Job overview
North Bedfordshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
This is an exciting opportunity to join North Bedfordshire CAMHS. The Senior Mental Health Practitioner is a community-based post sitting within our CAMHS Adolescent Mental Health Team (AMHT).
The AMHT is a multi-disciplinary team comprised of social workers, therapists, nurses, psychologists, and support workers who work with young people (between 13-18) who have the most complex mental health problems. This role will contribute to the provision of an intensive mental health service to children and young people who have complex mental health needs by offering specialist assessment and treatment packages of care. Our Senior Mental Health Practitioners are an integral part of the team, undertaking a wide range of work with young people.
Main duties of the job
The AMHT offers individual, family and group interventions which are centered around the young person and their family/carers. The post holder will need to be a good team player but also require a high degree of professional autonomy and self-management, and will be a highly visible presence in clinical practice.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
This post is based in Bedford, Bedfordshire. Whilst some of the work is based in the clinic, access to a car is essential as some travel will be required to undertake community support.
For a more detailed job description please see the attached
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Evidence of well-developed clinical skills and knowledge in CAMHS, including mental health assessments and therapeutic interventions
- Advanced skills in particular therapeutic approaches
- Proven ability to work with children and young people in distress or through psychiatric emergency
- Experience of working sensitively with distressing material that may have serious implications to young people and their families.
- Able to work effectively in a multi-agency team
- Proven ability in standard setting and audit implementation
- The ability to maintain and represent a CAMHS identity within a multi- agency setting, including managing the dynamics of a team within a team, i.e. The Specialist Workers in that context.
- Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to “hold” stress of others
- The ability to participate in training within a multi-agency professional setting. (for example children’s social care, youth services, YOT)
- Able to manage own time and caseload, prioritising assessments and treatment in non-mental health settings.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Evidence of ability to lead, support and influence others
- Able to work effectively across organisational boundaries.
- A high degree of self-awareness and an ability to reflect on personal and professional attitudes and accept feedback
Desirable
- Computer skills
- Establishing and running groups.
- Training to others
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of potential barriers and resources within a multi-agency setting that affect mental health and are relevant to children, young people and their families
- Knowledge of Systemic family work
- Knowledge of CBT and group work
- Knowledge of the, Mental Health Act and associated legislation including Child Protection Procedures
- Understanding of best practice in staff supervision and development
Desirable
- Issues which impact on care delivery
- Knowledge of audit and research
- Knowledge of outcome measures.
- Awareness of current national guidelines and polices in the field of CAMHS Knowledge of the Children Act
Experience
Essential
- At least 18 months of working in CAMHS or equivalent setting, ie adult mental health services with younger adults
- Experience of working in community mental health and working with a multi-agency network
- Experience of managing and supervising junior staff
- Experience of service development
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary setting
- Experience of working in a culturally diverse area.
- Experience of working in or liaising closely with multi agency teams working with adolescents e.g. Youth Services, YOT etc
- Experience of working with vulnerable young people who present with high risk behaviours
Desirable
- Experience of using CBT
- Specialty CAMHS experience (e.g. YOT/Eating Disorders/ Adolescent Inpatient ward/work in substance abuse)
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- A qualification in Child Psychotherapy, Clinical Psychology, Family Therapy, Mental Health Nursing, Counselling Psychology, Social Work or other equivalent profession
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Senior Mental Health Practitioner with East London NHS Foundation Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Nurse practitioner role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 per annum. The contract type is 12 months (Fixed term 12 months maternity cover). The application deadline is 05 Jul 2026.
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