Band 5 CAMHS Mental Health Practitioner

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health service provider in Wakefield is looking for a Band 5 CAMHS Mental Health Practitioner. The role involves being the first point of contact for families, providing early intervention support and working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team. Strong communication skills and a dedicated approach to mental health care are essential. This position offers a chance to make a real difference in the lives of young people.

Qualifications

• Experience in assessing and managing mental health problems in children and young people.
• Ability to deliver therapeutic techniques for one-on-one and group interventions.
• Ability to manage risk in various settings.

Responsibilities

• Act as the first point of contact for children, young people, and families.
• Provide brief, targeted support through a structured approach.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams for effective care.

Skills

Strong communication and decision-making skills

Confidence in working independently

Calm and empathetic approach

Passion for early intervention

Education

Registered Mental Health Nurse / Social Worker / Occupational Therapist

Mentorship Qualification

Job description

Band 5 CAMHS Mental Health Practitioner

Closing date: 11 December 2025

We are looking for an enthusiastic, compassionate and skilled CAMHS Mental Health Practitioner to join our Primary Intervention Team within Wakefield CAMHS. This is an exciting opportunity to work in the heart of our Single Point of Access (SPA), where you’ll play a key role in the triage and early intervention pathway helping young people and families to get the right help, at the right time.

You would be joining the team at a really exciting time, where we are working collaboratively to review our front door into the service.

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic candidate. You’ll bring:

• Strong communication and decision‑making skills.
• Confidence in working independently as well as part of a team.
• A calm and empathetic approach in fast‑paced situations.
• A passion for early intervention.

We are a supportive and friendly team that values your skills and well‑being. Whether you’re newly qualified or a more experienced professional, we would love to hear from you! Calls are encouraged.

We are currently based at Flemming Court, Castleford until December 2025. The team will temporarily be based at Drury Lane Health and Well‑Being Centre in the centre of Wakefield until September 2026 and then permanently moved to Fieldhead Hospital from September 2026.

Main duties of the job

Single Point of Access (SPA) – You’ll be the first point of contact for children, young people, families and professionals. You’ll take triage calls, make informed clinical decisions, and offer supportive advice and signposting, helping to support people to navigate what can feel like a daunting system.

2+1 Intervention – You’ll deliver brief, targeted support through our 2+1 approach: one initial assessment and two focused intervention sessions.

The role requires you to support children, young people and families to get the right support and make onward referrals either internally within Wakefield CAMHS or to external agencies.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID‑19 to protect patients.

At the time of advertising, this role does meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK.

About us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the West Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high‑quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non‑clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means we’re accountable to our members, who can have a say in how we run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We do reserve the right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE: The post holder will be responsible and accountable for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of skilled interventions to address identified needs and risk for allocated clients on a defined caseload.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

• Work as a member of an integrated multi‑disciplinary team providing comprehensive assessment of children, young people and their carers, planning, implementing and evaluating skilled interventions.
• Have knowledge of current issues and research relevant to the legislative framework and systems in which children’s mental health care is delivered (e.g., Children Act, Mental Health Act and Care Programme Approach).
• Contribute to service development within the clinical governance structure and policies and procedures of the Trust, adhering to NHS guidance outlined by the relevant statutory registration bodies.
• Promote the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people.

Professional:

• Assess needs and identify problems relevant to the care of children and young people referred. Devise a plan of care in partnership with the person and carers. Implement the planned programme of care to ensure a high standard is achieved. Review the effectiveness of the care provided and where appropriate initiate any action.
• Be competent in all aspects of care and risk management as defined within appropriate frameworks such as the care programme approach.
• Work collaboratively with clients, carers and multiple other agencies to provide effective care to optimise and maintain the holistic needs of children and young people with a range of emotional and mental health needs.
• Manage enquiries and direct referrals of children and young people in accordance with the service Operational Policy and participate in the in‑hours Single Point of Access rota.
• Maintain professional registration and demonstrate commitment to statutory codes of practice and continued professional development requirements.
• Be responsible for the safe custody, transportation and administration of any medicines including I.M. preparations (if appropriate to qualification and / or role).

Education:

• Provide peer supervision and support to other team members and to take personal responsibility and supervise junior staff in the maintenance of written and electronic client and Trust records including inputting data related to own work activity. Identify any areas of concern to a senior member of staff.
• Have an understanding of and participate in the clinical audit process.
• Have an awareness of evidence‑based practice relevant to the specialist area and participate in the education of individuals and target group.
• Participate in the Trust’s values‑based appraisal system, understand appropriate training and participate in personal development opportunities.

Trust Values:

• Honest, open, transparent
• Respectful
• Person first and in the centre
• Improve and be outstanding
• Relevant today, ready for tomorrow
• Families and carers matter

Safeguarding: Report any concerns regarding the safety or wellbeing of children, members of their families etc., in accordance with Trust Policy.

Prevent and respond appropriately to abuse and understand own role in this by undertaking Safeguarding training.

Trust policies and commitments to be read in line with the relevant Trust Policy: All staff employed by the Trust must comply with the Trust’s policies and procedures, undertake appropriate training required for their role and commit to:
- Ensure they are aware of the Whistleblowing Policy and how they raise concerns;
- Maintain confidentiality, in line with the Trust’s Confidentiality Policy and Code of Conduct;
- Understand their personal responsibilities with regards to data quality for any information they create, use or process in accordance with GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and Trust Data Protection policy;
- Comply with the provisions of the Trust’s Health and Safety Policy and Protocol;
- Receive supervision in line with the Trust’s Supervision Policy and an annual Appraisal in line with the Trust’s Appraisal Policy;
- Understand their responsibilities under the Trust’s Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy and ensure they adhere to the provisions of the policy;
- Recognise, respect and support the equality diversity of staff, colleagues, service users, carers and the public;
- Ensure they carry out their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 years by being familiar with and adhering to Trust safeguarding policies and participating in relevant training;
- Comply with their professional responsibilities to develop their practice and deliver care through a Clinical Governance framework;
- Demonstrate continuous development of individual, team and service wide quality improvement;
- Abide by relevant codes of professional practice, with the organisation taking action when codes of conduct are breached;
- Work flexibly to meet the needs of the service/organisation while working within a culture of progressive employment practices and commitment to the Investors in People standards;
- Adhere to the Trust’s smoke‑free policies;
- Be socially responsible by complying with environmental impact measures.

Person Specification

Special Knowledge and Skills

• Working knowledge of recent government legislation (Mental Health Act, Health & Safety, Care Programme Approach, Care Act & Safeguarding)
• Able to work incorporating principles of Clinical Governance
• Knowledge of working collaboratively with people and their carers to ensure their involvement in the assessment and care planning process
• Shows awareness of cultural diversity and is able to incorporate this into care planning and delivery of care
• Knowledge and evidence of using IT systems
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge of audit processes
• Knowledge of carer services/issues/assessment
• Skills and knowledge working holistically with children and young people

Training

• Assessment and care planning skills and risk assessment and risk management
• Relevant Post‑basic qualification and training

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health Nurse / Social Worker / Occupational Therapist
• Mentorship Qualification or equivalent
• Expected to work towards practice educator

Personal Attributes

• Ability to work as part of MDT
• Good communication skills, ability to work on own initiative, with reference to policies and procedures
• Ability to travel around the Trust as appropriate to the role
• Willingness to work flexibly to meet the needs of services users and the team including extended hours
• Reliable and enthusiastic
• Motivated and resourceful
• Professional attitude

Experience

• Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing people / children and young people experiencing mental health problems
• Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing risk in a variety of settings
• Proven ability in assessing the needs and strengths of people and their carers
• Ability to deliver a range of therapeutic techniques which can be incorporated into one‑to‑one and / or group interventions
• Working within an integrated multi‑disciplinary environment and co‑working with other teams within team meetings, case conferences and professional meetings
• Ability to support colleagues and supervise students / trainees
• Experience of working holistically with children and young people with an emphasis on a holistic assessment of emotional and mental health needs alongside co‑existing physical and environmental factors that impact on wellbeing

Physical Attributes

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

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.

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust