CAMHS Mental Health Practitioner

Livewell Southwest; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

An independent health service provider in Plymouth is looking for a Mental Health Practitioner to join their team. The role involves delivering integrated care to children and young people facing mental health challenges. Candidates should have a background in mental health, strong organizational skills, and the ability to work effectively in a team. This 32-hour per week role demands flexibility and includes support for professional development.

Benefits

Access to CPD and professional development programs

Flexible working conditions

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Significant experience within mental health.
• Experience working in multi-agency contexts.
• Culturally competent assessment and intervention skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide integrated community-based mental health care.
• Support delivery of training and consultation for staff.
• Improve children's mental health and reduce stigma.

Skills

Mental Health and Risk assessment

Well-established case management

Good organizational skills

Well-developed communication skills (oral and written)

Self-motivating and able to work on own initiative

Education

Core qualification in a Mental health modality

Postgraduate training in methods of working with children

Job description

32 hours per week - Band 6Mental Health Practitioner

Are you looking for a newchallenge and rewarding career in Children and Young peoples Mental HealthServices within an evolvingteam? CAMHSCrisis and Home Treatment Pathwayare looking for resilient, innovative, and motivated individuals who are passionate aboutimproving the lives and mental health of our young people.

Our pathway provides crisis support and intensive home treatment to youngpeople who are experiencing mental health crisis and emotional distress. Theservice can be fast paced, and the ideal applicant will be extremely organisedand self-motivated to provide high quality assessment and formulation for theyoung people within the service. We provide evidence-based assessments andinterventions for young people keeping with the principles of the iTHRIVEmodel. The team provide a creative, trauma informed and pro-active approach in engaging young people andtheir families. The individual will be able to work independently but also workwell in a team.

Working hours will be to cover a7 day a week service including bank holidays

Main duties of the job

Crisis Community

To respond to CYP who present in crisis within thecommunity that have been referred in. Clinicians will complete a psychosocialassessment, risk management and signpost.

Home Treatment

The team offer CYP an intense community approach to avoidhospital admission and provides step down support when discharged from a mentalhealth inpatient unit.

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route; please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility.

Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.

All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning socialenterprise delivering integrated health and social care services acrossPlymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts ofDevon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sportscentres, and health hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, andcollaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, whileempowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, inshaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the righttime and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people leadhealthy, independent lives.

We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, trainingpathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the CareCertificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorshipprograms ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from allsections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mentalhealth, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during theapplication process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Job responsibilities

1a

To improvechildren and young peoples mental health through the delivery of anintegrated and coordinated system of community based mental health care tochildren, young people, and their families, providing safe, culturallycompetent, effective, cost efficient, timely and accessible services that arein accordance with national and local priorities and are responsive to theneeds and views of local children, young people, and their families.

2a

To supportthe delivery of consultation, liaison, and training to staff inUniversal/targeted/specialist Services. To also provide clinical input to theteam, delivering practice within best evidence and to the highest possiblestandard. The post sits within a multi-agency locality-based team within thecity offering mental health assessment and treatment interventions in linewith NICE Guidelines.

3a

Tocontribute to a positive working environment and open learning culture, whichsupports high morale and commitment within the Community Mental Health Teampromoting wellbeing, personal development, and continuous improvement in thestandards of business activities and professional practice.

4a.

To work with children/youngpeople/families and professionals working with them, to reduce the stigmaassociated with mental health and contribute to the embedding of a positivemessage about maintaining good mental health.

5a

The MentalHealth Practitioners (MHP) will be supported to develop the ability toprovide specialist and autonomous, culturally competent mental healthassessment, formulation of and implementation of specific care plans andreview for children and young people and their families/carers following arequest for involvement. The MHP willhave skills that enable them to communicate that assessment in writing to thereferrer and the General Practitioner. This information may also be requiredto be copied to any other relevant parties involved in the young personscare, with the young persons permission where appropriate.

6a

All Mental Health Practitioners (MHP)must use an evidence-based approach to develop and implement a specialist programof intervention to a defined caseload of children and young people. These interventions will be based on aclear theoretical framework and will take full account of the child or youngpersons developmental needs, gender, ethnicity, religion, race, ability, andsexual orientation. The MHP will need to develop their skills and knowledgeenabling them to draw on a range of therapeutic interventions, for exampledifferent psychotherapeutic models, non- verbal therapeutic approaches andother techniques adapted for use with children and young people. They will also need to develop an extensiveknowledge of the full range of children and family services across allagencies.

7a

Direct intervention by the MHP is undertaken according to thecompetencies of individuals. As a Band 6 clinician the expectation will bethat the clinician takes a lead role in the delivery of the service andsupervise the junior members of the team.It will be evidence based and informed by a clear theoreticalframework. The MHP will describe theplanned care within a written care plan, review, and update, which has beensigned by the child/young person and/or parent/carer.

8a

The MHP willdevelop the skills and knowledge enabling to choose an intervention anddeliver that from a range of therapeutic modalities including systemicpractice, cognitive behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy.

9a

The postholder will be expected to draw upon experience and knowledge gained throughtraining and practice relating to child development, child and adolescentmental health and adult mental health.

10a

The MHP willdemonstrate effective skills in the assessment and reassessment of risk andcommunicate concerns accurately in a timely fashion. This is inclusive of priority assessmentsand requires multi-agency responses to risk assessment and risk managementplans.

11a

The MHP will develop skills andknowledge enabling them to make an autonomous decision about the time ofdischarge, and agree with the child, young person, and family/carers as wellas multi-agency key partners.Communicate a summary of the work undertaken and how to sustainimprovements made and include correspondence to General Practitioner.

12a

The MHP isrequired to maintain high effective standards in the recording of clinicalobservations and actions, risk and risk management including child protectionin health records.

13a

The MHP will provide schools, and/orother community venues, with access to individual and small group therapeuticinterventions for those pupils who require it, including working withfamilies.

14a

All MHPswork with families at their homes, education, and community settings and atbase as appropriate/required by children/young people and their families.

15a

The MHP will strongly adhere toculturally competent and anti-discriminatory practice, promote equity of opportunity,and use their professional position to empower others and challenge powerimbalances where they are found to exist.

16a

The MHP willprovide consultation to staff in partner agencies and may be required tosupport junior staff in attendance at meetings/ EHAT/CP meetings.

Consultation is offered to allprofessionals to identify the nature and level of the childs mental healthneed so that an appropriate CAMHS response can be defined and actioned.

17a

Offer consultation and support toCAMHS wider system

18a

AllMHPs promote the mental health and emotional well-being of children andyoung people

19a

The MHP will play a major role in encouraging and co-coordinatingcollaboration between all agencies by attending multi-agency meetings such asmulti-agency EHAT meetings, child protection case conferences, educationreviews etc., to provide a mental health perspective.

20a

The MHP will be required to haveexcellent and effective communication skills, applicable to working both withyoung people, their families, and professional systems. Acting as a point ofliaison between specialist CAMHS and universal services to ensure improvedcommunication and collaboration via a range of different interfaces, forums,and meetings e.g., presenting at meetings within Plymouth.

21a

The post holder will berequired to contribute to the delivery of education and training toprofessionals in multi-agency universal services.

22a

Contribute to team

23a

Contributeto the development of team protocols and clinical practice, proposing changesfor discussion. Maintain good activity records and input them onto theelectronic recording system in a timely manner.

24a

Maintain good activity records and provide them ina timely manner for inputting onto the electronic system.

25a

Be available for and make use of clinicalsupervision, child protection supervision and operational line managementsupervision.

26a

ThePost holder is responsible for attending clinical supervision a minimum requirementof an hour per month.

27a

The post holder will need to organize their ownworkload under the support and supervision of Clinical Team Manager

28a

Maintain health records to the standards requiredby LSW

29a

Contribute to a strong team ethos of enquiry, development,and improvement.

30a

Contribute to the development of team protocolsand clinical practice, proposing changes for discussion.

31a

Participate in team meetings, for exampleallocation, supervision, reflective practice, case discussions.

32a

The post holder will strongly adhereto anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice, promote equity of opportunity,and use their professional position to empower others and challenge powerimbalances where they are found to exist.

33a

Keepup to date with CAMHS developments taking place nationally in line withservice objectives.

34a

Toparticipate in audit and quality and patient safety activity in line withservice objectives.

35a

Input to the electronic system as appropriate e.g.,child protection supervision coding.

36a

To be aware of and familiar with LWSW policy andprocedure and operate within that e.g., lone working policy.

37a

To maintain high standards of infection preventionand control in day-to-day delivery of practice.

38a

To measureand make available clinical outcome measures within an agreed system. This ismost likely to be the CAMHS Outcomes Research Consortium.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Knowledge of relevant legislation and documents pertaining
• to children, e.g., Children Act 2004, Child Protection, National Service Framework, Every Child Matters etc. Learning Disability specific legislation and documents, Aiming High for Disabled Children, Valuing People, Mansell report, Mental Capacity Act.
• Knowledge of a range of mental health problems and disorders affecting children and young people who are in care.
• Knowledge of theories of child development and their application to practice.
• An understanding of resilience and vulnerability
• Knowledge of different models of therapy, e.g., Applied Behavior Analysis and at least one other therapeutic modality e.g., CBT, Psychodynamic psychotherapy, solution focussed therapy etc

Skills

• Mental Health and Risk assessment, care planning, evaluation, and intervention skills
• Well established case management skills and good organizational skills with ability to prioritize
• Well-developed communication skills both oral and written
• Commitment to anti-oppressive practice
• Ability to work in partnership and in collaboration with others, both in and out of own agency/professional background.
• Commitment to own learning and professional development.
• Culturally competent assessment and intervention skills
• Specific therapeutic skills relevant to working with children and families
• Self-motivating and able to work on own initiative

Qualifications

• Core qualification in any Mental health modality such as Nursing / OT/ Social Work/Clinical Associate Psychologist under supervision of a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
• Appropriate Registration relevant to professional qualification
• Post graduate training qualification in methods of working with children with mental health problems, e.g., counselling, systemic practice or post grad diploma in child and adolescent mental health

Experience

• Relevant & significant experience within mental health
• Experience (both work and life related)
• Experience of working in a multi-agency and/or multi-disciplinary context.
• Experience of working with the care systems both directly with Children and young people and professionals within the care system.
• Experience of post-registration working with children and young people who have experienced mental health difficulties.
• Experience in assessment, inc risk, care planning, intervention, and evaluation.
• Maintaining own safety in Community settings by working within relevant policy and having completed or be willing to complete breakaway training or equivalent.
• Experience of effective working with families of different cultural backgrounds.
• Experience of working within multi-agency safeguarding systems e.g., child protection conferences, child in need meetings
• Experience of service evaluation

Circumstances

• Ability to travel across Plymouth
• Ability to work flexibly (hours of work and duties) both as an individual and with other colleagues in Livewell Southwest and with partner agencies.
• Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments where required.
• Car owner/driver or suitable alternative transport to enable you to undertake the job. It is unlikely that public transport will meet this requirement.
• Adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

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.