Education Mental Health Practitioner

NHS; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization is seeking an experienced Education Mental Health Practitioner to join their Mental Health Services Team in Liverpool. This role involves delivering evidence-based interventions for children and young people and supporting educational staff. Candidates should possess a Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Health Practice and be registered with relevant professional bodies. This is a permanent position with the potential for significant positive impact on mental health in educational settings.

Qualifications

• Qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner with relevant registration.
• Experience in mental health and educational settings.
• Skills in developing policies and protocols.

Responsibilities

• Deliver evidence-based interventions for children and youth.
• Support educational staff in managing mental health issues.
• Manage and maintain clinical records and caseloads.

Skills

Engaging families

Mental health interventions

Risk assessment

Education

Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Health Practice for Children and Young People

Undergraduate degree in Psychology or health-related field

BABCP registered or working towards registration

Job description

Education Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 04 December 2025

Permanent - Band 5 Education Mental Health Practitioner

This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) to join our Mental Health Services Team (MHST) working with schools across Liverpool. From April 2024, EMHPs must be registered with either the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) or the British Psychological Society (BPS) – this is a requirement of this post.

We are looking for individuals who have skills and experience in engaging families from communities that may be at increased risk of social exclusion or marginalisation. Postholders will work as part of an integrated multi‑disciplinary team, acting as case managers for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems and delivering evidence‑based interventions alongside or under the supervision of senior CAMHS practitioners.

Main duties of the job

• Deliver evidence‑based interventions for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems in educational settings.
• Help children and young people with more severe problems to rapidly access specialist services.
• Support and facilitate staff in educational settings to identify and, where appropriate, manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing.
• Work within educational environments to improve access to specialist mental health services.
• Recognise low‑level risk and appropriately escalates higher‑level risk to relevant services (e.g., CAMHS, Child Care Services, MASH).
• Develop policies and protocols with Mental Health Leads in schools around mental health.

About us

Alder Hey MHST is part of the Schools Mental Health Team within Liverpool and Sefton CAMHS, collaborating with key stakeholders and partners as part of the Whole School Approach in Liverpool and Sefton.

Job responsibilities

Deliver outcome‑focused, evidence‑based interventions in educational settings for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. Develop skills in supporting children and young people, their parents/carers, families, and educators in self‑management of presenting difficulties. Practice evidence‑based skills and work in partnership with children, young people, families, and educators to develop treatment plans and agree outcomes. Collaborate with parents/carers where appropriate to formulate and develop agreed treatment plans. Incorporate participation and inclusivity, respecting diversity. Discuss with supervisors to agree and accept appropriate referrals for children and young people in educational settings, following local and national referral routes and procedures. Undertake accurate risk assessments for self and others. Adhere to protocols within the educational setting. Signpost referrals for complex needs to relevant services. Gain and practice interventions related to information and support for evidence‑based psychological treatments. Manage caseloads and maintain coherent records of all clinical activity, using outcome data to inform decision‑making. Attend multi‑disciplinary and multi‑agency meetings to discuss referrals or treatment. Contribute to the development of individual or group clinical materials or training materials, and, where competent, develop further materials. Deliver interventions individually or in groups, and conduct psychoeducation workshops for young people and school staff.

Person Specification

Education and Training

• Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Health Practice for Children and Young People (EMHP Qualification)
• BABCP and/or BPS registered, registerable, or working towards registration
• Training in Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Counselling, or a Psychological Therapy discipline
• Undergraduate degree in Psychology or another health‑related field
• BABCP accreditation

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and therefore requires a disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust