition plan from tier 4.
If any of these circumstances or ‘triggers’ apply for a child with a Child in Care legal status
A therapeutic practitioner/clinician will be available to take the call or call you back the same day. They can provide initial advice and explore next step options with you.
You may be offered an ‘urgent advice slot’. These can be booked with the duty practitioner by phone within 5 working days only. Please note that if there are no slots available within 5 working days you may need to call again to access one of these slots.
PLEASE NOTE: Our duty line is not an emergency line.
To access our duty line please call 01332 505484
This service is available from 9th September 2025
Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
From January 2026, this will be available
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
If you would like to make a full referral - please click the button below.
Visit this page to make a full referral
If you require urgent medical attention – see details below
You will need to call 999 or take your young person to the nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department.
- Royal Derby Hospital, A&E Department, Derby Derbyshire, DE22 3NE - 01332 3401331.
- Chesterfield Royal Hospital, A&E Department, Chesterfield Rd, Calow, Chesterfield S44 5BL - 01246 277271
- Alternatively use the link below to find the A&E nearest you. Find your nearest A&E - NHS
If you do not require immediate medical intervention but do have significant concerns for your own / young person’s mental health and risk of harm (to self or others). You can call:
- CAMHS Urgent Care Teams (for young people under 18 years)
- Southern Derbyshire – 01332 389215, 7 days a week, 8am to 11pm, 365 days a year.
- Northern Derbyshire – 07901 330724, 7 days a week, 10am to10pm, 365 days a year.
Both teams will triage and if appropriate will offer a rapid assessment (within 4 hours).
- Emergency GP appointment - you can request a same day appointment with a doctor or healthcare professional.
- Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support line – available 24/7, 0800 028 0077 or dial 111 and select option 2 (mental health). This is available for children, young people or adults. If you are deaf or hearing-impaired call NHS 111 via the SignVideo app or SignVideo website for a BSL interpreter.
