Leaving Care Mental Health Practitioner

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust; City Of London; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A mental health services organization in the UK is seeking a Leaving Care Mental Health Practitioner to support care experienced young adults. Responsibilities include delivering mental health assessments, providing guidance, and managing complex cases. The ideal candidate will have a degree in social work or a related field, with substantial experience in community mental health. The role offers a salary range of £47,810 to £54,710 plus additional benefits.

Benefits

High-Cost Area Supplement of 15%

Comprehensive induction training

Qualifications

• Experience in community mental health, CAMHS, or working with care leavers.
• Experience providing consultation, mentoring, and developing colleagues.
• Substantial post-registration experience in relevant fields.

Responsibilities

• Deliver specialist mental health assessments and evidence-based interventions.
• Collaborate with social care professionals to provide holistic care.
• Act as a clinical lead, offering guidance to personal advisors.

Skills

Trauma-informed practice

Risk management

Leadership

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Degree in Social Work or equivalent mental health qualification

Job description

Leaving Care Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 19 November 2025

To work alongside and assist Personal Advisors working with care experienced young adults (care leavers aged 18-25yrs) who present with complex mental health needs. To provide consultation and advocacy in assisting these young adults in accessing mental health resources in the community so that they receive the appropriate support. To work in co‑production with a range of statutory and non‑statutory partners to maximise access to community and wellbeing resources in support of person‑centred recovery planning. This will include person‑centred assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of action plans in collaboration with Personal Advisors and multi‑agency partners. To ensure that resources are utilised effectively, to empower the people who use our services and to safeguard and promote their welfare.

The post holder should understand the Care Leavers Act and other relevant legislation that applies to care experienced young adults, such as the Social Work Act 2017 and have an appreciation and understanding of ‘corporate parenting’.

The post holder may need to hold a small case load of complex cases (presenting acute mental health issues). They will need to provide high‑quality advice and support to service colleagues and Personal Advisors, help share and manage risks in relation to complex mental health cases.

This will include providing advice to senior managers to assist in appropriate service and case planning and may include attending panels to review cases.

Main duties of the job

To take a leading role in developing strong links with primary and secondary care statutory partnership organisations, and the voluntary sector to offer an integrated response to people who use our service and carers.

To promote independence and empower individuals to develop their own recovery plans and to prevent the need for ongoing involvement with statutory mental health services in line with the Care Act, the Children Leaving Care Act and the Children and Social Worker Act. To represent the 18+ Leaving Care Service in promotion of these links.

Manage in co‑production with Personal Advisors, a case load of high complexity, diversity, and risk. This will include the assessment, development and review of care and support plans, community care and residential packages, in collaboration with primary and secondary care colleagues.

To carry a small case load of complex cases (acute and enduring mental health issues).

Provide consultation and advice to senior colleagues when considering high‑cost placement options to ensure the most effective deployment of resources to meet young people's needs and support requirements.

Assist social care staff to deliver an effective and well‑informed service within an integrated team setting which meets the requirements of Mental Health Act, Care Act, Mental Capacity Act and Human Rights legislation and Children's social care legislation.

About us

Starting with NELFT

NELFT places a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop‑in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High‑Cost Area Supplement

This post also attracts payment for High‑Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £4,714 and a maximum payment of £5,941) pro rata for part time staff.

Certificates of Sponsorship

Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points based system.

Job responsibilities

Deliver specialist mental health assessments and evidence‑based interventions.

Collaborate with social care professionals, personal advisors, and health colleagues to provide holistic, trauma‑informed care.

Act as a clinical lead, offering guidance and reflection to personal advisors.

Ensure continuity of care across local authority and NHS services.

Contribute to service development and quality improvement initiatives.

Use of AI

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Our Values 2025 - 2030

Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co‑produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

They are:

• We are kind.
• We are respectful.
• We work together with our communities.

These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Degree in Social Work or equivalent including a recognised mental health qualification.

Experience

• The post holder should be working at the level of capability set out in the Professional Capability that accords with a senior practitioner/advanced practitioner.
• Experience of research in evidence‑based practice and leading on the evaluation and improvement of services.
• Experience of seeking and acting on feedback from people who use mental health services and carers to improve the patient experience.
• Experience of providing consultation, mentoring, and developing colleagues and liaising with other service providers.
• Substantial post‑registration experience in community mental health, CAMHS, or working with care leavers.
• Skilled in trauma‑informed practice, safeguarding, and risk management.
• Confident working across organisational boundaries and in multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong communication, leadership, and organisational skills.

Knowledge

• Good working knowledge of all relevant Mental Health and Social Care legislation and Codes of Practice.
• Good working knowledge of directorate and corporate procedures and joint working practices relating to Mental Health.
• Good knowledge of local and national policy and initiatives in social care and mental health.
• An understanding of The Children Act 1989 and related Acts such as the Care Leavers Act 2000. Including an understanding of and appreciation of the values of corporate parenting.
• Good working knowledge of models of mental disorder treatments, and approaches to mental health based interventions including complex understanding mental health dynamics.
• Understanding of data quality and validation issues and ability to ensure accurate inputting of data and information to maintain its integrity and store it safely and correctly.

Skills

• Ability to work within an integrated partnership environment and to contribute to working groups and the dissemination of information consistently across the Directorate.
• Ability to manage a complex case load and act as lead professional.
• Ability to assess and effectively manage the performance and development needs of leaving care staff.
• Ability to act as a mentor and demonstrate teaching skills.
• Effective negotiating and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to identify ways to overcome issues that threaten delivery of services, escalating risks where appropriate and dealing with emergency situations.
• Ability to contribute to research and monitoring of the service's functioning and effectiveness.
• Ability to travel across a wide geographical area in a timely and flexible manner at various times of the day.
• Computer‑literate with good written skills for report and assessment writing and presentation.

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.

Salary and benefits: £47,810 to £54,710 a year plus High‑Cost Area Supplement.