Mental Health Support Team Practitioner/ Senior Wellbeing Practitioner

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a Senior Wellbeing Practitioner (SWP) or Mental Health Practitioner, with a background of working with education settings, to work in Lewisham CAMHS Mental Health Support Team (MHST).

The post holder will be an SWP due to complete the approved 2-year SWP Post Graduate Diploma in Jan 2027 OR a registered Mental Health Practitioner who has undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions.

The post holder will use their knowledge, skills, and experience to supervise trainee and qualified Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) and contribute to the general service development and functioning.

The post holder will also manage a defined caseload with a focus on providing focused assessment and evidence-based intervention for children and young people (CYP) with mild to moderate mental health difficulties and their parents/carers.

Part of this role will include being a named MHST Link Practitioner to a group of schools/colleges, regularly liaising with education staff, external agencies, CAMHS colleagues and other local services.

Main duties of the job

• To manage a defined caseload of children and young people presenting with emotional health and wellbeing difficulties in schools
• To co-ordinate and deliver individualised care packages / programmes for children and young people and evaluate these programmes, ensuring high standards of practice in accordance with national guidelines and trust policy.
• To provide specialist mental health advice, consultation and signposting using an outcome-based triage model to education settings
• To demonstrate the ability to work as an autonomous specialist practitioner in relation to their specialist area and in clinic which will include the reading and recording of the clinical observations of each child and the ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of treatment packages.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To engage therapeutically with clients and their carers in a variety of settings, as appropriate to the needs of the client and to be able to assess the risk of working in particular areas.
• To be able to assess and manage risk in children and young people and to do this on an on-going basis
• To take case management responsibilities when appropriate in clinical meetings, giving clear clinical advice with regard to assessment, Risk Assessment, formulation and treatment of identified clients.
• To recognise responsibility and act according to Trust and national guidelines alongside protocols with the relevant education settings in safeguarding children and adults.
• To respond to the needs of clients and their carers in an honest, non-judgemental and open manner, which respects the rights of individuals and groups.
• To demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities for all people.
• To understand the impact of social & cultural diversity on patients’ and carers’ needs and on their experiences of mental illness and mental health services.
• To respond to the diverse needs of the specialist client group and their carers sensitively with regard for age, developmental stage, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability and the need for their privacy and dignity
• To understand the rights of clients and carers and to assist them in exercising those rights, where appropriate.
• To undertake carers assessments and devise an appropriate care plans.
• To have knowledge of appropriate legislation and its relevance to the specialist area
• To take responsibility for the decision to discharge clients from care when agreed treatment programmes have been completed.
• To be aware of and take a role in the CYP Directorate participation programme
• To effectively and appropriately communicate risks often under difficult, highly charged and emotional circumstances to medical staff, other professionals and families involved in the care of the client.
• To act as an autonomous practitioner with an understanding of own limitations and recognition of when to seek support.
• To contribute to overall service delivery and development, with a particular focus on care and referral pathways, and the development of the MHST as required
• To work closely with the school based and community health professionals, carrying out joint assessments when appropriate.
• To ensure that own practice remains within legal, ethical and professional parameters and is open to scrutiny from relevant professionals.
• To demonstrate the ability to make appropriate decisions with regard to the confidentiality of clients and their families taking into considerations the risks to clients, self and the wider public.
• To liaise with other colleagues in CAMHS / partnering organisations and especially within schools and participate in different clinical groups in order to share best practice and discuss current and future professional and clinical developments e.g., case review meetings and professional forums
• To liaise independently and effectively with external partner agencies, co-ordinating meetings and participating in case discussions between teams involved in the care of clients

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.