Specialist CAMHS Practitioner

NHS; Luton; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is seeking a CAMHS professional to deliver evidence-based interventions within the diverse community of Luton. The successful candidate will provide therapeutic support to children and families, conduct assessments, and collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams. This permanent part-time position offers a salary between £47,810 and £54,710 per year, along with attractive recruitment packages and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Generous contributions towards Annual Rail Travel Cards

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Recognised child and adolescent mental health professional qualification required.
• Continued professional development and relevant registration must be evident.
• Understanding NHS/Social Care policies is essential.

Responsibilities

• Deliver therapeutic work with children, young people, and families.
• Provide assessments and interventions tailored to clinical presentations.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams and child agencies.

Skills

Experience in a community setting with children and families

Ability to work in a culturally diverse area

Strong assessment skills in child mental health

Knowledge of safeguarding policies

Ability to function within a multi-disciplinary team

Education

Recognised qualification in child and adolescent mental health

Evidence of continued professional development

Job description

Job Summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a confident CAMHS professional with a demonstrable track record of providing good quality evidence based interventions and improving service quality to join our Emotional and Behavioural (E&B) pathway within Luton Specialist CAMHS. The community served is multi‑ethnic and culturally diverse and we welcome applicants who are skilled at working with the richness and complexity of this multicultural context.

Our clinic is readily accessible from North London (Luton and Dunstable) or Milton Keynes and Northampton (Mid Beds and Bedford). ELFT offers attractive recruitment packages and in Beds and Luton we are committed to offering our staff the opportunity to develop their skills. The Trust supports commuting into Luton and offers generous contributions towards Annual Rail Travel Cards.

Contact for further details: Dr Helen Barker, Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Clinical Team Lead ([e-mail]) or Miguel Massa, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist/Clinical Team Lead ([e-mail]). We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward for this vacancy at any time should we receive an overwhelming number of applications. We therefore encourage applicants to apply early if you wish to be considered for this post.

Responsibilities

• Deliver short‑ to medium‑term and longer‑term therapeutic work with children, young people and their parents within the Getting More Help and Risk Support quadrants of the Thrive Model.
• Provide individual and group therapeutic intervention, work with parents and families, consultations to professional networks, training and other interventions within the CAMHS wider system.
• Conduct assessment, self‑harm assessment and intervention, risk assessment and risk management, and apply therapeutic interventions tailored to the clinical presentation.
• Collaborate with a multi‑disciplinary team and liaise with other child agencies such as the criminal justice team, social services and education.
• Work within a comprehensive CAMHS service in Luton, supporting first step access services offering Giving Advice and Getting Help services to schools, GP practices and Early Help services, and providing more help and risk management services.

Person Specification

Experience (Essential)

• Experience of working in a community setting with children, adolescents and families and working with a multi‑agency network.
• Experience of working in a multi‑disciplinary setting.
• Experience of working in a culturally diverse area.
• Experience of self‑harm assessment and intervention with both individuals and their families, and experience of risk assessment and risk management.

Experience (Desirable)

• Experience of working with vulnerable young people who present with high‑risk behaviours and their families.
• Experience of delivering CBT informed interventions for mental health difficulties.

Education / Qualification / Training (Essential)

• Recognised child and adolescent mental health professional qualification/registration (e.g. Doctorate in Clinical, Counseling or Health Psychology; BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist; Masters/Diploma level qualification or its equivalent in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy, accredited with UKCP).
• Evidence of continued professional development and relevant professional registration (e.g. HCPC, BPS, AFT, UKCP).
• Understanding of current NHS/Social Care policies/practices relating to mental health and the Child Protection Policy.

Education / Qualification / Training (Desirable)

• Training in CBT.
• Training in DBT.

Knowledge (Essential)

• Well‑developed assessment skills in child and adolescent mental health.
• Ability to provide tailored psychosocial/cognitive behavioural/systemic therapeutic intervention to children, adolescents and families.
• Strong ability to function within a multi‑disciplinary team.
• Ability to work and liaise effectively with other child agencies, e.g. criminal justice team, social services department and education.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer Details

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Charter House

Alma Street

Luton

LU1 2PJ

Website: https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Additional Job Details

Date posted: 17 December 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 7

Salary: £47,810 to £54,710 a year

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Part‑time

Reference number: 363‑SSLB7526800

Job locations:

• Charter House, Alma Street, Luton, LU1 2PJ