Assistant Practitioner - Urgent Care

Devon Partnership NHS Trust; Tiverton; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in the UK is seeking a motivated Band 4 Assistant Practitioner to join their Assertive Outreach Team within CAMHS. This key role involves working collaboratively in a supportive team to deliver community-based support for young people facing mental health challenges. Applicants must hold a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care and be committed to improving outcomes for children and families. This position offers a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

Support for clinical training placements

Opportunity for post-graduate training

Qualifications

• Previous experience in mental health care settings is essential.
• Ability to work autonomously and use initiative.
• Demonstrated experience working with young people with complex health needs.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with children and families to support assessments.
• Contribute to risk assessments and safety planning.
• Deliver brief therapeutic interventions as part of the MDT.

Skills

Mental health care experience

Collaborative working

Risk assessment

Caring and compassionate

Education

Foundation Degree (or equivalent) in Health and Social Care

GCSE in Maths and English (Grade C or above)

Level 3 QCF in Health and Social Care

Job description

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) is seeking a motivated and compassionate Band 4 Assistant Practitioner to join our Assertive Outreach Team within CAMHS. The team provides intensive, community-based support for children and young people who are experiencing significant mental health needs and require enhanced, flexible intervention to help them stabilise and remain at home.

In this role, you will work as part of a supportive multi‑disciplinary team, contributing to assessment, formulation, and brief, goal‑focused interventions. You will help young people and families manage risk, increase safety, and build resilience, while supporting clinicians to deliver timely, needs‑led care.

We welcome applicants who are committed to developing their clinical skills, working collaboratively, and improving outcomes for young people.

A Foundation Degree (or equivalent) in Health and Social Care is essential, as the team is currently unable to support Trainee Assistant Practitioners.

Main duties of the job

You will work directly with children, young people, and families to support assessment, safety planning, and targeted intervention. This includes contributing to observations, gathering information to inform clinical decision‑making, and delivering structured sessions under the supervision of qualified clinicians.

• Supporting the assessment of young people presenting with high levels of distress or complexity
• Contributing to risk assessments and safety plans
• Delivering brief therapeutic and practical interventions as agreed with the MDT
• Supporting care planning and reviewing goals with young people and their families
• Working collaboratively with schools, social care, and wider services
• Maintaining accurate, timely documentation in line with CFHD standards

This is a dynamic and rewarding role where you will play a key part in helping young people stay safely in the community and avoid escalation to inpatient care.

About us

Successfulapplicants 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 improvehealth outcomes for children and young people in Devon.

CFHD provides integrated care andtreatment 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 ourservices, based on the i‑Thrive Framework, in response to consultation with ourservice users and communities.

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

Our integrated care and treatmenthas been developed and refined in partnership with children, young people and theirfamilies/carers.

Wewould like the people who work for Children and Family Health Devon to beunderstanding, patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make usfeel safe and comfortable. It is important that they use their skills andexperience to listen carefully in a non‑patronising and non‑judgemental way.When staff are positive and friendly, they help to create an environment thatis informal and without pressure.

Job responsibilities

FullVacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/PersonSpecification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supportinginformation from the role requirements or person specification.

Person Specification

Experience

• Previous experience working in a range of different mental health care settings
• Experience of working autonomously and using own initiative
• Working with young people with challenging behaviour and complex health needs
• Experience that evidences an ability to tend to diversity and work in a way that promotes antidiscriminatory practice.
• Experience of collaborative working in community settings, with professionals across a range of agencies in health, social care and education.
• Experience of safeguarding children and ensuring the safety of young people in partnership with other agencies as appropriate

Qualifications

• Must already hold or obtain the Care Certificate within the first 3 months of employment.
• Level 3 QCF in Health and Social Care or equivalent qualification
• GCSE in Maths and English (Grade C or above) OR Level 2 Key Skills / Functional Skills in Maths and English
• Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care or qualification to diploma level or equivalent
• Evidence of additional relevant health training eg. Eating disorders / Working with young people experience/ Eating disorder / Social Care.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Able to travel and work across the area covered by the trust as requested by Line Manager

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.