Mental Health Support Practitioner / Call handler | Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Lancashire Care Foundation Trust; Burnley; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

An NHS healthcare organization in Burnley seeks Support Practitioners to assist children and young people with mental health difficulties. Ideal candidates will have experience in a similar environment and excellent communication skills. The role combines call handling and direct support to families and young people, emphasizing therapeutic interactions. Flexible working hours are encouraged, promoting a favorable work/life balance.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Experience in a children's mental health environment is preferable.
• Ability to develop therapeutic relationships with children and families.
• Access to private transport for work purposes.

Responsibilities

• Provide care to families and young people under supervision.
• Handle calls from young people, families, and referrers.
• Assist in mental health assessments and individual care plans.

Skills

Effective communication skills

Team player

I.T skills

Job description

Please note this vacancy does not offer sponsorship.

We are seeking a well-motivated Support Practitioners to join our outstanding service within the Responsive and Intensive Support Team (Child and Adolescent Mental Health). These posts will support to children and young people with mental health difficulties within East Lancashire.

You will assist in delivering therapeutic care to children/young people under the direct supervision of qualified staff as well as delivering some of your role by call handling telephone calls from young people, families and referrers. Your main aim will be to provide care to families and young people with severe and complex mental health.

You will ideally have experience of working in a children's mental health environment. You will have effective communication/written skills in English, be a team player and be able to develop therapeutic relationships with children, families and the team. I.T skills are essential.

Access to private transport for work purposes is essential.

Provide and maintain the highest level of care and safety of children and young people under direct/indirect supervision.

The duties are a mixture of call handling and taking referral details; inputting straight onto the electronic record system, as well as some support worker shifts, working directly with children, young people and their families/carers.

To assist in the deliverance of therapeutic interventions that meets the needs of children, young people and families, including planning and implementing a package of care directly to the child, young person and family under indirect supervision from Mental Health Practitioners and the RAIS Clinical Coordinators.

Attend different sites to participate in direct assessments with qualified staff where indicated and on a rota basis.

Assist and contribute to the holistic assessment of children, young people and families including contributing to individual care plans, monitoring individuals and working clinically autonomously giving 1:1 contact on a regular basis.

To assist with the mental health assessment of children and young people who have been admitted to the Children’s Medical Unit following a suicide attempt or self-harming behaviours on the self-harm rota and assist in the follow up as needed with other professionals involved in the initial assessment.

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

This advert closes on Tuesday 30 Dec 2025