Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary

Empowering young minds & changing futures.

You`re someone who cares deeply about making a differencenot just for today, but for a young person`s entire future.

You bring a blend of clinical expertise, compassion, & creativity, ready to meet children & young people where they are & help them move forward with confidence.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a growing service in Central & West Lancashire, where your impact will help shape & develop support for children & young people.

You`ll need to be a qualified Mental Health Practitioner, confident in using therapeutic interventions like CBT or solution-focused techniques, & experienced in working with children, young people & families, especially those facing emotional or behavioural challenges.

But it`s not just about what you know, it`s how you connect. You`re a natural collaborator, able to build trusted relationships with schools, families & multi-agency partners, & you understand the power of early support in educational settings. Safeguarding, risk management & communication come naturally to you, not as tick boxes, but as vital tools for building trust & safety.

You`re reflective, adaptable & committed to learning, with the drive to grow professionally & the values to guide others through difficult moments with hope & respect.

If you`re excited by the chance to work in an amazing supportive, forward-thinking team & to use your skills to help children & young people thrive - we`d love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a compassionate, motivated and skilled professional to join us as a Mental Health Practitioner. You will be passionate about improving mental health outcomes for children and young people, thrive in collaborative environments and be ready to make a real difference in educational settings.

Essential Criteria

• Hold a relevant qualification such as EMHP, CYP IAPT, Registered Social Worker or Registered Mental Health Nurse
• Experience delivering 1 to 1 therapeutic interventions with children, families and groups, including parenting programmes
• Ability to assess mental health, evaluate risk and take appropriate action
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, education settings and capacity and consent, including Gillick competence
• Experience supporting children with social, emotional or behavioural needs, including anxiety and mood disorders
• Excellent communication and organisational skills with a proactive and team focused approach

Additional qualifications such as a teaching degree or Youth Mental Health First Aid are helpful but not essential. Experience in education or healthcare settings, working with vulnerable groups and delivering group interventions would strengthen your application.

If you are an Education Mental Health Practitioner, we would also love to see an application and welcome you to be part of a growing service where you can make a lasting difference.

About us

Compass is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. Established for over 30 years, Compass is a national charity which works in communities across the UK providing services spanning substance misuse treatment and rehabilitation, early interventions for vulnerable young people, school-aged health programmes and associated prevention as well as treatment and health promotion initiatives.

All Compass posts are subject to appropriate level DBS checks.

We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age, or sexual orientation, and encourage applications from people who have experiences in life which enrich skills and empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and developing a truly inclusive and representative workforce.

We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments individuals may require in the recruitment process, on commencement, or once in post.

Benefits

We offer a range of benefits including:

• 27 days holiday + bank holidays, rising to 32 days over time (pro rata)
• Life assurance at 2 x basic salary
• Competitive contributory pension scheme
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and OH service
• Enhanced sick pay
• Excellent learning & development opportunities and career progression
• Annual salary review

Help us to make a positive change to the lives of children and young people!

Closing Date:

Details

• Date posted: 21 October 2026
• Pay scheme: Other
• Salary: £32,921 to £40,347 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 733-3
• Job locations: Unit 8, Balfour Court, Off Hough Lane, Leyland, Lancashire, PR25 2TF, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).