Service name
Darwin Centre Inpatient Unit
Main contact number
0300 790 0234
Service based at
Darwin Centre
Queens Road
Penkhull
ST4 7LF – click here to get directions from Google Maps
Service hours
24/7
About the service
The Darwin Centre is a regional 15-bedded inpatient unit, providing specialist mental health services for young people and their families. The centre is open 24/7. The catchment area covers Staffordshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands.
The primary function of The Darwin Centre is to provide assessment and treatment facilities for youngsters with mental health disorders (including deliberate self harm, acute psychosis and eating disorders). Youngsters are admitted for completion of a comprehensive multi-disciplinary assessment which involves developing an understanding of their mental health and psychological wellbeing, in the context of their developmental, social, family and educational history. This includes work with young people and their families at all stages of their treatment.
The service provided is for young people within the age range of 12-18 years. Exclusions due to physical, mental or behavioural illness or disability cannot be specified and are assessed on an individual basis. However, young people with moderate to severe generalised learning disabilities, those under a secure care order and those whose primary difficulty is substance or alcohol misuse, will not normally be treated at the Centre.
Referral criteria
Referralsare taken from CAMHS Tier 3 community teams, Early Intervention teams and dependent on age, adult mental health teams.