Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner (CAMHS Eating Disorders) - Bristol

Job overview

We are looking for a Band 6 Clinical Practitioner to join the AWP CAMHS Eating Disorder Home Treatment Team. This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and motivated team of individuals who are passionate about supporting Children & Young People (CYP) to access intensive mental health support in their home environment.  At times, we will also provide support within Acute Hospital environments.

You will be working across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire alongside CAMHS community teams. This post entails travelling to meet the requirements of the role, therefore a driving license and ability to confidently travel across the region is essential.

You will be working with CYP with a range of eating difficulties and other comorbidities whom are at risk of hospital admission, haven't responded to community treatment or require support to return home from a hospital admission.  Our aim is to support CYP, alongside their families and carers, to recover at home. Our team ethos is one of continual learning and improvement.

There is an expectation to work shifts that cover service hours which are 08:00 - 20:00 7 days a week - condensed hours/flexible working requests will be considered.

Main duties of the job

We have a 12-month fixed-term role available, which could be considered as a secondment should your current service agree.

Your role will be based in our Eating Disorder Home Treatment Team, working alongside locality CAMHS teams to support young people and their families/carers with a range of eating disorders and co-morbidities. You will work collaboratively with their Locality CAMHS team to offer a time-limited enhanced package of care.

You will provide regular support in the home for young people, their families, and/or carers, including regular meal support. You will also work alongside and provide excellent supervision to support workers within the team to deliver person-centred care to a high standard, helping prevent young people from being admitted to inpatient services and enabling them to recover at home.

You will need to lead support within the EDHTT and be flexible and adaptable, taking into account evidence-based treatment for young people with eating difficulties and other co-morbidities.

Please see the attached job description for a full list of duties and responsibilities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Manage own caseload from referral to discharge from EDHTT.

Ensure completion or delegation of tasks related to own caseload.

Provide systematic assessment, consultation, and treatment services to families, young people, and carers referred to CAMHS EDHTT.

Provide reports and maintain written records of assessments, clinical appointments, discussions, and reviews for CYP with eating difficulties.

Co-ordinate small teams around a young person within the EDHTT.

Liaise with colleagues in the acute trust (UHBW) when joint working with the Community Children’s Nursing Team.

Ensure escalation of risk and safeguarding concerns.

Provide person-centred care during mealtimes, before and after meals, following family-based treatment.

Support CYP and their families/carers in managing high levels of distress.

Provide excellent clinical supervision for Band 4 Support Workers in the team.

Keep accurate records and update supporting systems with supervision.

Contribute to ongoing team development through continuing professional development, anti-oppressive practice, and wellbeing input.

Support day-to-day co-ordination of shifts in the absence of senior staff (e.g., managing sickness, risk concerns, escalating where needed).

Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, inclusive of working to Joint Standard Operating Procedures with colleagues from the local acute trust.

Maintain excellent working relationships with Locality CAMHS and acute services, attending joint planning meetings and supporting ongoing formulation and treatment for Children & Young People (CYP).

Work alongside the Community Children’s Nursing Team (from the acute trust UHBW) to support young people receiving nasogastric feeding at home towards eating within a clear and time-limited care plan.

Provide psychoeducation alongside evidence-based interventions for young people and their families in conjunction with their case coordinators.

Provide meal support to families, being present before, during, and after the meal to offer real-time support and role modelling.

Manage own caseload of young people and provide a supportive environment for Band 4 Support Workers to carry out visits and psychosocial interventions with direct or indirect supervision.

Continually assess and respond to changes in presentation, including dynamic risk assessment and management.

Support young people and families experiencing high levels of distress at home, providing calm and containing care in the face of distress.

Offer excellent supervision to support workers within the team.

Support the day-to-day running of the service where necessary and with support from the leadership structure (e.g., prioritising team workload where there are absences, working autonomously with on-call support out of hours).

This list is a brief overview—please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details. Please read this closely and consider the essential criteria for the role, alongside the shift requirements.

Note: This post is open to newly qualified social workers. In line with AWP Trust policy, all newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) will be recruited initially at Band 5 level, regardless of advertised role banding. All NQSWs are expected to successfully complete their ASYE within two years of employment, unless there are exceptional circumstances, in which case it may be extended for a further two years.

If you have been appointed to an advertised Band 6 role, this will be an automatic progression following confirmation of your successful ASYE completion. If you have been appointed to a Band 5 post, you will then be eligible to apply for a subsequent Band 6 vacancy upon successful ASYE completion.

Please see the attached job description for a full list of duties and responsibilities.