East London NHS Foundation Trust

Highly Specialist Mental Health Practitioner FDT

The closing date is 28 December 2025

Job summary

We are seeking an enthusiastic and creative Highly Specialist Mental Health Practitioner with CAMHS

experience to come and work in the socially and ethnically diverse borough of Newham.

This post will include the provision of specialist CAMHS advice/consultation and mental health assessment, specialised clinical interventions and liaison with other agencies.

The role is to assist with the coordination of the Newham CAMHS Front Door Team, which will include Clinical Supervision, Line management Supervision, referral management, pathway development in partnership with the leads of this pathway, and conduct Front Door Triage Assessments. There will also be an opportunity to provide brief interventions and co-facilitate Psychoeducational/therapeutic Groups.

Main duties of the job

Newham CAMHS is a large and vibrant specialist child and adolescent mental health service with a reputation for innovation and flexibility in meeting the complex mental health support needs of Newham's children, young people and families. It is centrally located on one site in Plaistow, Newham, and provides an extensive and growing range of services including multi-disciplinary specialist teams such as the Emotional & Behavioural Teams, Adolescent Mental Health Team, Pediatrics Liaison Team, Neurodevelopmental Team, Looked After Children Team and Social Care/Families First Team. There is a broad spectrum of disciplines (approximately 130 whole time equivalent clinical staff) and a long tradition of effective multidisciplinary and interagency working. The service undertakes considerable outreach and consultation work and runs a rolling training programme for Tier 1 workers.

Please see the attached full job description to review the essentials and desirables for this role

Please contact Loveness Kanzara if you have any questions related to this post loveness.kanzara@nhs.net

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

17 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£61,631 to £68,623 a year per annum Inc HCA

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-SS7654350

Job locations

Newham CAMHS

411 Barking Road

London

E13 8AL


Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Relationships:

Clinical Team Leads, FDT

Children, young people and their families

General Manager CAMHS

CAMHS Senior Management Group

Multidisciplinary colleagues in CAMHS

Other professionals working with children and young people in social services, health, education, youth justice system and the voluntary sector

Trust corporate departments including Human Resources, Training and Development, IM&T etc

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Relationships:

Clinical Team Leads, FDT

Children, young people and their families

General Manager CAMHS

CAMHS Senior Management Group

Multidisciplinary colleagues in CAMHS

Other professionals working with children and young people in social services, health, education, youth justice system and the voluntary sector

Trust corporate departments including Human Resources, Training and Development, IM&T etc

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

  • Qualification in appropriate mental health/social welfare profession such: Family & Systemic Psychotherapist / Clinical Psychologist / Counselling Psychologist / Occupational Therapist / Clinical Nurse Specialist (Mental Health) / Social Worker
  • Appropriate level of qualification for your profession e.g. BSc, Masters or Doctoral level
  • Registration with your appropriate body (e.g. UKCP, NMC, HCPC etc.)
  • Evidence of continuous and relevant professional training and development (CPD), as appropriate with qualification period

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial experience in relevant profession at Band 7 or 8a
  • Substantial experience in delivering specialist level mental health interventions in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
  • Substantial experience in CAMHS
  • Substantial experience of working with complex networks
  • Substantial experience of working with children with challenging behaviour, their families and wider networks
  • Substantial experience of working with a wide variety of patient/client groups across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
  • Substantial experience of working with children and young people in an emotionally demanding environment
  • Substantial experience with working with children and young people and their families in a therapeutic context
  • Substantial experience of working with children, young people and families in emotional crisis
  • Knowledge and experience with working with safeguarding issues and serious mental health problems, including challenging behaviour
  • Substantial experience of risk assessment and risk management
  • Substantial experience of providing consultation in the multi-agency context
  • Substantial experience in working in a complex multi-disciplinary context
  • Experience, skills and flexibility to contribute to and facilitate effective working within a multi-disciplinary team setting

Desirable

  • Experience/knowledge of working in a multi-ethnic community and of working with interpreters
  • Experience of teaching and training Experience of working with families in severe crisis

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Highly specialist skills in the use of complex methods of CAMHS assessment and treatment of individuals, couples, families and groups, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
  • A highly specialist level of clinical skill
  • Highly specialist skills in applying theory to work with individuals, couples, families, groups and organisations
  • A highly specialist level of ability to provide services in the complex community environment, to meet the needs of clients and families
  • Highly specialist skills in providing consultations in the multi-agency context
  • Ability to provide services in the school environment, to meet the needs of clients and contracted work.
  • Ability to multi-task, prioritise and work flexibly according to need
  • Ability to communicate distressing and unwelcome information to children, adolescents and their families
  • Ability to work with a racially and culturally diverse community in a wide variety of contexts including highly specialist skills for working therapeutically in family homes
  • Ability to deal sensitively with stressful situations including:- ostaff and /or organisational problems ochild abuse ofamily breakdown oserious mental ill health and risk of self-harm
  • Ability to cope with verbal abuse and to recognise and diffuse potential physical abuse from clients.
  • Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team
  • Ability to work flexibly across service boundaries and CAMHS Tiers
  • Highly specialist skills and ability to liaise effectively with other agencies and professionals
  • Ability to use supervision effectively

Desirable

  • An interest of developing expertise in school-based CAMHS work.
  • Well-developed skills to communicate effectively, orally and in writing at an age appropriate level, complex, highly technical and /or clinically sensitive information to children, adolescents, their families, carers and professionals within and outside the NHS including reports for the Courts

Other

Essential

  • Knowledge of research methodology consistent with and relevant to CAMHS practice
  • Evidence of continuing professional development as required by professional guidelines
  • Knowledge of and skill in using a wide variety of CAMH theories and interventions and the ability to use these appropriately in relation to client need and work setting
  • Sufficient knowledge of other modalities to engage appropriately with colleagues and their work with clients
  • Knowledge of child development/ mental health issues
  • Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation , and ethical issues, including The Children Act, and strategic frameworks and their implications for both clinical practice and professional management
  • Knowledge of current developments in therapy with children and adolescents with serious mental health problems
  • Knowledge, understanding and experience with diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and families with a high level of deprivation
  • Knowledge of current development in CAMHS

Desirable

  • Knowledge of current guidelines and recommendations of assessment and treatment of adolescents with psychotic breakdown and illness, serious clinical depression with risks of self-harm and suicide, with severe eating disorders and of adolescents who abuse drugs and are dangerous and acting out.
Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

  • Qualification in appropriate mental health/social welfare profession such: Family & Systemic Psychotherapist / Clinical Psychologist / Counselling Psychologist / Occupational Therapist / Clinical Nurse Specialist (Mental Health) / Social Worker
  • Appropriate level of qualification for your profession e.g. BSc, Masters or Doctoral level
  • Registration with your appropriate body (e.g. UKCP, NMC, HCPC etc.)
  • Evidence of continuous and relevant professional training and development (CPD), as appropriate with qualification period

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial experience in relevant profession at Band 7 or 8a
  • Substantial experience in delivering specialist level mental health interventions in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
  • Substantial experience in CAMHS
  • Substantial experience of working with complex networks
  • Substantial experience of working with children with challenging behaviour, their families and wider networks
  • Substantial experience of working with a wide variety of patient/client groups across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
  • Substantial experience of working with children and young people in an emotionally demanding environment
  • Substantial experience with working with children and young people and their families in a therapeutic context
  • Substantial experience of working with children, young people and families in emotional crisis
  • Knowledge and experience with working with safeguarding issues and serious mental health problems, including challenging behaviour
  • Substantial experience of risk assessment and risk management
  • Substantial experience of providing consultation in the multi-agency context
  • Substantial experience in working in a complex multi-disciplinary context
  • Experience, skills and flexibility to contribute to and facilitate effective working within a multi-disciplinary team setting

Desirable

  • Experience/knowledge of working in a multi-ethnic community and of working with interpreters
  • Experience of teaching and training Experience of working with families in severe crisis

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Highly specialist skills in the use of complex methods of CAMHS assessment and treatment of individuals, couples, families and groups, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
  • A highly specialist level of clinical skill
  • Highly specialist skills in applying theory to work with individuals, couples, families, groups and organisations
  • A highly specialist level of ability to provide services in the complex community environment, to meet the needs of clients and families
  • Highly specialist skills in providing consultations in the multi-agency context
  • Ability to provide services in the school environment, to meet the needs of clients and contracted work.
  • Ability to multi-task, prioritise and work flexibly according to need
  • Ability to communicate distressing and unwelcome information to children, adolescents and their families
  • Ability to work with a racially and culturally diverse community in a wide variety of contexts including highly specialist skills for working therapeutically in family homes
  • Ability to deal sensitively with stressful situations including:- ostaff and /or organisational problems ochild abuse ofamily breakdown oserious mental ill health and risk of self-harm
  • Ability to cope with verbal abuse and to recognise and diffuse potential physical abuse from clients.
  • Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team
  • Ability to work flexibly across service boundaries and CAMHS Tiers
  • Highly specialist skills and ability to liaise effectively with other agencies and professionals
  • Ability to use supervision effectively

Desirable

  • An interest of developing expertise in school-based CAMHS work.
  • Well-developed skills to communicate effectively, orally and in writing at an age appropriate level, complex, highly technical and /or clinically sensitive information to children, adolescents, their families, carers and professionals within and outside the NHS including reports for the Courts

Other

Essential

  • Knowledge of research methodology consistent with and relevant to CAMHS practice
  • Evidence of continuing professional development as required by professional guidelines
  • Knowledge of and skill in using a wide variety of CAMH theories and interventions and the ability to use these appropriately in relation to client need and work setting
  • Sufficient knowledge of other modalities to engage appropriately with colleagues and their work with clients
  • Knowledge of child development/ mental health issues
  • Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation , and ethical issues, including The Children Act, and strategic frameworks and their implications for both clinical practice and professional management
  • Knowledge of current developments in therapy with children and adolescents with serious mental health problems
  • Knowledge, understanding and experience with diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and families with a high level of deprivation
  • Knowledge of current development in CAMHS

Desirable

  • Knowledge of current guidelines and recommendations of assessment and treatment of adolescents with psychotic breakdown and illness, serious clinical depression with risks of self-harm and suicide, with severe eating disorders and of adolescents who abuse drugs and are dangerous and acting out.

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

Newham CAMHS

411 Barking Road

London

E13 8AL


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Newham CAMHS

411 Barking Road

London

E13 8AL


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

FDT Team Lead

Loveness Kanzara

loveness.kanzara@nhs.net

02084309000

Details

Date posted

17 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£61,631 to £68,623 a year per annum Inc HCA

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-SS7654350

Job locations

Newham CAMHS

411 Barking Road

London

E13 8AL


Supporting documents

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