Qualified Educational Mental Health Practitioner/CWP

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust; Southend-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A community healthcare provider in Southend-on-Sea seeks a Qualified Educational Mental Health Practitioner to deliver mental health interventions in schools. This role involves assessing and providing support to children and young people and creating a collaborative environment with health professionals. The ideal candidate will have qualifications in mental health and experience in delivering therapeutic interventions. This position offers flexible working options and is crucial for improving mental health outcomes in the community.

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering CBT-informed therapeutic interventions to children and young people.
• Graduate qualified health care professional (e.g., nurse, social worker, occupational therapist).
• Full registration with the appropriate professional body (e.g., HCPC, NMC, BPS, BABCP).

Responsibilities

• Deliver mental health interventions within MHSTs in schools and colleges.
• Initiate referrals to health professionals and specialist services.
• Undertake assessments and deliver early interventions to children and young people.

Skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Education

Education Mental Health Practitioner or CWP PgDip course

Registered with BABCP or BPS

Job description

Overview

Go back NELFT North East London Foundation Trust. Qualified Educational Mental Health Practitioner / CWP. The closing date is 29 December 2025.

Joining Team NELFT means you'll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We're CQC rated Good, and we aim for an Outstanding rating. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children. The Trust has equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities, and we invest in development and a just and compassionate culture.

NELFT is the largest provider of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in England. Our Southend, Essex and Thurrock services cover 144 schools and around 48% of the schools in those areas. The MHSTs deliver evidence-based interventions in educational settings for children aged 4 to 18 years with mild to moderate mental health difficulties, with a focus on whole school approaches to improve outcomes.

The MHSTs build on support from school counsellors, nurses, educational psychologists and the voluntary sector to support those with mild to moderate mental health issues in school and to help children with more severe needs access the right support and link to CAMHS services.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will deliver interventions within MHSTs in and around schools and colleges while receiving clinical supervision. They will act as an autonomous, registered (where appropriate) practitioner who is legally and professionally accountable for their own unsupervised actions, guided by the professional code of conduct and Trust guidelines and protocols.

Initiate referrals to other health professionals, specialist services and agencies. Provide expert emotional wellbeing and mental health support as part of plans to transform CYP mental health through the NHS Long-Term Plan. Undertake school-based and community-based assessments, risk assessments, care plans and deliver a range of early interventions to CYP with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Be responsible and accountable for service delivery to clients/patients via NICE-compliant pathways and in accordance with the crisis care concordat.

Provide leadership and promote initiative, creativity and motivation in the MHSTs. Routinely measure clinical outcomes and deliver evidence-based interventions. Communicate complex patient-related information to facilitate positive outcomes and ensure collaborative working. Support peers and team leaders and be an effective team member while working on their own initiative. Commit to collaborative working and liaise with other health and social care professionals and agencies.

About us

Our Values 2025 - 2030

We have co-produced three values to embed in our culture:

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

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

The South East Essex MHST base is Skyline Plaza in Southend-on-Sea. The successful applicant will be required to travel to various NELFT offices and educational settings across the MHST.

Other information

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period for external applicants.

Starting with Us

NELFT places great importance on welcoming new starters. They join on the first Monday of each month and undergo a two-week induction, including mandatory training, systems training and equipment allocation. New starters meet the executive team, senior managers and attend drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing. Induction is held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Job responsibilities

The South-East Essex MHST covers a large area including Castle Point and Rochford, Canvey and Southend. We are an early intervention and prevention service with a multidisciplinary team. We encourage flexible working in line with trust policies and support Continual Professional Development (CPD). We are a welcoming, compassionate and considerate team dedicated to improving the mental health of our community.

The post-holder will be a graduate qualified health care professional (e.g., nurse, social worker, occupational therapist) or have completed EMHP/CWP qualification and be fully registered with the appropriate professional body (e.g., HCPC, NMC, BPS, BABCP). They will have extensive clinical experience with Children and Young People and emotional wellbeing and mental health difficulties. Successful applicants will have completed or be supported to complete the Senior Wellbeing Practitioner (SWP) course or CYP IAPT Low Intensity Supervisor course.

Please review the person specification and job description for full details.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Successful completion of either Education Mental Health Practitioner or CWP PgDip course.
• Applicant can demonstrate they have applied for Wellbeing Practitioner registration with BABCP or BPS.
• Appropriate registration with either the BABCP or BPS as a Wellbeing Practitioner.

Experience

• Experience of the delivery of CBT-informed therapeutic interventions to children, young people, or their families, including as a trainee.

Skills

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Other

• Ability to travel efficiently throughout the area.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure submission to the DBS to check for any previous convictions.

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working, Compressed hours