Trainee Children's Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP)

Job description

Job responsibilities

Trainee Chilren's Wellbeing Practitioner

Role Description

Responsible to: Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Salary: NHS Band 4 FTE (£32,199), inclusive of Outer London Weighting

Annual Leave: Pro rata of 28 days per annum (plus bank holidays)

Hours: Full-time (35 hpw) Occasional evening work and attendance at Saturday meetings (currently 2 times p.a.) for which TOIL will be given

Location: Across our borough based services in Croydon, Sutton and Merton

Croydon 72 Queens Road, Croydon CR0 2PR

Merton Vestry Hall, 336 London Rd, Mitcham CR4 3UD

Sutton 172 Croydon Road, Beddington CR0 4PG

Croydon 678 London Road, CR7 7HU

Job Summary:This is a training role within the Children and Young People's Psychological Trainings programme (CYP-PT). The post-holder will work within a CYP mental health service that is focussed on outreach to the community. Trainees will be delivering, under supervision, high-quality; brief outcome focused evidence-based interventions and guided self-help for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties within the community.

The training and service experience will equip the post holder with the necessary knowledge, attitude and capabilities to operate effectively in an inclusive, value driven service.

DUTIES:

This is a training position post holder will undertake training at Kings College London alongside working in service for Off The Record. They will be taught to deliver evidence based guided self-help interventions for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. The post holder will use their newly developed skills to support children and young people who are referred into the service and trainees will receive supervision to support their professional development.

Applicants will need to be ready to start work in early/mid-January 2026 and posts cannot be offered to candidates unless they can guarantee this start date.

Shortlisted candidates will also need to submit an application form to KCL for a place on the postgraduate Diploma in Child Wellbeing Practice. The application form details are attached/linked below and will need to be completed at the same time as your application for a post.

1. To offer a range of flexible, compassionate and engaging mental health interventions for young people within our community services, including individual support, group work, counselling and psycho-educational work

2.Work in partnership with children, young people and families in the development of plans for the intervention and agreed outcome

3.Support and empower children, young people and families to make informed choices about the intervention

4. To monitor the effectiveness of interventions offered through the routine use of outcome monitoring tools reviewed directly with young people

5. Working with other staff across Off the Record to identify new areas for development, creativity and innovation within our existing services, researching unmet need and developing new responses.

6. To maintain high levels of safeguarding awareness and to respond to risk and safeguarding issues as they arise whilst respecting the young person's autonomy wherever possible.

7. To maintain accurate and up to date records of all work delivered on relevant data systems and to contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of our services

8. To ensure young people's voices are always central to service developments and contributing to young peoples participation and engagement activities in the charity

9. Undertaking direct promotion and publicity of the charity's services to young people, communities and professionals

10. To attend regular clinical and line management supervision and to attend other team/charity meetings as appropriate including occasional Saturday meetings/training days

11. To actively implement the charity's equalities and diversity & user engagement policies.

12. Any other tasks, not listed here, but deemed necessary and in the interest of the charity

Training and Supervision

13. Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post including practical, academic and practice-based assessments and assignments to successfully complete the PG Diploma as part of becoming a fully qualified CWP

14. As well as attendance at the University for training, fulfil private study requirements to enhance learning and prepare assignments for examination, for at least one day a week.

15. Apply learning from the training program directly to practice through the course. Receive practice tutoring from educational and clinical providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards.

16. Prepare and present case load information to supervisors within the service on an agreed and scheduled basis, in order to ensure safe practice and the governance obligations of the trainee, supervisor and service are delivered.

17. Prepare and present case load information to supervisors within the service on an agreed and scheduled basis, in order to ensure safe practice and the governance obligations of the trainee, supervisor and service are delivered.

18. Engage in and respond to personal development supervision to improve competences and practice

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Relevant professional experience in CYP Mental Health or Mentorship
• Knowledge of children and young people gained through academic study in child development, child wellbeing or mental health
• Awareness of safeguarding responsibilities and the issues related to delivering services to young people under 16
• A working understanding of the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion and a commitment to providing an inclusive, culturally sensitive service, including LGBTQ and neuro-diverse young people and those with disabilities

Qualifications

Essential

• Undergraduate degree, upper second class or above, in Psychology OR related subject e.g., Psychology, Education, Childhood development, Social Work etc, OR any subject with further training or experience in a relevant field e.g., Teaching or TA, Learning Support, HCA, Youth Work, Counselling etc

Skills and attitudes

Essential

• Very strong ability to actively engage with a wide range of young people and an understanding of the issues young people face in their lives.
• Excellent core engagement and interpersonal skills and an ability to work consistently with high levels of empathy, warmth and unconditional positive regard.
• Commitment to working collaboratively with young people as full partners in any approach and to supporting user engagement in Off the Record
• Ability to maintain accurate records and statistics including database entry
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries whilst responding to complex ethical dilemmas
• Ability to work as part of a team and to attend and contribute to team and agency meetings

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Off The Record Youth Counselling Croydon

Address

Off The Record Youth Counselling

72 Queens Road

Croydon

CR0 2PR

Employer's website

https://www.talkofftherecord.org/ (Opens in a new tab)