Trainee ASCLD Practitioner - RTT

Job responsibilities

The post holder will work within the West London NHST Trust Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham CAMHS Teams providing interventions for children and young people identified as having possible or diagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions, primarily ASC and/or LD, whilst undertaking a postgraduate training course.

This intensive training that accompanies the position will equip the post holders to provide interventions based on CYP-IAPT care principles in conjunction with evidence-based interventions, under supervision, for children and adolescents with ASC and/or LD and comorbid mental health needs consistent with their training course, e.g., adapted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, post diagnosis psycho-education for parents, family based interventions informed by principles of Positive Behaviour Support.

The post holders will work with people of different ages and cultural backgrounds, using interpreters when necessary, and should be committed to equal opportunities. The post holders will be part of multi-disciplinary teams and will be involved in discussions to inform the ongoing care of children and young people with ASC and/or LD.

This role will be best suited for applicants who are able to balance a very busy work and study schedule. You will be an employee of WLNHST and also enrolled on a Postgraduate Diploma course. As this is a Postgraduate level training, you will be required to study and perform at this academic level. Applicants must be prepared to work towards their studies outside of protected study time (such as on weekends and after work). Protected study time and teaching days are typically two days a week during term times (with the possibility of extra university days at the start of the course) and will be a mixture of in person and online sessions. Applicants must be willing to travel into Central London to attend their lectures. Work within our teams will be a mixture of working from home and working in our offices, local schools, and home visits within the Ealing/Hammersmith & Fulham communities. Applicants must be willing to travel to Ealing/Hammersmith & Fulham for team meetings and clinical work.

One of these 1-year training posts will be based within Ealing CAMHS Mental Health Support Team (MHST) and one will be based in Hammersmith & Fulham CAMHS Neurodevelopmental and Learning Disability Team.

The ASC/LD Trainee role in Ealing will be based in the Mental Health Support Team, MHST+ Learning Disabilities and Autism Practitioners (LDAPs). The MHST+ LDAPs provide a specialist service within the wider Mental Health Support Team offering early intervention support for mild to moderate mental health needs (low mood, anxiety) and challenging behaviours, using evidence-based approaches adapted to the needs of needs of children and young people with ASC/LD. We are a schools based service, working with children and young people with ASC/LD and mental health and/or challenging behaviour needs in Ealing MHST primary and secondary schools.

The ASC/LD trainee role in Hammersmith & Fulham is based within the Specialist CAMHS, Neurodevelopmental and learning disability (NDLD) team, where we complete assessments and interventions for children and young people with neurodevelopmental concerns such as Autism, ADHD, Tics disorder and Learning Disability or Developmental delays, and their families. This is a 0-18 service for children and young persons registered with a GP in Hammersmith and Fulham.

West London NHS Trust CAMHS is proud to have made a rapid transition to delivering online interventions during the pandemic and you will have the opportunity to work flexibly in this role, combining days of coming into the base and face to face work, with telephone and online meetings.

Qualifications & Training

Essential

• A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in a relevant subject (e.g. psychology). Applicants who do not fulfil the academic criteria but have relevant professional experience are encouraged to apply and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Desirable

• Training in a mental-health related profession (e.g. psychology, nursing, health visiting; social-work, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, special needs teaching, psychiatry, other psychotherapy, counselling).

Experience

Essential

• experience of working within a professional setting concerned with the mental health of children and young people or families (e.g. as a mental health worker).
• Basic level of clinical competence and experience of having worked with children and young people with ASC and/or LD
• Experience of therapeutic work, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
• Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders

Desirable

• Experience of working as part of the multi-disciplinary team with children and young people with ASC and/or LD and their families.
• Experience of working within a professional setting concerned with the mental health, development and wellbeing of children and young people with ASC and/or LD and their families.
• Experience of monitoring and recording outcome measures for children's emotional wellbeing.
• Experience of navigating complex social systems and environments, who may have conflicting priorities or agendas.

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Demonstrates an understanding and appreciation of the unique challenges associated with ASC and/or LD for children, young people and their families.
• Demonstrates awareness of the significantly increased risk of co-morbid mental health and other neuro-developmental problems in this population.
• Knowledge and understanding of the key features and symptoms associated with ASC and/or LD.
• Knowledge and understanding of importance to modify, adapt methods of communication and intervention for this population
• Knowledge and understanding of issues relating to safeguarding children
• Ability to be flexible and creative in facilitating engagement with children and young people with ASC and/or LD and their families.
• Ability to adapt communication style according to the varying needs and levels of comprehension of children and young people with ASC and/or LD.
• Ability to maintain a reflective stance in emotive/challenging interactions with children and their carers
• Ability to use supervision to reflect on practice
• Ability to organise own time and diary under supervision, including travelling in the community when needed.
• Ability to follow policy and make proposal for change
• Ability to maintain accurate records
• Capability to complete academic work at postgraduate diploma level, including IELTS or equivalent to the appropriate level for students with English as a foreign language (Level: GOOD) https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/english-language-requirements

Desirable

• Demonstrates an appreciation of the range of factors that can impact on emotional well-being of children and young people with ASC and/or LD and their families
• Demonstrates an appreciation of the MDT approach and involving other agencies, such as education and social care in order to ensure that the needs of children and young people with ASC and/or LD are well understood and effectively met.
• Ability to adopt a multi-agency working, especially in relation to complex cases with multiple needs, where a more systemic approach is required.
• Ability to advocate for the needs for children and young people with ASC and/or LD and their families.
• Ability to maintain an observational stance, particularly in relation to children and young people with ASC and/or LD who do not express themselves verbally.
• Understanding of evidence based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influences clinical practice
• Ability to offer consultation to others about mental health issues.

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).