NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Education Mental Health Practitioner/Children's Wellbeing Practitioner

The closing date is 10 December 2025

Job summary

At NELFT, we're proud to be thelargest provider of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs)in England. Our services acrossSouthend, Essex, and Thurrockcurrently supportover 150 schools, delivering vital mental health care to children and young people aged4 to 18.

Our MHSTs offerevidence-based individual and group interventionswithin educational settings, helping children managemild to moderate mental health challenges. We're deeply committed to whole-school approachesthat foster lasting, positive mental health outcomes across entire communities.

We're Growing -- And We Want You on Our Team

Our South-West Essex Team is looking for two passionate, qualified practitioners to join our service. If you hold a qualification in one of the following, we'd love to hear from you:

  • Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP)
  • Children's Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP)
Why Join Us?

We're more than just a service -- we're acollaborative, multidisciplinary teamthat values compassion, innovation, and support. Here's what makes us stand out:

  • Early intervention & preventionat the heart of everything we do
  • Friendly, inclusive culturewhere your voice matters
  • Flexible working optionsto support your work-life balance
  • Ongoing CPD opportunitiesto help you grow and thrive
  • A supportive environmentwhere we lift each other up and work together to improve mental health in our community

If you're ready to make a meaningful impact and be part of a team that truly cares, we'd love to welcome you.

Main duties of the job

As a practitioner, you'll work in close partnership with schools, helping children and young people (CYP) aged 4-18 managemild to moderate mental health difficulties. You'll also support their families in building confidence and resilience through:

  • 1:1 therapeutic sessions
  • Group interventions
  • Whole-school mental health initiatives
What You'll Be Doing
  • Deliveringevidence-based interventionsin primary, secondary, and higher education settings
  • Conductingcomprehensive assessments, including risk assessments, care plans, and reviews
  • UsingRoutine Outcome Measures (ROMs)and clinical tools to guide and improve practice
  • Collaborating with schools tomap and plan service deliverytailored to their needs
  • Working alongside fellowEMHPs/CWPs and Senior Mental Health Practitionersto support your development
What We're Looking For

You'll be aqualified EMHP or CWP, confident in working independently within your scope of practice, and experienced in supporting CYP in educational environments. You'll bring compassion, clinical skill, and a collaborative spirit to everything you do.

You must be able to travel across Basildon, Thurrock and Brentwood and Billericay (vehicle access required).

What We Offer
  • A supportive, multidisciplinary team
  • Opportunities forContinual Professional Development (CPD)
  • Support to register with BABCP or BPSduring your probationary period

About us

Our Values 2025 - 2030Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.They are:We are kind. We are respectful. We work together with our communities.These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people. Starting with NELFT - NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes.

Base

This post requires the successful applicant to work agilely between NELFT sites and educational settings therefore a divers licence is required. Some travel around the county is also expected. The nominated base for South West Essex is Phoenix House Basildon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nX8CImoDX8

Probationary Period This post will be subject to a probationary period.

High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £1,303 and a maximum payment of £2,198 per annum, pro rata for part time

Details

Date posted

26 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum plus HCA's

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

395-EC385-25

Job locations

Phoenix House

Christopher Martin Road

Basildon

SS143EZ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Ready to Apply? Heres What You Need to Know

For full details about this role and what its like to work atNorth East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), please refer to theattached job description and person specification. We strongly encourage you to use these documents to guide your application.

Important Information Before You Apply

Certificates of SponsorshipAlthough we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Use of AIPlease see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.

Application Checklist

Before submitting your application, please ensure youve addressed the following:

  1. Have you completed theEMHP or CWP training course?
  2. Please confirm the universitywhere you completed your training.
  3. Let us know which organisation you are seekingprofessional accreditationthrough.

If you have not completed the EMHP/CWP course or cannot provide evidence of this, unfortunately, you will not be shortlisted.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Ready to Apply? Heres What You Need to Know

For full details about this role and what its like to work atNorth East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), please refer to theattached job description and person specification. We strongly encourage you to use these documents to guide your application.

Important Information Before You Apply

Certificates of SponsorshipAlthough we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Use of AIPlease see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.

Application Checklist

Before submitting your application, please ensure youve addressed the following:

  1. Have you completed theEMHP or CWP training course?
  2. Please confirm the universitywhere you completed your training.
  3. Let us know which organisation you are seekingprofessional accreditationthrough.

If you have not completed the EMHP/CWP course or cannot provide evidence of this, unfortunately, you will not be shortlisted.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Successful completion of either Education Mental Health Practitioner or CWP PgDip course.
  • Applicant can demonstrate they have applied for Wellbeing Practitioner registration with BABCP or BPS.

Desirable

  • Appropriate registration with either the BABCP or BPS as a Wellbeing Practitioner.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of the delivery of CBT-informed therapeutic interventions to children, young people, or their families, including as a trainee.

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Travel

Essential

  • To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Successful completion of either Education Mental Health Practitioner or CWP PgDip course.
  • Applicant can demonstrate they have applied for Wellbeing Practitioner registration with BABCP or BPS.

Desirable

  • Appropriate registration with either the BABCP or BPS as a Wellbeing Practitioner.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of the delivery of CBT-informed therapeutic interventions to children, young people, or their families, including as a trainee.

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Travel

Essential

  • To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area

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

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Phoenix House

Christopher Martin Road

Basildon

SS143EZ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Phoenix House

Christopher Martin Road

Basildon

SS143EZ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Operational Manager (Mental Health Support Team)

Zoe Houchin

zoe.houchin@nelft.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

26 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum plus HCA's

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

395-EC385-25

Job locations

Phoenix House

Christopher Martin Road

Basildon

SS143EZ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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