Dr Sherif Youakim

I completed my medical degree (M.B.Ch.B.) at Alexandria University, Egypt, in 1983 before moving to the UK to specialise in psychiatry. I went on to complete an MSc in Mental Health Studies at University College London in 1997 and gained my Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in 2009. I am on the Specialist Register with the General Medical Council and approved under Section 12 of the Mental Health Act.

Over the past three decades, I have worked extensively across Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, with a particular focus on learning disabilities, complex behavioural presentations, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism. My clinical career has included roles as Consultant in Community Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Learning Disability with Humberside NHS Foundation Trust, and Acting Consultant with North Warwickshire NHS Trust, where I developed services for self-harm, ADHD, and safeguarding. I am currently working as a Locum Consultant in Child and Adolescent Learning Disability Psychiatry with Derbyshire NHS Foundation Trust.

I have significant experience in treating children and young people with mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, psychosis, and behavioural difficulties, as well as in disentangling complex comorbidities in those with learning disabilities. Much of my work has centred on tailoring treatment and interventions to the needs of families, working closely with schools, social care, and multi-agency partners.

Alongside clinical practice, I have taken an active role in teaching, training, and service development. I have supervised medical students, psychiatry trainees, and nursing staff, contributed to developing ADHD services, and acted as Safeguarding Officer within the NHS. I remain committed to keeping my knowledge up to date through continuous professional development, courses, and international conferences.

My professional journey—from early work in orthopaedics in Egypt, to decades in psychiatry in the UK—has given me a broad clinical perspective, but my passion has always been in supporting children, young people, and their families in navigating the challenges of mental health and learning disability.