Triage and Assessment Practitioner

NHS; Coventry; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity organization is seeking a Triage and Assessment Practitioner in Coventry to support children and young people in their first steps towards emotional wellbeing. This role involves conducting holistic assessments, triaging new referrals, and collaborating with families and professionals to ensure proper care. Candidates should have relevant qualifications and experience, alongside strong communication skills. This position offers 27 days of holiday plus benefits including a pension scheme and support for ongoing development.

Benefits

27 days holiday + bank holidays

Life assurance

Competitive pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced sick pay

Learning & development opportunities

Qualifications

• Qualification in mental health or working with children and young people.
• At least one year post-qualification experience needed.
• Experience delivering holistic assessments for children and young people.

Responsibilities

• Conduct holistic assessments to understand needs.
• Triaging new referrals and developing care plans.
• Liaise with families, schools, and professionals.

Skills

Mental health qualification

Assessment delivery for children

Understanding of safeguarding

Time management

Communication skills

Education

Diploma in Youth Work

Diploma in Social Work

Psychology degree

Job description

Job summary

Could you help make that first step feel a little less scary and a lot more hopeful?

As a Triage and Assessment Practitioner, you will be the first point of meaningful contact for children, young people and families accessing our service. Working as part of a supportive, multidisciplinary team you will carry out holistic assessments to understand each young person’s needs and ensure they are matched with the right support at the right time.

You will take the lead on triaging new referrals, conducting comprehensive assessments, and liaising with families, schools and professionals to develop effective care plans. You will also help manage the assessment rota and contribute to the ongoing development of efficient, inclusive pathways into care. Every decision you make will directly impact a young person’s experience of the service and their journey to better emotional wellbeing.

Main duties of the job

You thrive on finding clarity in complexity. Behind every referral you see a young person needing someone to listen, understand, and guide them to the right support. You bring professionalism, compassion and calm, and are driven by the belief that early, effective intervention changes lives.

• A qualification in mental health or working with children and young people (e.g. Youth Work, Social Work, Psychology, Counselling)
• At least one year post‑qualification experience
• Experience delivering holistic assessments for children and young people
• Work with vulnerable groups and in multi‑agency settings
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, risk assessment, consent and Gillick competency
• Time management skills and ability to work under pressure
• Confident IT and case recording skills
• A collaborative, flexible attitude with excellent communication skills

Although home based you will need to occasionally travel; therefore you will need to have a UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Desirable criteria: CBT‑informed approach, experience organising team duties, knowledge of evidence‑based practice or child development.

Qualifications

• Essential: Qualification in mental health or working with children & young people (e.g. Diploma in Youth Work, Diploma in Social Work, Psychology degree, accredited counselling)
• Essential: One year relevant post‑qualification experience

• Desirable: Therapeutic postgraduate qualification (ideally low intensity CBT)

Experience

• Essential: Experience of delivering comprehensive, holistic assessment of need for children and young people
• Essential: Working with vulnerable groups, inter‑agency and multi‑disciplinary working, risk assessment and management, safeguarding, confidentiality and consent, Gillick competency and mental capacity.

• Desirable: Experience of CBT informed practice; organising team duties; knowledge of developmental needs and evidence‑based practice; understanding of evidence and statistical data collection; achieving targets.

Additional Criteria

• Recognition and escalation of risk, contributing to control measures.
• Planning workload, time management, ability to work under pressure and manage changing priorities.
• IT skills, team player, dynamic personality.
• Multi‑agency/disciplinary working, excellent communication skills and ability to relate to CYPFs.
• Innovative practice and ability to influence others.
• Positive attitude; flexible and adaptable; solution focused; tenacious.
• Strong personal integrity.
• Recognise and safeguard concerns contributing to risk management.
• Occasional travel across district; flexible working pattern including evenings.
• Full UK driving licence and vehicle access or Access to Work.
• Enhanced DBS check.

About us

Compass is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. Established for over 30 years, Compass is a national charity working in communities across the UK providing services spanning substance misuse treatment and rehabilitation, early interventions for vulnerable young people, school‑aged health programmes and associated prevention as well as treatment and health promotion initiatives.

All Compass posts are subject to appropriate level DBS checks.

We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, irrespective of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation, and encourage applications from people who have life experiences that enrich skills and empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and developing a truly inclusive and representative workforce.

We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments individuals may require in the recruitment process, on commencement, or once in post.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday + bank holidays, rising to 32 days over time (pro rata)
• Life assurance at 2× basic salary
• Competitive contributory pension scheme
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and OH service
• Enhanced sick pay
• Excellent learning & development opportunities and career progression
• Annual performance/salary review

Be the steady start to something better. Apply Today!

Closing date: 31st Oct

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a Disclosure and Barring Service check is required.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer details

Compass – Jardine Crescent, Coventry, CV4 9PL – https://www.compass-uk.org/

Employer's website

https://www.compass-uk.org/