Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner - CFHD

Job summary

We are delighted to be recruiting 2 x 1.0 wte Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHPs) to join our developing Mental Health Support Team (MHST) pathway within Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD).

Various locations are available for these posts across Torbay, South and East Devon.

This is an exciting opportunity to begin a rewarding career supporting the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people across Devon and Torbay. Successful applicants will undertake a fully funded, part-time one-year Postgraduate Diploma at the University of Exeter while gaining valuable clinical experience working within our service.

Trainees will be employed on a Band 4 contract during training and will progress to Band 5 on successful completion of the programme and qualification requirements.

In line with the Governments priority to improve access to mental health support for children and young people, the EMHP role offers the opportunity to deliver evidence-based early interventions within educational settings and to work collaboratively across health, education, and community services.

Main duties of the job

As part of the Mental Health Support Team, trainees will develop the knowledge and skills required to deliver evidence-based interventions and support schools in developing a whole-school approach to emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Within this role, trainees will:

Undertake specialist EMHP training alongside supervised clinical practice.

Develop skills in assessing and supporting children and young people with emotional and mental health needs.

Deliver evidence-based, low-intensity interventions for mild to moderate mental health difficulties.

Work collaboratively with schools, families, and professionals to support positive outcomes for children and young people.

Contribute to the development of whole-school approaches to mental health and wellbeing.

Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing early intervention and prevention support within community and educational settings.

Participate in regular clinical supervision, training, and professional development opportunities.

The MHST pathway currently consists of Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) and Child Wellbeing Practitioners (CWPs) and continues to grow across Devon and Torbay. This is an excellent opportunity to join an innovative and supportive service committed to improving outcomes for children and young people.

About us

Successful applicants will be employed by Devon Partnership Trust (https://jobs.dpt.nhs.uk/locations/working-here )

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) comprises an Alliance of NHS organisations working together to improve health outcomes for children and young people in Devon.

CFHD provides integrated care and treatment for children and young people across physical and mental health. We are working closely with other organisations and providers to ensure we deliver locality and county-wide based integrated access to all of our services, based on the i-Thrive Framework.

CFHD works closely with our local universities of Plymouth, Exeter & the Peninsula Medical School where we support students in clinical training placements and in addition support our own staff to undertake post graduate training.

Our integrated care and treatment has been developed and refined in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers.

Our children and young people say

We would like the people who work for Children and Family Health Devon to be understanding, patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make us feel safe and comfortable. It is important that they use their skills and experience to listen carefully in a non-patronising and non-judgemental way. When staff are positive and friendly, they help to create an environment that is informal and without pressure.

Details

• Date posted: 07 October 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 4
• Salary: £28,392 to £31,157 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: C9369-26-0780
• Job locations: South Devon Healthcare, 187 Newton Road, Torquay, TQ2 7BA, United Kingdom, Children & Family Health Devon, Unit 1, Capital Court, Bittern Road, Sowton Industrial Estate, EXETER, EX2 7FW, United Kingdom, Lescaze Offices, Shinner's Bridge, Totnes, Totnes, TQ9 6JE, United Kingdom, Children & Family Health Devon, Springfield Court, Fishleigh Road, Roundswell Business Park, BARNSTAPLE, Devon, EX31 3UD, United Kingdom, C F H D, 7 Oaklands Court, Tiverton Way, Tiverton Business Park, TIVERTON, EX16 6TG, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

The role of an Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP)) is a shared initiative between the Department of Education and Department of Health and supports the governments priority to increase access of mental health and well-being support for children and young people.

The post holder will work within the Mental Health Support Team (MHST), which is part of the wider CAMH service, providing Whole School Approaches alongside Evidence Based Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Interventions whilst undertaking a programme of training at Exeter University.

The post will start with training at Exeter University which is likely to be a mix of face to face and online study. The successful post holder will be a trainee EMHP before becoming qualified as an EMHP at the end of the training and upon successful completion of the course, which usually takes around a year.

The EMHP is a new professional role which delivers evidence-based early interventions for children and young people and parents / carers in educational settings in England such as schools and colleges. This includes Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for mild to moderate presentations and a range of Whole School Approach interventions as outlined by Public Health England (PHE) and Health Education England (HEE) such as Auditing a School/ Colleges Mental Health provision, Consultation, Staff Training and facilitating Psychoeducational Groups.

The post holder will attend all taught and self-study days required by the education provider, as specified within EMHP curriculum and work in the service for the remaining days of the week using their newly developed skills. Once the training is successfully completed, you would receive either a graduate or post graduate certificate from Exeter University (depending on your level of previous qualifications).

The post holder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).