Senior Wellbeing Practitioner

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust; Colchester; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Continual Professional Development (CP

Job summary

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting an Education Mental Health Practitioner / Children Wellbeing Practitioner to deliver evidence-based interventions within MHSTs across educational settings. The post requires registration with the relevant professional body and extensive CYP experience.

We offer CPD opportunities, flexible working options, and a supportive multidisciplinary team dedicated to improving child and adolescent mental health across North East London and Essex.

Qualifications

• Graduate EMHP/CWP qualification and full registration with a professional body (BPS/BABCP).
• Extensive clinical experience with Children and Young People (CYP).
• Commitment to CPD and professional development.
• Ability to work autonomously within MHSTs and schools.

Responsibilities

• Deliver interventions within MHSTs in and around schools under clinical supervision.
• Act as an autonomous, registered practitioner accountable for own actions within Trust guidelines.
• Lead school/college settings and oversee Whole School/College Approach in identified settings.
• Undertake school-based and community-based assessments, risk assessments and care plans; deliver early interventions for CYP.
• Provide guidance and supervision to junior staff and support peers and team leaders.
• Routinely measure clinical outcomes and deliver evidence-based interventions.
• Communicate complex patient information to facilitate positive outcomes and collaborate with other health and social care professionals.

Skills

Clinical experience with CYP

Registration with professional body

Autonomous practitioner

Education

Graduate EMHP/CWP qualification

Job description

Job overview

NELFT is the largest provider of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in England. The MHST deliver evidence-based individual and group interventions in educational settings for children experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties aged 4 to 18 years old. The teams also have a strong focus on whole school approaches to improve mental health outcomes for children and young people.

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

The post-holder will be a graduate Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP)/Children Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) qualification and will be fully registered with the appropriate professional or regulatory body (BPS, BABCP).

They will have extensive clinical experience working with Children and Young People (CYP) with emotional wellbeing and mental health difficulties.

We are a friendly team of professionals who come from multidisciplinary backgrounds. We recognise the needs for a healthy work life balance, and we will consider flexible working applications in line with the trust policies and process. We encourage Continual Professional Development (CPD) and are keen to support our staff to grow and progress.

Finally, we are a welcoming, compassionate and considerate team, that work incredibly hard to support one another to improve the mental health of our community.

If the successful candidate does not already have an appropriate supervision qualification they will be required to attend one of the courses below depending on their eligibility, these courses will start in January 2027 and last for one year.

• UEA Post Graduate Supervisor Course www.uea.ac.uk/course/postgraduate/postgraduate-certificate-in-supervision-of-low-intensity-cbt-with-children-and-young-people
• The Anna Freud Senior Wellbeing Course: www.annafreud.org/services/services-for-professionals/cyp-mh-workforce-development/senior-wellbeing-practitioner-postgraduate-diploma/

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for delivering interventions within MHSTs in and round schools and whilst receiving clinical supervision.

• Act as an autonomous, registered practitioner who is legally and professionally accountable for own unsupervised actions guided by the professional code of conduct and Trust guidelines and protocols.

• Act as a school lead for a number of schools/colleges.
• Oversee delivery of Whole School/College Approach within your identified settings.
• To undertake school based and community-based assessments, risk assessments, care plans and to deliver a range of early interventions to CYP with a range of emotional and behavioural difficulties.
• Responsible, and accountable, for service delivery to clients/patients, via NICE compliant pathways and in accordance with the crisis care concordat.

• Provide leadership and to promote initiative, creativity and motivation in the MHSTs.

• To routinely measure clinical outcomes and deliver evidence-based interventions.

• To communicate complex patient related information facilitating positive outcomes and ensuring collaborative working.

• To support peers and team leader and be an effective team member whilst working on their own initiative. They will have a commitment to collaborative working and actively support and liaise with other health and social care professionals and agencies.
• Provide guidance and supervision to more junior staff.

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place 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 Goodmayes, 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).

Working for Us

Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.