Job summary
We are looking for two enthusiastic, empathic and culturally intelligent Link workers to join a new pilot project in Ealing CAMHS to support children, young people and their families with their mental health support needs who do not meet CAMHS criteria through brief Dialog+ initial assessments, recovery focused interventions, additional referrals and signposting to resources and community assets in the borough. In addition, you will be supporting workshops in the community to raise mental health awareness and CAMHS services.
In the project we are focusing on embedding transcultural mental health care to ensure cultural needs are met of children, young people and their families and work in creative ways to make services, resources and support accessible to all.
If you passionate about improving mental health needs for children, young people and their families in holistic ways, this could be right opportunity for you.
You will receive clinical supervision, training, coaching and management support to ensure you will able to succeed successfully in your role. We are passionate about psychological safety, transcultural mental health care, anti-racism, compassionate leadership and personal development.
Main duties of the job
As a CAMHS Link Worker, your role is to promoting and improving health, wellbeing, and care outcomes for children and young people and their families who have been identified as needing additional support, including transitional from Children's Mental Health or other support services.
You will specialise in signposting and supporting with referrals to identified appropriate community resources, fostering autonomy and promoting independence, building on the individual's strengths and aiding in gaining skills and confidence in collaboratively identified areas of support, as well as escalating concerns should they arise. This includes providing Early Intervention strategies, using Dialog+ for initial assessment, signposting to ensure needs are met such further education, volunteering, and other life skills and encourage meaningful engagement within their local community.
You will be comfortable working both on your own and with others from a range of different backgrounds. You will need to be resilient, motivated, and committed to adapt to working in an ever-changing environment.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development appropriate to the role in order to ensure competency and the execution of best clinical practice.
Desirable
- NVQ level 3 or working towards an equivalent qualification in a relevant subject area or demonstrable equivalent experience.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of 1:1 client work.
- Experience of working or volunteering in mental health services.
- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across organisations.
Desirable
- Experience of working alongside or supervising volunteers.
- Experience of working in a community development context or similar.
- Experience and desire to work with children, young people and families.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of the local community.
- A good broad understanding of mental health challenges.
- A good awareness of different models of understanding of mental health.
- A good awareness of current issues in policy and practice in mental health.
- A good understanding of primary, secondary care and third sector mental health services.
- Thorough understanding of co-production and recovery principles.
- Thorough understanding of the principles of good customer service.
- Thorough understanding of good practice in person-centred client work.
- Thorough understanding of equal opportunities with particular emphasis on how it applies to users of mental health services.
- An understanding of the principles of good partnership working.
- Good level of computer skills with knowledge of Word and Excel and ability to input information, use an email system and produce simple plans/reports.
Desirable
- Cultural intelligence.
- Ability to speak one of the native languages from underrepresented communities in Ealing borough such as the Indian Punjabi, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Somali, Caribbean, African, Arab, Polish, Chinese, Travellers and Gypsy community, Carers Leavers.
- Knowledge of barriers of services.
- Knowledge of stigma, prejudice and discrimination around mental health.
- An understanding of faith- sensitive approach.
- An understanding of (systematic) racism within services.
- An understanding of (un) conscious bias.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to listen, empathise and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with strong interpersonal skills.
- Ability to take responsibility for key clients.
- Ability to produce written materials to a high standard, including assessments and minutes of meetings.
- Ability to communicate constructively and professionally with service users, staff, colleagues and external agencies.
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise workload on own initiative.
- Ability to work flexibly and cooperatively, balancing multiple responsibilities.
- Ability to handle formal and informal disputes and complaints constructively.
- Ability to manage your own stress in a busy and demanding environment.
- Ability to work independently and to utilise support effectively.
- Ability to work at evenings and weekends, sometimes at short notice, when required to meet work demands.
- Ability to implement equal opportunities through antidiscriminatory practice.
- Strengths-based recovery approach to client work and person centred practice.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to demonstrate personal accountability for your work to your manager.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development appropriate to the role in order to ensure competency and the execution of best clinical practice.
Desirable
- NVQ level 3 or working towards an equivalent qualification in a relevant subject area or demonstrable equivalent experience.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of 1:1 client work.
- Experience of working or volunteering in mental health services.
- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across organisations.
Desirable
- Experience of working alongside or supervising volunteers.
- Experience of working in a community development context or similar.
- Experience and desire to work with children, young people and families.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of the local community.
- A good broad understanding of mental health challenges.
- A good awareness of different models of understanding of mental health.
- A good awareness of current issues in policy and practice in mental health.
- A good understanding of primary, secondary care and third sector mental health services.
- Thorough understanding of co-production and recovery principles.
- Thorough understanding of the principles of good customer service.
- Thorough understanding of good practice in person-centred client work.
- Thorough understanding of equal opportunities with particular emphasis on how it applies to users of mental health services.
- An understanding of the principles of good partnership working.
- Good level of computer skills with knowledge of Word and Excel and ability to input information, use an email system and produce simple plans/reports.
Desirable
- Cultural intelligence.
- Ability to speak one of the native languages from underrepresented communities in Ealing borough such as the Indian Punjabi, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Somali, Caribbean, African, Arab, Polish, Chinese, Travellers and Gypsy community, Carers Leavers.
- Knowledge of barriers of services.
- Knowledge of stigma, prejudice and discrimination around mental health.
- An understanding of faith- sensitive approach.
- An understanding of (systematic) racism within services.
- An understanding of (un) conscious bias.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to listen, empathise and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with strong interpersonal skills.
- Ability to take responsibility for key clients.
- Ability to produce written materials to a high standard, including assessments and minutes of meetings.
- Ability to communicate constructively and professionally with service users, staff, colleagues and external agencies.
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise workload on own initiative.
- Ability to work flexibly and cooperatively, balancing multiple responsibilities.
- Ability to handle formal and informal disputes and complaints constructively.
- Ability to manage your own stress in a busy and demanding environment.
- Ability to work independently and to utilise support effectively.
- Ability to work at evenings and weekends, sometimes at short notice, when required to meet work demands.
- Ability to implement equal opportunities through antidiscriminatory practice.
- Strengths-based recovery approach to client work and person centred practice.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to demonstrate personal accountability for your work to your manager.
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.
