Specialist Mental Health Practitioner (Pair) - Cfhd

Devon Partnership Nhs Trust; Devon and Torbay; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The PAIR Team at Devon Partnership NHS Trust is seeking an experienced practitioner with a passion for infant mental health, attachment and early relationships. This maternity cover post offers the chance to shape and grow a newly established specialist service within the MERS Pathway.

You will work within a multidisciplinary team to assess and support babies, parents and carers, deliver evidence-based interventions, and contribute to service development as PAIR expands.

Qualifications

• Degree with professional training and registration in a relevant field.
• Training in evidence-based therapeutic approaches is required.
• Evidence of CPD and ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist assessment and intervention where there are concerns about the parent-infant relationship.
• Collaborate with CFHD and partner agencies (Health Visiting, Perinatal Mental Health, Family Hubs, Midwifery, Children’s Services).
• Deliver evidence-based interventions to promote infant emotional wellbeing and strengthen relationships.
• Provide consultation, training and support to professionals working with infants and families.
• Participate in multidisciplinary discussion, formulation and care planning.
• Contribute to safeguarding processes and multi-agency working as needed.
• Support development and evaluation of the PAIR service.

Education

Degree with core professional training (Nursing, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, etc)

Training in evidence-based therapeutic approach

Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD)

Job description

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join the newly established Parent Infant Relationship (PAIR) Team at a formative stage of its development. We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic practitioner with a passion for infant mental health, attachment and early relationships who is keen to help shape and grow this innovative specialist service within the MERS Pathway.

The PAIR Team has been developed to strengthen support for babies, parents and carers during the earliest years of life, recognising the vital role that early relationships play in shaping emotional wellbeing, development and lifelong outcomes.

This maternity cover post offers the opportunity to work within a developing specialist service alongside passionate colleagues who are committed to improving outcomes for babies and families across Devon. As the service continues to grow and embed, the successful applicant will have the opportunity to contribute to service development and help shape the future direction of the PAIR offer.

We are particularly interested in applicants who already have experience working within infant mental health, attachment-focused services, parent-infant relationship work, early years mental health or related areas of practice.

Interview date - 25th September 2026

Main duties of the job

• Provide specialist assessment and intervention where there are concerns regarding the parent-infant relationship.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across CFHD and partner agencies, including Health Visiting, Perinatal Mental Health Services, Family Hubs, Midwifery Services and Children's Services.
• Deliver evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions that promote infant emotional wellbeing and strengthen parent-infant relationships.
• Provide consultation, training and support to professionals working with infants and families.
• Participate in multidisciplinary discussion, formulation and care planning.
• Contribute to safeguarding processes and multi-agency working where required.
• Support the ongoing development and evaluation of the PAIR service.

Why Join the PAIR Team?

This is a unique opportunity to join a newly launched specialist team at an exciting stage of its development. The PAIR Team is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-informed care that recognises the importance of early relationships in shaping lifelong outcomes.

You will be part of a supportive multidisciplinary team with opportunities for ongoing learning, supervision, innovation and service development. Most importantly, you will help make a meaningful difference to babies, parents and families at the earliest stage of life, when intervention can have the greatest impact.

About us

At Children and Family Health Devon, we are dedicated to improving the physical and mental health of children and young people across Devon and Torbay. We aim to create an environment where children and young people can thrive and are committed to reducing health inequalities and providing specialised support, empowering them to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

Our children and young people say

We would like the people who work for Children and Family Health Devon to be understanding, patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make us feel safe and comfortable. It is important that they use their skills and experience to listen carefully in a non-patronising and non-judgemental way. When staff are positive and friendly, they help to create an environment that is informal and without pressure.

Who we are

We are an alliance of NHS organisations led by Devon Partnership Trust. We are a group of professionals including psychologists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, nurses and many other professions.

Join us in beautiful Devon

With access to moors, sea and cities, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy Devon. Whether you enjoy spending time in the cultural hub of Exeter, exploring the Jurassic coastline or discovering the world surfing reserve in North Devon there really is something for everyone.

Job responsibilities

Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by specialist training or equivalent experience to masters level WITH a relevant core professional training (e.g. Nursing, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, etc) and relevant professional registration.
• Training in an evidence-based therapeutic approach.
• Evidence of relevant CPD.

Desirable

• Training in supervision and/or leadership skills.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers, including using goal-based care and routine outcome measures in practice.
• Experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team and across agencies.
• Experience of working with children and young peoples with Autism and/or a Learning Disability, families and parents/carers, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal abuse.
• Experience of undertaking specialist mental health and/or behavioural assessment and therapeutic interventions for in the area of childrens mental health, with the ability to work with complex needs and undertake risk assessments.
• Experience of safeguarding infants and ensuring the safety of children in partnership with other agencies as appropriate.
• Experience that evidences an ability to tend to diversity and work in a way that promotes anti-discriminatory practice.
• Experience of initiating, attending and contributing to multi-professional and inter-agency meetings.

Desirable

• Experience in providing effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.
• Experience of providing professional teaching and training for other professionals.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

• Understanding of relevant legislation pertaining to child mental health and learning disability.
• High level knowledge of mental health presentations in and children/young people and knowledge of the theory and practice of short term and long term, evidence-based, clinical interventions in the field of perinatal and infant mental health and who may also present with a Learning Disability.
• Knowledge of child development.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to children and adolescents and safeguarding procedures and policies.
• Knowledge of NHS, Social Care and Education structures, national policies and frameworks, evidence based practice including NICE guidelines.
• Knowledge of risk management and ability to monitor and assess risk and act accordingly to ensure safety.

Additional requirement

Essential

• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle is required for this role.

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.

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.

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.