CAMHS Practitioner, AAP

The Methodist Church in Britain; England; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Attractive recruitment package

Tailored CPD opportunities

Quality improvement projects

Service-user participation

Leadership development opportunities

Career progression support

Job summary

East London NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a CAMHS Practitioner to lead standardised autism assessments and deliver diagnostic reports for young people aged 13+. You will provide specialist autism advice, training to other professionals, and collaborate within a multidisciplinary CAMHS team.

The role includes audit, research participation, safeguarding, and policy development responsibilities while maintaining accurate RiO/CPA records and liaising with primary care and agencies.

Qualifications

• Qualification in one of: clinical psychology, family therapy, child psychotherapy, nursing, social work, speech and language therapy or occupational therapy
• Clinical psychology doctorate (or pre-1996 equivalent); systemic psychotherapy masters or doctorate; child psychotherapy honours degree plus postgraduate diploma or masters
• Mental Health Nurse Level 1 (RN3, RNMH) with ENB 998 or equivalent
• Postgraduate courses relevant to autism
• Postgraduate diagnostic training, such as ADOS and 3Di

Responsibilities

• Carry out standardised autism assessments using ADOS, 3Di, ADI-R or other tools suited to the young person
• Write confidential diagnostic reports for families and professionals, and deliver sensitive, complex and sometimes unwelcome information constructively
• Provide specialist autism advice to young people and families, individually and in groups
• Provide autism consultation and training to other professionals
• Offer liaison and consultation to primary care and key agencies on NDT, intellectual disability and co-morbid mental health referrals
• Undertake clinical audit and research, and take part in service-wide audit and research projects
• Work jointly with NDT and other CAMHS clinicians
• Keep accurate clinical records on RiO and the trust-wide CPA database, and support line-managed staff to do the same
• Safeguard children and young people in line with local, trust-wide and professional guidelines, and manage risks including aggression and lone working
• Help develop standards based on theory and research, and contribute to policy and service development
• Monitor, report and communicate clinical and service information to service users, carers, professionals and managers
• Keep up to date with legislation and meet statutory, mandatory and professional development requirements

Skills

Autism assessment

Clinical reporting

Interagency liaison

Audit & research

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Safeguarding

Education

Clinical psychology doctorate

Systemic psychotherapy master/doctorate

Nursing/Mental Health registration (RN/RNMH)

Postgraduate autism training

Postgraduate diagnostic training (ADOS/3Di)

Tools

RiO electronic patient record

CPA database

Job description

This CAMHS Practitioner post sits in the Autism Assessment Pathway within the CAMHS Neurodevelopmental Team at East London NHS Foundation Trust, for young people aged 13 and over. The core work is standardised autism assessments using ADOS, 3Di and ADI-R, with diagnostic reports and specialist advice and training for other professionals. Post holders work autonomously within a multidisciplinary team and contribute to service development. Fit depends on a recognised clinical qualification and registration, plus postgraduate autism and diagnostic training.

What the job involves

• Carry out standardised autism assessments using ADOS, 3Di, ADI-R or other tools suited to the young person
• Write confidential diagnostic reports for families and professionals, and deliver sensitive, complex and sometimes unwelcome information constructively
• Provide specialist autism advice to young people and families, individually and in groups
• Provide autism consultation and training to other professionals
• Offer liaison and consultation to primary care and key agencies on NDT, intellectual disability and co-morbid mental health referrals
• Undertake clinical audit and research, and take part in service-wide audit and research projects
• Work jointly with NDT and other CAMHS clinicians
• Keep accurate clinical records on RiO and the trust-wide CPA database, and support line-managed staff to do the same
• Safeguard children and young people in line with local, trust-wide and professional guidelines, and manage risks including aggression and lone working
• Help develop standards based on theory and research, and contribute to policy and service development
• Monitor, report and communicate clinical and service information to service users, carers, professionals and managers
• Keep up to date with legislation and meet statutory, mandatory and professional development requirements

Qualifications

• Qualification in one of: clinical psychology, family therapy, child psychotherapy, nursing, social work, speech and language therapy or occupational therapy
• Clinical psychology doctorate (or pre-1996 equivalent); systemic psychotherapy masters or doctorate; child psychotherapy honours degree plus postgraduate diploma or masters
• Mental Health Nurse Level 1 (RN3, RNMH) with ENB 998 or equivalent
• Postgraduate courses relevant to autism
• Postgraduate diagnostic training, such as ADOS and 3Di

Registration & licences

• Registration with NMC (nursing), HCPC (clinical psychology, social work or occupational therapy), or RCSLT (speech and language therapy)
• UKCP registration (family therapy) or ACP membership (child psychotherapy)

Experience

• Specialist assessment, psychological formulation and interventions using evidence-based models of care
• Developing and delivering specialist training, and/or supervising other staff groups
• Taking part in audit, evaluation and research activities
• Contributing to policy and service development
• Additional relevant clinical and/or managerial experience

Skills & knowledge

• Current national CAMHS guidelines, policy and transformation priorities (e.g. Future In Mind), and workforce initiatives (e.g. CYP IAPT)
• Knowledge and experience of child protection policy and practice
• Self-motivated, assertive and flexible
• Sustaining the mental, emotional and physical demands of specialist therapeutic work with disturbed and distressed children, young people and families

Nice to have

• Relevant specialist CAMHS training or qualification
• Experience of working with children and young people in a CAMHS setting (core child experience outside CAMHS, such as paediatrics, to be stated in application)
• Knowledge of developments in inter-agency partnership
• In-depth knowledge of CAMHS assessment and intervention
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007) and associated legislation
• Knowledge of the Children Act and other appropriate legislation

What’s offered

• Attractive recruitment package
• Tailored CPD opportunities
• Quality improvement projects
• Service-user participation opportunities
• Leadership development through acting-up roles
• Career development and progression support