Job summary
22.5 hours per week.
In 2017, the Government published its green paper for transforming children and young people's mental health,which detailed proposals for expanding access to mental health care for children and young people.
The proposals were focused on providing additional support through schools and colleges and reducing waiting times for treatment.
In 2019 Livewell Southwest piloted the Mental Health Support Team in Plymouth and due to recent funding we are in a position to expand our team. We are looking for a dedicated and creative support worker to help deliver our Whole School Approach across the city.
This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route; please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility.
Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.
Main duties of the job
The educational Mental Health Support Workers will work alongside the Educational Mental Health Practitioners in delivering the Whole School Approach, as well group work, workshops, and training. You will also be responsible for offering and supporting young people and families on our waiting list with our, Self Help Guides. There will also be opportunities for you to support the 1:1 delivery of CBT and embedding any skills taught in sessions.
The post holder is responsible for supporting the emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing of children and young people with a drive for early intervention, enabling cultural change in the way first contact services can support children and young people with mental health problems. In line The Transforming Children and Young Peoples mental health provision the Green Paper outlined objectives for children's services the post holder will actively promote resilience, prevention and early intervention.
The post holder will support the consultation process to the network or directly to the child, young person and their family. The post holder will be have an identified role as directed by senior practitioners, in further assessment, targeted intervention or group work that would meet the needs of the child or young person.
This role will require the post holder to have confidence in delivering group work, training as well as individual. The will need to have good communication and time management.
About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social
enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across
Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of
Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports
centres, and health hubs.
As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and
collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while
empowering staff and those we serve.
We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in
shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right
time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead
healthy, independent lives.
We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training
pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care
Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship
programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.
Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all
sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental
health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the
application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work as part of the Mental health Support Team in Schools (MHST) to work with children and young people who may present with emotional health and wellbeing and mild emerging mental health difficulties.
To support the delivery of evidence based targeted interventions in a timely manner
To contribute to the gathering of relevant and appropriate information prior to MHST assessment to ensure that the assessing clinician has the information to support the assessment process.
Co-delivery of group based, needs let groups within the school and community setting. To support drop in sessions, deliver assemblies and small group sessions to promote well-being and increase resilience.
To support the delivery of evidence based parenting programmes for children and young people with mental health issues.
Where appropriate represent MHST in multi-agency meetings such as EHAT, EHCP meetings or child in Need/child protection meetings to share and gather relevant information
To function as a member of the MHST taking appropriate responsibility for the implementation of decisions made by the team.
Ensure planned interventions are implemented effectively and evaluated using Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROMS)
Participate in the delivery of training programmes for schools and community services from a portfolio of available MHST training
Maintain standards of care to highest level within available resources.
To actively participate in line management with senior and junior members of staff.
To liaise effectively with the other teams across the city.
To develop and maintain effective relationship with CAMHS
To develop and maintain relationships with providers statutory and non-statutory.
To maintain confidentiality in respect of the young people at all times.
Communicate clearly with children and young people, their families and all other health professional groups about their health problems.
Actively participate in clinical governance and quality improvement initiatives, e.g. clinical audit, essence of care or clinical policy development.
Ensure that children and young people are encouraged to play a part in decision making about the help they need and how they can access specific interventions. This is to promote person-centred planning.
Knowledge, Training and Experience:
- The post holder will be responsible for updating their own practice, knowledge and skills within their sphere of practice including Livewell Southwest mandatory training.
- Knowledge of Policy and legislation.
- Knowledge of Mental Health and Mental Health service delivery.
- Knowledge of the principles of the CYP IAPT programme and a willingness to undertake training.
Analytical and Judgmental Skills:
- Good ability to know when to involve senior staff in a child or young persons care and share relevant information
Planning and Organisational Skills:
- Liaise with other services to arrange appointments that both meet the needs of child or young person and service demands.
Physical Skills:
- Confidence to travel in an urban environment
- Competent key board skills
- Ability to take accurate physical observations i.e. blood pressure, pulse and temperature.
Responsibilities:
- Support the community assessment process.
- Undertake allocated tasks to support clinical decision-making of other team members in the provision of children and young peoples care packages.
- Ensure the on-going effective use of routine outcome monitoring in line with CYP IAPT.
- Provide education to children, young people and their families to enhance their knowledge of mental health issues and management of this.
- Promote resilience and prevention of mental health issues.
- Maintain high standards of clinical care to children, young people and their families.
- To liaise and work with other teams to ensure the needs of children and met by the right team, on the right pathway at the right time.
Responsibility for Policy and Service Development
- Implement all appropriate National, Livewell Southwest and Local policies and protocols.
Responsibilities for Human Resources:
- Have the ability to challenge staff where the standard falls below expectations.
- The post holder will behave in a manner that does not bring the Team or Livewell Southwest into disrepute.
Responsibility for Information Resources:
- Responsible for Systm1 contacts Maintain accurate, timely and electronic records. Ensure they are kept safely in accordance with Livewell Southwest policy.
Responsibility for Research and Development:
- Provide a positive role in clinical audit and service evaluation to ensure high levels of clinical effectiveness.
Freedom to Act:
- The post holder will be individually accountable for their practice
- The post holder will actively participate in line management supervision with the Team Manager of the Team.
- The post holder will actively participate in clinical supervision in accordance with Livewell Southwest policy.
- The post holder will actively participate in the Livewell Southwest appraisal system and provide appraisals for junior staff.
- The post holder will carry out other duties commensurate with the position as required.
Mental Effort:
- Accurate manual and electronic record keeping whilst coping with constant interruptions and distraction in the work place for example: telephone calls and questions from colleagues.
Physical Effort:
- Ability to navigate around community sites, which may involve using stairs.
- Home visits to multi-occupied buildings, some without lifts.
- Frequent driving to different areas of the city.
- Sitting at a computer terminal for long periods of time.
Emotional Effort:
- Ability to deal with children and young people with emerging mental health difficulties.
- People who self-harm.
- People who are presenting in distress or with distressing thoughts and behaviours.
- People who are very difficult to engage within a therapeutic relationship.
- Ability to cope with stress generated from the constant changing priorities within the Team.
- Ability to make clinical decisions to meet the needs of children and young people in the school/community setting.
Working Conditions:
As this is a community post, it will involve working in a variety of different environments and will require the post holder must have the ability to adapt to these settings.
- Team office
- Revive
- GP surgeries/community settings.
- Schools
- Patients home
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work as part of the Mental health Support Team in Schools (MHST) to work with children and young people who may present with emotional health and wellbeing and mild emerging mental health difficulties.
To support the delivery of evidence based targeted interventions in a timely manner
To contribute to the gathering of relevant and appropriate information prior to MHST assessment to ensure that the assessing clinician has the information to support the assessment process.
Co-delivery of group based, needs let groups within the school and community setting. To support drop in sessions, deliver assemblies and small group sessions to promote well-being and increase resilience.
To support the delivery of evidence based parenting programmes for children and young people with mental health issues.
Where appropriate represent MHST in multi-agency meetings such as EHAT, EHCP meetings or child in Need/child protection meetings to share and gather relevant information
To function as a member of the MHST taking appropriate responsibility for the implementation of decisions made by the team.
Ensure planned interventions are implemented effectively and evaluated using Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROMS)
Participate in the delivery of training programmes for schools and community services from a portfolio of available MHST training
Maintain standards of care to highest level within available resources.
To actively participate in line management with senior and junior members of staff.
To liaise effectively with the other teams across the city.
To develop and maintain effective relationship with CAMHS
To develop and maintain relationships with providers statutory and non-statutory.
To maintain confidentiality in respect of the young people at all times.
Communicate clearly with children and young people, their families and all other health professional groups about their health problems.
Actively participate in clinical governance and quality improvement initiatives, e.g. clinical audit, essence of care or clinical policy development.
Ensure that children and young people are encouraged to play a part in decision making about the help they need and how they can access specific interventions. This is to promote person-centred planning.
Knowledge, Training and Experience:
- The post holder will be responsible for updating their own practice, knowledge and skills within their sphere of practice including Livewell Southwest mandatory training.
- Knowledge of Policy and legislation.
- Knowledge of Mental Health and Mental Health service delivery.
- Knowledge of the principles of the CYP IAPT programme and a willingness to undertake training.
Analytical and Judgmental Skills:
- Good ability to know when to involve senior staff in a child or young persons care and share relevant information
Planning and Organisational Skills:
- Liaise with other services to arrange appointments that both meet the needs of child or young person and service demands.
Physical Skills:
- Confidence to travel in an urban environment
- Competent key board skills
- Ability to take accurate physical observations i.e. blood pressure, pulse and temperature.
Responsibilities:
- Support the community assessment process.
- Undertake allocated tasks to support clinical decision-making of other team members in the provision of children and young peoples care packages.
- Ensure the on-going effective use of routine outcome monitoring in line with CYP IAPT.
- Provide education to children, young people and their families to enhance their knowledge of mental health issues and management of this.
- Promote resilience and prevention of mental health issues.
- Maintain high standards of clinical care to children, young people and their families.
- To liaise and work with other teams to ensure the needs of children and met by the right team, on the right pathway at the right time.
Responsibility for Policy and Service Development
- Implement all appropriate National, Livewell Southwest and Local policies and protocols.
Responsibilities for Human Resources:
- Have the ability to challenge staff where the standard falls below expectations.
- The post holder will behave in a manner that does not bring the Team or Livewell Southwest into disrepute.
Responsibility for Information Resources:
- Responsible for Systm1 contacts Maintain accurate, timely and electronic records. Ensure they are kept safely in accordance with Livewell Southwest policy.
Responsibility for Research and Development:
- Provide a positive role in clinical audit and service evaluation to ensure high levels of clinical effectiveness.
Freedom to Act:
- The post holder will be individually accountable for their practice
- The post holder will actively participate in line management supervision with the Team Manager of the Team.
- The post holder will actively participate in clinical supervision in accordance with Livewell Southwest policy.
- The post holder will actively participate in the Livewell Southwest appraisal system and provide appraisals for junior staff.
- The post holder will carry out other duties commensurate with the position as required.
Mental Effort:
- Accurate manual and electronic record keeping whilst coping with constant interruptions and distraction in the work place for example: telephone calls and questions from colleagues.
Physical Effort:
- Ability to navigate around community sites, which may involve using stairs.
- Home visits to multi-occupied buildings, some without lifts.
- Frequent driving to different areas of the city.
- Sitting at a computer terminal for long periods of time.
Emotional Effort:
- Ability to deal with children and young people with emerging mental health difficulties.
- People who self-harm.
- People who are presenting in distress or with distressing thoughts and behaviours.
- People who are very difficult to engage within a therapeutic relationship.
- Ability to cope with stress generated from the constant changing priorities within the Team.
- Ability to make clinical decisions to meet the needs of children and young people in the school/community setting.
Working Conditions:
As this is a community post, it will involve working in a variety of different environments and will require the post holder must have the ability to adapt to these settings.
- Team office
- Revive
- GP surgeries/community settings.
- Schools
- Patients home
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational Qualification level 3 or equivalent level of relevant study.
- Maths & English GCSE Grades 4 and above or equivalent
- Ability to communicate effectively with young people and their families/carers, who are experiencing mental health problems in the community setting.
- Some experience/ability in communicating with other professionals from the multidisciplinary team and professionals from other health settings and agencies.
- Team player.
- Caring and supportive attitude, but with the ability to be firm.
- Good communication skills.
- Clear accurate record keeping.
- Computer literate.
- Understanding of Cognitive behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Desirable
- Experience of delivery of group work
Experience
Essential
- A background of working in a care setting and/or a desire to undertake a career in psychiatry. Previous experience of working with young people in a professional/voluntary capacity.
Other requirements
Essential
- All applicants for this post will be expected to supply evidence of their competence to communicate in English to the standard required by the post for which they are applying.
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of professional boundaries.
- Understanding of confidentiality.
- Knowledge and/or awareness of mental health problems.
- Knowledge of own limitations.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational Qualification level 3 or equivalent level of relevant study.
- Maths & English GCSE Grades 4 and above or equivalent
- Ability to communicate effectively with young people and their families/carers, who are experiencing mental health problems in the community setting.
- Some experience/ability in communicating with other professionals from the multidisciplinary team and professionals from other health settings and agencies.
- Team player.
- Caring and supportive attitude, but with the ability to be firm.
- Good communication skills.
- Clear accurate record keeping.
- Computer literate.
- Understanding of Cognitive behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Desirable
- Experience of delivery of group work
Experience
Essential
- A background of working in a care setting and/or a desire to undertake a career in psychiatry. Previous experience of working with young people in a professional/voluntary capacity.
Other requirements
Essential
- All applicants for this post will be expected to supply evidence of their competence to communicate in English to the standard required by the post for which they are applying.
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of professional boundaries.
- Understanding of confidentiality.
- Knowledge and/or awareness of mental health problems.
- Knowledge of own limitations.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
