Duty Practitioner

Compass; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days holiday + bank holidays

Life assurance 2x salary

Contributory pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced sick pay

Learning & development opportunities

Annual salary review

Job summary

Compass is recruiting a Duty Practitioner for Leyland MHST to help children and young people access timely mental health support across education settings. You will coordinate referrals, manage triage and bookings, and collaborate with families, schools and partner agencies to route referrals to the right services.

The role emphasizes safeguarding, signposting and information sharing, with a proactive, organised approach and strong IT skills to maintain records and support service development.

Qualifications

• A relevant qualification in mental health or working with children and young people, with CPD.
• Experience in children's mental health services, education or community settings.
• Experience working across agencies and multidisciplinary teams, coordinating duties.
• Understanding of safeguarding, child protection, confidentiality, consent and information sharing.
• Strong communication, organisation and IT skills.
• Collaborative, adaptable and solution-focused mindset.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate referrals, oversee triage and assessment bookings.
• Collaborate with parents, carers, education settings and partner agencies.
• Develop the duty system, provide information, advice and signposting.
• Escalate safeguarding concerns appropriately.

Skills

Communication skills

Organisation skills

IT skills

Collaborative approach

Education

Mental health qualification

Job description

Help children and young people access the right support.

You’re someone who cares about making a difference to the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

As a Duty Practitioner, you’ll join our Leyland Mental Health Support Teams (MHST), helping children and young people access timely support for mild to moderate mental health and emotional wellbeing difficulties across education settings.

You’ll coordinate referrals, oversee triage and assessment bookings, and work closely with parents, carers, education settings and partner agencies to ensure referrals reach the most appropriate service.

You’ll also help develop our duty system, provide information, advice and signposting, and work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure safeguarding concerns are recognised and escalated appropriately.

About you

You’re an organised, proactive practitioner who thrives in a busy environment and is passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people and families.

You’ll bring:

• A relevant qualification in mental health or working with children and young people, alongside evidence of continued professional development.
• Experience of working within a children and young people’s mental health service, community or educational setting, engaging effectively with children, young people and families.
• Experience of working across agencies and multidisciplinary teams, including coordinating or delegating duties.
• An understanding of safeguarding, child protection, confidentiality, consent and information sharing, with the ability to recognise and escal…
• Strong communication, organisation and IT skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, work under pressure and maintain accurate records.
• A collaborative, adaptable and solution focused approach, with the confidence to use your initiative, build positive relationships and contribute to service improvement.

Knowledge of common mental health difficulties experienced by children and young people, MHST service models or relevant legislation would be welcomed. A therapeutic postgraduate qualification would also be beneficial.

Access to your own transport, or evidence of being able to commute efficiently between community venues, is essential.

Benefits

Compass is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. For 40 years, Compass is a national charity which works in communities across the UK providing services spanning substance misuse treatment and rehabilitation, early interventions for vulnerable young people, school-aged health programmes and associated prevention as well as treatment and health promotion initiatives.

All Compass posts are subject to appropriate level DBS checks.

We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age, or sexual orientation, and encourage applications from people who have experiences in life which enrich skills and empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and developing a truly inclusive and representative workforce.

We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments individuals may require in the recruitment process, on commencement, or once in post.

Benefits

We offer a range of benefits including:

• 27 days holiday + bank holidays, rising to 32 days over time (pro rata)
• Life assurance at 2 x basic salary
• Competitive contributory pension scheme
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and OH service
• Enhanced sick pay
• Excellent learning & development opportunities and career progression
• Annual salary review

Help us to make a positive change to the lives of children and young people!

Closing Date: 13.11.2026

#LI-BE1 #CompBloom

Compass is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from all backgrounds.