Mental Health Practitioner - NHS

Job overview

Step2 is an Early Intervention Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service which is working towards improving the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people in Hertfordshire. The service works with children aged 0 – 19.

The post will provide highly skilled Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) support to the Universal Children’s Workforce to increase their capacity to identify and manage children’s mental health needs, through liaison and joint working between services.

The post holder will carry out skilled mental health triage and assessments and offer brief intervention - group and 1:1 - therapy to children and families where a more targeted response is required. The post holder will provide consultation to team members and external professional and non-professional groups to address the mental health needs of children and young people.

*Proposed interview date: 1-May-2025*

• Deliver a quality service in line with the organisation's objectives and performance indicators.
• Carry out specialised triage, clinical assessments and formulation, and brief interventions.
• Work in partnership with and provide consultation to other professionals.
• Provide mentoring, case support and clinical supervision. Develop and present information about mental health support for children and young people within and outside of the service.
• To facilitate appropriate access to Specialist CAMHS and other relevant provision according to level and nature of need.
• Contribute to the promotion and participation in integrated practice and multi agency support team models.
• Responsible for the safe provision, use, maintenance and storage of equipment and materials for self and others.
• Maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and exercise professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice.
• Plan and deliver treatment interventions in line with Best Practice and local and National Guidelines.
• Promoting and embedding Children’s IAPT values within the service and wider workforce.

Please read the attached full job description and person specification document before applying for this post.

Working for our organisation

A big thank you for considering joining us at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

You’ll find it a great place to work with many benefits offered to you as a member of our staff

We put our patients, their families and carers at the centre of our vision - Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities

Our staff are proud to be Innovative, Caring and Agile in their work to help achieve the Trust vision

We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages

We don’t want you to miss out so we’d like you to know that if we have a high level of interest in this role, the vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date, so please make your application as soon as possible - Apply now

You’ve made a great decision to apply to join to HCT - we’re looking forward to taking the next steps of the journey with you.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK

Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)

Please see attached job description for more details

Whilst it is not a legal requirement, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust encourages and supports all staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.

We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.

Person specification

Qualifications and Training

• Qualification relevant to child mental health at postgraduate level or accredited as a mental health practitioner. Training in a specific mental health intervention such as CBT, attachment focused, systemic psychotherapy, psychology or creative therapy.
• Evidence of continuing professional development

• Supervision/mentoring qualification
• Evidence of experience working with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Knowledge

• Knowledge of legislation and policy and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health
• Knowledge of the different presentations of neurodiversity.

• Knowledge and experience of supporting children and young people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and their families

Experience

• Significant post qualification experience of working with young people and families in a brief intervention model, whilst maintaining professional boundaries.
• Experience of working with children and families in the community
• Experience of professional consultation and multi-disciplinary working.

• Experience of mentoring and clinical supervision of others
• Experience of assessing and intervening with a pre-school client group and offering attachment-focused interventions
• Experience of working with young people who have neurodevelopmental difficulties.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to develop a trusting therapeutic relationship and experience in working with children and young people with complex needs, safeguarding and contextual difficulties. Ability to work with people whose behaviour is personally challenging and with support, deal with frequent exposure to highly distressing or highly emotional circumstances.
• The ability to work and co-operate actively as a member of a team and with the wider professional network including other agencies.
• Ability to follow and apply service processes and procedures. Ability to be flexible and respond to rapid changes.
• Ability to work in isolation and manage own caseload timely and efficiently as well as maintaining intense concentration on a frequent basis.
• Understands the impact on equality, diversity and inclusion issues in all aspects of service delivery and planning.

Personal Qualities

• Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to “hold” the stress of others
• Ability to use effective time management and organisational management skills
• Willingness to uphold the Trust’s values
• Eligible to live and work in the UK
• Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)