Job summary
Want to be part of a team that is on the frontline of children's and young people's mental health?
We have an opportunity for a Qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner to support our Changing Lives service, covering Derby City and Derbyshire.
This is an exciting and rewarding role where no two days feel the same. As an Education Mental Health Practitioner, you will work directly with children and young people in schools, helping them understand their emotions, build resilience and feel more in control of their lives.
You`ll deliver evidence based support for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs, using your skills to make areal and lasting impact. In supporting someone through anxiety, low mood or lifes everyday pressures, your work will help them feel safer, stronger and more connected. But this role is about more than one to one work.
You`ll also be a key part of each schools wider wellbeing culture. That means advising teachers, supporting families and helping embed a whole school approach to emotional health. You will share your knowledge, build relationships and help make mental health support more visible and effective.
You'll join a committed, friendly and values driven team. We offer high quality supervision, ongoing training and space to grow your practice. If you want a role that is hands on, meaningful and full of purpose, this is it.
Join us and help create a brighter, healthier future for young people.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a motivated professional passionate about supporting the mental health and well-being of children and young people. With a qualification as an Education Mental Health Practitioner, teaching credentials, or Youth Mental Health First Aid training, you bring a strong foundation to the role.
Some essential criteria for the role include:
Experience delivering therapeutic interventions like CBT or solution-focused brief therapy to children and families.
Knowledge of safeguarding, capacity, and consent, including Gillick competence.
A proven track record of working in educational or healthcare settings with children and young people.
Strong communication skills for effective collaboration with families, schools, and multi-agency teams.
The ability to conduct assessments, manage risk, and maintain clear, accurate records.
Wed also appreciate additional strengths that enhance your suitability. Experience working with vulnerable groups, such as looked-after children or those facing emotional or behavioural challenges, is desirable but not a dealbreaker.
Your ability to promote mental health awareness and teach staff within educational settings will show your skill in fostering inclusive environments.
Your commitment to professional growth, paired with our values of respect, integrity, and reliability, ensures youre ready to make an impact in young peoples lives.
If this sounds like you, wed love to hear from you!
About us
Compass is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. Established for over 30 years, Compass is a national charity which works in communities across the UK providing services spanning substance misuse treatment and rehabilitation, early interventions for vulnerable young people, school-aged health programmes and associated prevention as well as treatment and health promotion initiatives.
All Compass posts are subject to appropriate level DBS checks.
We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age, or sexual orientation, and encourage applications from people who have experiences in life which enrich skills and empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and developing a truly inclusive and representative workforce.
We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments individuals may require in the recruitment process, on commencement, or once in post.
Benefits
We offer a range of benefits including:
- 27 days holiday + bank holidays, rising to 32 days over time (pro rata)
- Life assurance at 2 x basic salary
- Competitive contributory pension scheme
- 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and OH service
- Enhanced sick pay
- Excellent learning & development opportunities and career progression
- Annual performance/salary review
Help us to make a positive change to the lives of children and young people!
Ad Closes: 23.08.25 Interviews: w/c 01.09.25
Job description
Job responsibilities
Want to be part of a team that is on the frontline of children's and young people's mental health? We have an opportunity for a Qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner to support our Changing Lives service, covering Derby City and Derbyshire. This is an exciting and rewarding role where no two days feel the same. As an Education Mental Health Practitioner, you will work directly with children and young people in schools, helping them understand their emotions, build resilience and feel more in control of their lives. You`ll deliver evidence based support for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs, using your skills to make a real and lasting impact. In supporting someone through anxiety, low mood or lifes everyday pressures, your work will help them feel safer, stronger and more connected. But this role is about more than one to one work. You`ll also be a key part of each schools wider wellbeing culture. That means advising teachers, supporting families and helping embed a whole school approach to emotional health. You will share your knowledge, build relationships and help make mental health support more visible and effective. You'll join a committed, friendly and values driven team. We offer high quality supervision, ongoing training and space to grow your practice. If you want a role that is hands on, meaningful and full of purpose, this is it. Join us and help create a brighter, healthier future for young people.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Want to be part of a team that is on the frontline of children's and young people's mental health? We have an opportunity for a Qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner to support our Changing Lives service, covering Derby City and Derbyshire. This is an exciting and rewarding role where no two days feel the same. As an Education Mental Health Practitioner, you will work directly with children and young people in schools, helping them understand their emotions, build resilience and feel more in control of their lives. You`ll deliver evidence based support for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs, using your skills to make a real and lasting impact. In supporting someone through anxiety, low mood or lifes everyday pressures, your work will help them feel safer, stronger and more connected. But this role is about more than one to one work. You`ll also be a key part of each schools wider wellbeing culture. That means advising teachers, supporting families and helping embed a whole school approach to emotional health. You will share your knowledge, build relationships and help make mental health support more visible and effective. You'll join a committed, friendly and values driven team. We offer high quality supervision, ongoing training and space to grow your practice. If you want a role that is hands on, meaningful and full of purpose, this is it. Join us and help create a brighter, healthier future for young people.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Be a suitably qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner
Desirable
- Teaching qualification
- Youth Mental Health First Aid trained
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of educational environments
- Knowledge of safeguarding issues
- Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence
- Experience of working with children and young people, their families and others
- Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders
- Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties
- Experience of working with anxiety disorders
- Experience of working with affective (mood) disorders
- Experience of the delivery of specific therapeutic interventions to children, young people or their families (e.g. CBT, solution focused brief therapy
Desirable
- Knowledge of the functional operation of specialist Children and Young Peoples Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing services teams
- Experience of working with children and their families in a healthcare setting
- Experience of working with children and their families in an education setting
- Experience of monitoring and recording outcome measures for childrens emotional wellbeing
- Experience of navigating complex social systems and environments, who may have conflicting priories or agendas
- Experience of working with looked after children
- Experience of working with other vulnerable groups
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children
- Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with families
- Ability to work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness within staff group
- Ability to conduct mental health assessments of children and young people
- Ability to make an assessment of risk and to record and communicate it appropriately
- Ability to take appropriate action to mitigate or manage risk
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- Access to own transport or evidence of ability to commute efficiently between community venues.
- Ongoing commitment to maintain registration in core profession
- Willingness to study further if required
Desirable
- Ability to teach others about mental health issues
- Ability to conduct other group therapeutic interventions with children and their families
- Proven commitment to continuous professional development
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Be a suitably qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner
Desirable
- Teaching qualification
- Youth Mental Health First Aid trained
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of educational environments
- Knowledge of safeguarding issues
- Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence
- Experience of working with children and young people, their families and others
- Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders
- Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties
- Experience of working with anxiety disorders
- Experience of working with affective (mood) disorders
- Experience of the delivery of specific therapeutic interventions to children, young people or their families (e.g. CBT, solution focused brief therapy
Desirable
- Knowledge of the functional operation of specialist Children and Young Peoples Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing services teams
- Experience of working with children and their families in a healthcare setting
- Experience of working with children and their families in an education setting
- Experience of monitoring and recording outcome measures for childrens emotional wellbeing
- Experience of navigating complex social systems and environments, who may have conflicting priories or agendas
- Experience of working with looked after children
- Experience of working with other vulnerable groups
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children
- Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with families
- Ability to work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness within staff group
- Ability to conduct mental health assessments of children and young people
- Ability to make an assessment of risk and to record and communicate it appropriately
- Ability to take appropriate action to mitigate or manage risk
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- Access to own transport or evidence of ability to commute efficiently between community venues.
- Ongoing commitment to maintain registration in core profession
- Willingness to study further if required
Desirable
- Ability to teach others about mental health issues
- Ability to conduct other group therapeutic interventions with children and their families
- Proven commitment to continuous professional development
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
