Specialist Mental Health Practitioner | Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
Site: East Lancashire or Blackburn with Darwen
Base: Burnley General Hospital
We are looking for an enthusiastic, suitably qualified and experienced person with the ability, commitment and passion to support children and young people with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
In line with the government’s priority to increase access and availability of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people, the MHST deliver evidence-based early interventions for children and young people, working across educational and healthcare sectors.
The Senior Mental Health Practitioner will work in educational settings, schools and colleges, as part of NHS led Mental Health Support Teams and will be based in either East Lancashire or Blackburn with Darwen.
Experienced in IAPT, the post holder will undertake appropriate mental health assessment of children and young people referred to the service and provide a range of appropriate, evidence based clinical interventions informed by assessed individual need.The post holder will provide support, advice and consultation to families/carers and other professionals involved in the life of the child/young person This post will supervise the Emotional Health Team in Schools as appropriate and provide evidence based supervision.
Assess and deliver, outcome focused, evidence-based interventions to children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, in primary, secondary, Specialist Learning Environments and College education settings.
Provide leadership and be involved in the development of the MHST alongside the team manager and other senior colleagues in the service.
Experience or interest in working with children and families with complex needs, additional educational needs, learning disabilities and neurodiversity.
Working in partnership, support children, young people and their families in the self-management of presenting difficulties, principally anxiety and depression.
Supporting and facilitating staff in education settings to identify and where appropriate manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing whilst improving access to mental health services.
To support schools in developing strategies/activities to promote emotional well-being and positive mental health to the school community.
Operate at all times from an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects diversity.
Signpost referrals to the relevant service.
Undertake assessments of risk to self and others.
To use the acquired skills, knowledge and abilities to deliver a service based within education settings that builds on and reinforces but does not replace those initiatives that already exist within these environments.
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.
The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.
Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks.We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.
For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT
The post will work in partnership with the Team Manager and ELCAS Operational Lead and will further develop the partnership working that is currently taking place between education, health and primary care.
Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role
This advert closes on Monday 24 Feb 2025