Specialist Mental Health Practitioner
Posted 7 days 6 hours ago by NHS
Main Area: Mental Health Support Team for Children and Young People in Education (MHST) Site: East Lancashire or Blackburn with Darwen Base: Burnley General Hospital
We are looking for an enthusiastic, suitably qualified and experienced person with the ability, commitment and passion to support children and young people with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
In line with the government's priority to increase access and availability of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people, the MHST delivers evidence-based early interventions for children and young people, working across educational and healthcare sectors.
The Senior Mental Health Practitioner will work in educational settings, schools, and colleges as part of NHS led Mental Health Support Teams and will be based in either East Lancashire or Blackburn with Darwen.
Experienced in IAPT, the post holder will undertake appropriate mental health assessments of children and young people referred to the service and provide a range of appropriate, evidence-based clinical interventions informed by assessed individual need. The post holder will provide support, advice, and consultation to families/carers and other professionals involved in the life of the child/young person. This post will supervise the Emotional Health Team in Schools as appropriate and provide evidence-based supervision.
Main duties of the job- Assess and deliver outcome-focused, evidence-based interventions to children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, in primary, secondary, Specialist Learning Environments, and College education settings.
- Provide leadership and be involved in the development of the MHST alongside the team manager and other senior colleagues in the service.
- Experience or interest in working with children and families with complex needs, additional educational needs, learning disabilities, and neurodiversity.
- Working in partnership, support children, young people, and their families in the self-management of presenting difficulties, principally anxiety and depression.
- Supporting and facilitating staff in education settings to identify and where appropriate manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing whilst improving access to mental health services.
- To support schools in developing strategies/activities to promote emotional well-being and positive mental health to the school community.
- Operate at all times from an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects diversity.
- Signpost referrals to the relevant service.
- Undertake assessments of risk to self and others.
- To use the acquired skills, knowledge, and abilities to deliver a service based within education settings that builds on and reinforces but does not replace those initiatives that already exist within these environments.
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health, and forensic services including low and medium secure care.
The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria, and Sefton area.
Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working; we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time, and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.
For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.
Job responsibilitiesThe post will work in partnership with the Team Manager and ELCAS Operational Lead and will further develop the partnership working that is currently taking place between education, health, and primary care.
Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.
Person Specification Education- Accredited/accreditable to a professional body.
- Some knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
- Must demonstrate knowledge of the evidence base in their practice.
- Must demonstrate understanding of child development and psychosocial influences.
- Experience of specialist mental health assessment and therapeutic interventions with children and young people with mental health problems and their families.
- Working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Working collaboratively with other agencies in a variety of venues.
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.