Trainee Children's Wellbeing Practitioner - Southwark CAMHS

NHS; City Of London; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS mental health service provider is looking for a Trainee Children's Wellbeing Practitioner to join their Southwark CAMHS team. This training role involves delivering evidence-based interventions for children with mild to moderate mental health difficulties. The successful candidate will work in a multidisciplinary team and is required to attend university-based training. A minimum second-class degree in a relevant subject is essential, along with relevant experience with children and young people.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children and young people with mental health difficulties.
• Ability to study as a self-motivated learner.
• Proficiency in a second language (where applicable).

Responsibilities

• Deliver evidence-based interventions under supervision.
• Support and empower children and families in self-management.
• Maintain up-to-date safeguarding knowledge.

Skills

Therapeutic skills

Strong written and verbal communication

Ability to manage a sensitive caseload

Education

Minimum second-class bachelor's degree in psychology or equivalent

Training in nursing, social work, or counselling

Job description

Overview

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) advertises Trainee Children's Wellbeing Practitioner positions in Southwark CAMHS ONLY. The Children Wellbeing Practitioners (CWPs) are part of the CYP IAPT programme, a service transformation aimed at improving children and young people’s mental health services in the community. This is a training role; post-holders will work as Trainee CWPs within the CWP Team embedded in Southwark CAMHS as part of a multi-disciplinary team delivering, under supervision, high-quality, outcome-informed, focused, evidence-based interventions for children and young people with mild to moderate anxiety, low mood, and behavioural difficulties.

Please note: You will need to submit an application form to King\'s College London (KCL) for a place on the Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Young Person Mental Health (CYP-MH) Child Wellbeing Practice alongside the application to this service. The university’s application portal closes on Tuesday 25th November 2025 at 23:59. Applications that do not meet this deadline or KCL criteria will be rejected. For KCL applications, navigate the portal via attached documents or online at https://apply.kcl.ac.uk/.

Queries regarding the programme should be directed to KCL at the email address: [e-mail].

Main duties of the job

• This is a training role within the CYP IAPT programme. The post-holder will work within a CYP MHS as part of a multidisciplinary team delivering, under supervision, high-quality, outcome-informed, evidence-based interventions for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
• The training and service experience will equip the post holder with the necessary knowledge, attitude and capabilities to operate effectively in an inclusive, value-driven service.
• The post holder will attend all university-based taught and self-study days required by the education provider, as specified within the agreed national curriculum, and work in the service for the remaining days of the week using their newly developed skills.

About us

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provides the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK and operates in partnership with IoPPN, King\'s College London and the King\'s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. Our scope is built on three foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

Therapeutic skills

• Assess and deliver, under supervision, outcome-focused, evidence-based interventions to children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
• Work in partnership with children, young people and families in self-management of presenting difficulties and in the development of plans and goals for intervention.
• Support and empower children, young people and families to make informed choices about the intervention.
• Operate from an inclusive values base, recognising and respecting diversity.
• Accept referrals within agreed national and local protocols; undertake accurate risk assessments; signpost unsuitable referrals as necessary.
• Escalate cases where the level of need becomes beyond scope, ensuring adherence to service delivery.
• Provide information and support for evidence-based psychological treatments, including guided self-help. This may be face-to-face, by telephone, or via other media.
• Adhere to activity schedules relating to overall contact numbers and sessions per week to improve timely access and minimise waiting times.
• Attend multi-disciplinary meetings as appropriate; keep coherent records in line with service protocols and use outcome data to inform decisions.
• Assess and integrate issues related to transitions, education and training/employment into the therapeutic process.
• Collaborate with children, young people and communities to widen access.

Training & Supervision

• Attend and fulfil all requirements of the training element, including practical, academic and practice-based assessments.
• Apply learning from the training programme to practice and receive supervision from educational providers.
• Prepare and present caseload information to supervisors on a scheduled basis to ensure safe practice and governance.
• Respond to supervision suggestions and engage in personal development supervision to improve competences.

Professional

• Maintain standards of practice in line with employer and regulatory bodies; stay up-to-date with new guidelines.
• Protect confidentiality at all times.
• Set clear objectives with supervisors and senior colleagues for ongoing professional development.
• Participate in performance reviews and maintain up-to-date CPD records and development plans.
• Attend relevant conferences/workshops aligned with professional objectives.

General

• Support data collection and data flow to the New Workforce Development team; contribute to best practice within the service.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding legislation, and relevant local and national policies and procedures related to children and young people\'s mental health.
• All staff have a responsibility to keep information confidential and secure in line with Data Protection Act (1998) and related policies; avoid conflicts of interest.
• This Job Description may be reviewed in light of service development.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A minimum of a second-class bachelor\'s degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of equivalent standard in a relevant subject (e.g. psychology).
• Experience of working with children and young people with mental health difficulties; training in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, counselling or a related psychology field; psychology or health/social care/youth undergraduate degree.
• Ability to study as a self-motivated learner and implement training with appropriate support; strong written and verbal communication; ability to manage a sensitive caseload; proficiency in a second language (where applicable).

Experience

• Evidence of working with children and young people with mental health difficulties; experience in mental health or related services; experience in a service with agreed targets and outcomes.

Other

• Full, enhanced and current DBS disclosure; able to travel to meet post requirements.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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

Salary: £31,944 to £34,937 per year, including HCAs.