Senior / Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner

Job responsibilities

See attached Job description for full details.

Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide a high standard of clinical care to children, young people, their families and carers. Including the following;

provide advice, support and guidance on mental health to professionals, parents, carers and young people via the advice line

participate in the triage, screening and assessment of referrals made to CAMHS for appropriateness and onward signposting/referral as appropriate

Provide full assessment and appropriate follow up care via care planning and clinical pathways, individual and group interventions in partnership with young people/ families/carers and other workers involved in care delivery. This includes managing risk that may present and care planning accordingly.

Provide therapeutic interventions within relevant care pathways, including eating disorders.

Work with family/carer networks to ensure they are able to meet the needs of the child

Work collaboratively and promote effective working relationships both with members of the multi-disciplinary team and other agencies caring for and supporting children and young people

Participate in the planning, delivery and evaluation of group interventions.

Provide support, advice, consultation and training to partnership agencies.

Work in accordance with relevant childcare, health legislation and professional standards in partnership with wider childrens services and fully engage with safeguarding, single assessment and other processes which requires working together with other agencies.

Adhere to Navigo Policies in consideration of children in need and safeguarding issues and in maintaining accurate and effective written records.

Provide a professional, non-stigmatising service to children and families.

Work closely with other colleagues within the service to enable effective transitions to and from other areas.

Ensure best practice by incorporating NICE guidance and meeting healthcare standards.

Use outcome measures to evidence effectiveness of treatment provided.

Chair both clinical and non-clinical meetings as required.

Propose changes and developments to service delivery and contribute to policy discussions at both team and service level.

Actively participate in the delivery of training opportunities for both staff and students.

To be able to travel independently without the use of public transport and work flexibly.

Manage caseload and service delivery in accordance with and in order to contribute towards the attainment of the Service productivity requirements, including waiting times, prioritising work as required.

Participate in all clinical governance and audit developments including post registration education, training and continuing professional development.

Develop band 5 / junior staff and provide supervision/line management on all of the above.

Participate in both receiving and giving management and clinical supervision.

Communication and relationship skills

Always act in a dignified and responsible manner with service users, families/carers and colleagues, using appropriate language and communication skills, which acknowledge barriers to understanding, cultural differences and diversity.

To provide supportive and sensitive communication, written and verbal advice to service users, families/carers and staff, whilst demonstrating an understanding of the nature and effects of some information and of barriers to effective communication e .g, sensory or cognitive impairment and unrealistic expectations whilst being considerate of client confidentiality.

Develop and maintain communication (sensitive, complex and contentious) with other teams and/or external agencies, in order to promote good care.

To confidently convey complex written and verbal information on both clinical and non-clinical issues and to support the development of these skills with individuals within the team.

Acting as an advocate, support service users and their families/carers through their care programme both physically and psychologically to achieve expected outcomes, explaining care, treatment, and associated risks (complex information)

Provide and receive complex information where persuasive, motivational, negotiating, empathic and re-assurance skills are required to support service users through their recovery period.

Maintain strict confidentiality of complex and sensitive service user information at all times.

Provide teaching and workshop sessions to universal services, children and young people and families/carers.

Knowledge

Essential

• Expert knowledge of Child Care legislation, Safeguarding, Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act.
• Comprehensive knowledge of clinical/risk assessment and understanding of Information Governance principles.
• Excellent knowledge of current local and national strategies concerning CAMHS, Childrens Services and mental health.
• Excellent understanding of child and adolescent development and its possible impact on emotional well-being.

Desirable

• Understanding of developmental trauma and the impact on child development.
• Knowledge of trauma informed approaches.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered with a professional body e.g. NMC, UKCP, HCPC, BACP.
• Recognised Professional Qualification in
• Nursing (RNMH,RNLD) or RN (child) / RSCN with evidence of specialised continued professional training in clinical practice.
• Social Work (CQSW, DipSW)
• Occupational Therapy
• Or other relevant qualification e.g. IAPT qualification, Counselling, Psychotherapy with related CAMHS experience

Desirable

• Therapeutic training/qualification eg CBT, DBT, IPT, EMDR, DDP, theraplay.
• Mentorship or similar qualification in supporting students in practice.
• Evidence of specialised continued professional training in clinical practice.
• Post registration training in supervision.

Experience

Essential

• Relevant post-registration experience of working with people with mental health needs, including those with severe and enduring mental ill health.
• Experience of using evidence-based practice.
• Experience of building strong therapeutic relationships with children, young people, families and carers.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary setting

Desirable

• Experience of assessment, formulation, management and delivery of therapy to children, young people experiencing mental health difficulties in community settings.
• Experience of managing and developing staff including providing management and/or clinical supervision.

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Ability to work in partnership with universal services to provide the best possible outcomes for children and young people.
• Ability to work both as a member of a team and autonomously and to manage own and other colleagues anxieties.
• Highly developed communication skills.
• Highly motivated and able to engage with service users and carers to improve outcomes.
• Ability to meet agreed/ specified service targets.
• Ability to delegate whilst maintaining overall responsibility for service users care, where appropriate.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).