Mental health Practitioner

Job overview

Hybrid working and a warm welcome accompany this opportunity to work creatively with young people and their families. We are the Connect Team 0-18, a specialist therapeutic needs led service working with Children in Care and permanently placed across Suffolk. An opportunity has arisen for a qualified Mental health Practitioner, Band 6 to work within the Connect Team. The team are currently based between Walker Close, Ipswich and Ickworth Lodge, Bury St Edmunds. Our team prides itself on highly skilled practitioners, currently we consist of a Consultant psychiatrist, clinical psychologists, Arts and Drama Psychotherapists, Psychodynamic psychotherapist and Mental health practitioners.  We learn, develop and work together to ensure the young person and their families receive a tailored package of care. We are committed to reflective practice and formulations that strengthen the team in all aspects.

We are looking for a highly skilled practitioner who holds a nursing or social work registration. Experience of working with children, young people and their families and carers with knowledge of attachment, child development and working systemically would be especially welcome.

This post is on a fixed term basis as Maternity leave Cover and is advertised as 0.4WTE for 12 months but applications for 0.8WTE for 6 months would be considered.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a passionate individual who loves to work creatively with children and their families. We are a dynamic and experienced team who are committed to multi-disciplinary working. This role would include responsibilities such as undertaking assessments, processing of referrals, participating in duty, case management, risk assessments, multi agency consultations and emergency safety planning. We ensure that the emotional wellbeing and placement stability of our young people are top of our agenda.

The role includes multi agency working alongside the family (foster carers, special guardians, adopters) social care, education and voluntary services to ensure the service users’ needs are best met. We also work in close collaboration with other NSFT CYP teams such as Suffolk Wellbeing, Youth Teams, Child & Family Teams, ADHD services and the Emotional Wellbeing Hub.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

Contribute to the specialist therapeutic services within NSFT as part of the multi-disciplinary team, carrying a case load of clients. Receive regular supervision in line with the Trust Policies and be responsible for management of own caseload, ensuring high standards of care are maintained in line with Trust policies and professional codes of practice. Providing appropriate therapeutic interventions to children and young people. Maintaining respectful, effective professional interpersonal relationships with others. Initiate, create and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients and carers, ensuring that the practice is patient centred. Consultation to other professionals and carers within the locality to offer support and advice.

Apply a high level of communication skills, recognising and reflecting the need for different styles and methods of communication to meet therapeutic needs. Attend and contribute to regular multi disciplinary meetings. Demonstrate an ability to work autonomously within the levels of competence and set own priorities to organise and manage an efficient schedule of clinical work to ensure a high standard of service delivery.

Professional

Adhere to local and professionally prescribed codes of conduct

Ensure accurate and timely recording of contacts as per Trust policy

Be responsible for personal time management. Attend all mandatory training as required by the Trust and to undertake further training and updating as required to carry out the role.