East London NHS Foundation Trust

Senior LAC (Looked after children) CAMHS Practitioner

The closing date is 28 Tachwedd 2025

Job summary

Senior LAC (Looked after children) CAMHS Practitioner (Fixed term for 6 months, Maternity cover)Bedfordshire and Luton CAMHS Looked after Children team

We are excited to be recruiting into a Band 7 post for senior LAC CAMHS practitioner to in Bedfordshire and Luton CAMHS Looked After Children's Team. The post is a 6 month fixed term post to cover Maternity leave in the team. We are looking for someone to join us who has passion and experience of working with looked after children and able to contribute positively to the growing team.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a dynamic and highly motivated individual, with a strong professional identity to work as part of an integrated multi-disciplinary team. You will work with children and adolescents who have highly complex and persistent mental health difficulties, using evidence based practice to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions. You will provide a range of highly skilled therapeutic trauma-informed interventions, which will be delivered on an individual, group or family basis, provide consultations to social workers/foster carers, provide support to professional networks working with the children in care, and share specialist skills to the multi-disciplinary team.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Details

Date posted

19 Tachwedd 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-SSLB7601866

Job locations

North Beds CAMHS

9 Rush Court

Bedford

MK40 3JT


Job description

Job responsibilities

The post will be based in Luton and will support the recently expanded offer to include Luton CAMHS. We aim to build upon a service which is established within Bedford and Dunstable. The team works with looked after children including those placed on SGO orders and Unaccompanied asylum seeking children. There are many opportunities for development with the team and being a part of a wider collaborative CAMHS service.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post will be based in Luton and will support the recently expanded offer to include Luton CAMHS. We aim to build upon a service which is established within Bedford and Dunstable. The team works with looked after children including those placed on SGO orders and Unaccompanied asylum seeking children. There are many opportunities for development with the team and being a part of a wider collaborative CAMHS service.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

  • A qualification in Child Psychotherapy, Clinical or Counselling Psychology, Occupational therapy, Family Therapy, Social Work or Nursing & Registration Please do not apply for this role if you do not have one of the qualifications listed above Nursing oRegistered Mental Health/Learning Disabilities Nurse oRelevant post-graduate qualification in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Substance mis-use or equivalent (e.g. ENB 603) Social Work oRecognized Social Work qualification such as Diploma in Social Work with an MA in Social Studies, or Degree level Social Work qualification or CQSW. Clinical psychology oPostgraduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) Family Therapy oQualification in appropriate mental health/social welfare profession such as Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Nursing or Counselling oMasters or Doctoral level qualification in Systemic Psychotherapy or AFT agreed equivalent oUKCP Registered Child Psychotherapy oHonours degree. Postgraduate Diploma/MA in Psychoanalytical Observational Studies or recognised equivalent. Masters in Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy: Child and Adolescent. oRegistered member of ACP Counselling Psychology oPostgraduate Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to Doctorate program introduced) oRegistration with HCPC Occupational Therapy oDiploma or degree in Occupational Therapy oState Registration oFieldwork educator training oExperience of CPD and role development activities oSensory Integration Training

Experience

Essential

  • Previous 12 months experience of working in CAMHS
  • Experience of working with a wide range of CAMHS problems
  • Experience of care planning
  • Experience of working in a culturally diverse Inner city area
  • Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary way
  • Experience in crisis work

Desirable

  • Experience in working with children and young people looked after and the care system in their mode of therapy.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Evidence of well-developed clinical skills and knowledge in CAMHS
  • Skilled in emergency and crisis assessments
  • Specialist clinical skills within in specific therapeutic modalities
  • Able to manage own time and caseload
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills Evidence of ability to lead, support and influence others
  • Able to work effectively across organisational boundaries
  • A high degree of self-awareness and an ability to reflect on personal and professional attitudes and accept feedback
  • Awareness of current national guidelines and policies in the field of CAMHS
  • Specific knowledge of pertinent issues for CAMHS
  • In depth knowledge of CAMHS issues including assessment and interventions
  • Knowledge of The Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007) and associated legislation
  • Knowledge of the Children's Act and other appropriate legislation
  • Knowledge of standard setting and audit implementation
  • An awareness of different research methods
  • A working knowledge of Child Protection Guidelines
  • Teaching skills, both in clinical setting and education centres
  • Basic computer skills

Desirable

  • Knowledge of development in inter agency partnership
Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

  • A qualification in Child Psychotherapy, Clinical or Counselling Psychology, Occupational therapy, Family Therapy, Social Work or Nursing & Registration Please do not apply for this role if you do not have one of the qualifications listed above Nursing oRegistered Mental Health/Learning Disabilities Nurse oRelevant post-graduate qualification in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Substance mis-use or equivalent (e.g. ENB 603) Social Work oRecognized Social Work qualification such as Diploma in Social Work with an MA in Social Studies, or Degree level Social Work qualification or CQSW. Clinical psychology oPostgraduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) Family Therapy oQualification in appropriate mental health/social welfare profession such as Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Nursing or Counselling oMasters or Doctoral level qualification in Systemic Psychotherapy or AFT agreed equivalent oUKCP Registered Child Psychotherapy oHonours degree. Postgraduate Diploma/MA in Psychoanalytical Observational Studies or recognised equivalent. Masters in Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy: Child and Adolescent. oRegistered member of ACP Counselling Psychology oPostgraduate Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to Doctorate program introduced) oRegistration with HCPC Occupational Therapy oDiploma or degree in Occupational Therapy oState Registration oFieldwork educator training oExperience of CPD and role development activities oSensory Integration Training

Experience

Essential

  • Previous 12 months experience of working in CAMHS
  • Experience of working with a wide range of CAMHS problems
  • Experience of care planning
  • Experience of working in a culturally diverse Inner city area
  • Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary way
  • Experience in crisis work

Desirable

  • Experience in working with children and young people looked after and the care system in their mode of therapy.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Evidence of well-developed clinical skills and knowledge in CAMHS
  • Skilled in emergency and crisis assessments
  • Specialist clinical skills within in specific therapeutic modalities
  • Able to manage own time and caseload
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills Evidence of ability to lead, support and influence others
  • Able to work effectively across organisational boundaries
  • A high degree of self-awareness and an ability to reflect on personal and professional attitudes and accept feedback
  • Awareness of current national guidelines and policies in the field of CAMHS
  • Specific knowledge of pertinent issues for CAMHS
  • In depth knowledge of CAMHS issues including assessment and interventions
  • Knowledge of The Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007) and associated legislation
  • Knowledge of the Children's Act and other appropriate legislation
  • Knowledge of standard setting and audit implementation
  • An awareness of different research methods
  • A working knowledge of Child Protection Guidelines
  • Teaching skills, both in clinical setting and education centres
  • Basic computer skills

Desirable

  • Knowledge of development in inter agency partnership

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

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

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

North Beds CAMHS

9 Rush Court

Bedford

MK40 3JT


Employer's website

https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

North Beds CAMHS

9 Rush Court

Bedford

MK40 3JT


Employer's website

https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Team Lead

Katelina Fusco

katelina.fusco@nhs.net

01234893300

Details

Date posted

19 Tachwedd 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-SSLB7601866

Job locations

North Beds CAMHS

9 Rush Court

Bedford

MK40 3JT


Supporting documents

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