CAMHS Developmental Practitioner

Job responsibilities

• The post holder is responsible for supporting the emotional, psychological and social wellbeing of children and young people with a drive for early intervention. Enabling cultural change in the way first contact services can support children and young people with mental health problems. In line with 2015 “Future in Mind” strategic vision for CAMHS the post holder will actively promote resilience, prevention and early intervention to children and young people in the community.
• This post will involve competencies which will need to be completed within 2 years dependent on current experience and will be assessed through various methods including feedback, self-directed assessment, direct observation and throughout line management. If not achieved within the specified timeframe will not be able to progress onto the band 6.
• The post holder will work as the named Early Help liaison practitioner within the locality. The post holder will directly link with other services, families, professionals and schools supporting with potential requests for involvement into CAMHS promoting emotional, health and wellbeing as part of the whole school approach.
• The post holder will offer consultation about identified young people to the referrer, network or directly to the child, young person and their family. The post holder will be responsible for the co-ordination of further assessment, targeted intervention or group that would meet the needs of the child or young person.
• The post holder will co-ordinate training to community professionals and schools to meet the specific needs of each setting or school and co-facilitate training when appropriate.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

• To work as the identified Early Help Liaison practitioner to deliver consultation, advice and signposting to community services and schools working with children and young people who may present with emerging mental health difficulties.
• Co-ordination and implementation of evidence based targeted interventions in a timely manner, in collaboration with the other clinicians in the early help pathway.
• To ensure that children and young people access timely assessments and the appropriate targeted interventions.
• Organisation and delivery of groups based within the school and community setting on a needs led approach. To support the delivery of evidence based programmes for children and young people with mental health issues.
• Take a lead in representing CAMHS in multi-agency meetings such as EHAT, SEND meetings or child protection meetings to co-ordinate and have oversight of mental health element of a multi-agency plan around a child.
• To function as a member of the locality facing CAMHS early help pathway taking appropriate responsibility for the implementation of decisions made by the team.
• Ensure planned interventions are implemented effectively and evaluated using Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROMS)
• Participate in the delivery of training programmes for schools and community services from a portfolio of available CAMHS training
• Maintain standards of care to highest level within available resources.
• To actively participate in line management with senior and junior members of staff.
• To liaise effectively with the other CAMHS community teams across the city.
• To develop and maintain relationships with providers statutory and non-statutory.
• To maintain confidentiality in respect of the young people at all times.
• Communicate clearly with children and young people, their families and all other health professional groups about their health problems.
• Actively participate in clinical governance and quality improvement initiatives, e.g. clinical audit, essence of care or clinical policy development.
• Ensure that children and young people are encouraged to play a part in decision making about the help they need and how they can access specific interventions. This is to promote person-centred planning.
• Contribute to the provision of the advice line, providing advice, support, signposting and resources.

Qualifications

Essential

• - Core qualification in any Mental health modality such as Nursing / Social Worker/OT with at least 1 years experience of working with children & young people in mental health.
• - Appropriate Registration relevant to professional qualification i.e. NMC, HCPC

Desirable

• - Post graduate training qualification in methods of working with children with mental health problems, e.g. systemic practice or post grad diploma in child and adolescent mental health.
• - Clinical supervisor & assessor training to support students on placements or be willing to undertake this training as part of the role.

Experience

Essential

• - Experience of post-registration working with children/young people who have experienced mental health and psychological well-being difficulties.
• - Knowledge and understanding of difficulties that can impact their own mental health i.e. attachment, trauma, parental mental health.
• - Awareness and knowledge of undertaken assessments along with the processes involved including risk management.
• - Maintaining own safety in Community settings by working within relevant policy and be willing to complete training necessary for their role.
• - Experience of effective working with families of different cultural backgrounds.
• - Knowledge/Experience of working within multi-agency safeguarding systems e.g. child protection conferences, child in need meetings.
• - Be able to manage your own caseload and time management effectively.
• - Networking with other agencies.

Desirable

• - Life experience in wide range of settings.
• - One years' working post registration experience.
• - Evidence of working with children and young people delivering interventions.

Knowledge

Essential

• - Mental Health presentations and evidenced based interventions to support this.
• - Confidentiality.
• - Safeguarding Children.

Desirable

• -IT skills
• - Ethical issues in relation to Mental Health
• - SystmOne trained

Circumstances

Essential

• - Ability to travel across Plymouth
• - Ability to work flexibly (hours of work and duties) both as an individual and with other colleagues in LSW and with partner agencies
• - Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments where required

Desirable

• - Car owner/driver or suitable alternative transport to enable you to undertake the job. It is unlikely that public transport will meet this requirement.
• - Adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Skills

Essential

• - Mental Health and Risk Assessment, evaluation and intervention skills.
• - Good organisational skills and be able to prioritise caseload in a timely manner.
• - Well-developed communication skills - both oral and written
• - Ability to use IT effectively
• - Commitment to anti-oppressive practice
• - Culturally competent assessment and intervention skills
• - Specific therapeutic skills relevant to working with children and families
• - Consultation skills
• - Training skills
• - Self-motivating and able to work on own initiative
• - Ability to work in partnership and in collaboration with others, both in and out of own agency/professional background.
• - Commitment to own learning and professional development
• - Evidence of excellent communication skills with children and young people.
• - Team work skills
• - Administration skills
• - Interpersonal skills
• - Supervision of junior staff
• - Responsible and self-motivated
• - Able to manage own stress
• - Flexible and reliable
• - Empathetic

Desirable

• - Group interaction skills
• - Change management skills
• - Ability to recognise and support stress in others
• - Mentorship or equivalent

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 (formerly known as CRB) 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).