Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated CAMHS practitioner towork within the YJS (Youth Justice) CAMHS service as a secondment from April until December 31st 2026. This is an excellent learning and developmental opportunity with a chance to work in a small specialist team that is supported by an experienced MDT. Caseloads remain small, allowing time to work with complex needs. There is ample opportunity for direct work with young people (enhancing clinical risk and CAMHS assessment skills and practicing a range of therapeutic interventions).
Applicants will need to have a relevant first level qualification in Social Work, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Child Psychotherapy, or Creative Therapies with related experience in the psychological aspects of caring for children and adolescent with mental health problems/needs. It is desirable that applicants have further training in additional evidence based treatments with some CAMHS experience.
The YJS CAMHS team is located in the Civic Centre less than 5 minutes from the Brixton Underground and Train station (zone 2). The team is co-located with the Youth Justice Service, but work in a hybrid model with young people seen at the Youth Justice offices in Brixton or Lambeth CAMHS sites at St John's Angell Town or Black Prince Road. The is also opportunity for some remote working during the week.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be clinically confident in carrying out mental health and risk assessments and contribute to developing multi-agency risk management plans. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be committed to providing a high standard quality of care. They will have responsibility for a caseload providing a range of clinical interventions. They will work closely with other members of the multi-disciplinary alongside partner agencies (YJS officers, education, health, social care and police). a senior psychologist who also works in the HSB service. They will be a valued member of the YJS CAMHS team offering clinical input in the multidisciplinary team.
YJS CAMHS is a multidisciplinary team that provides specialist mental health treatment to young people who have become engaged with the Youth Justice System and need help. The team comprises of 2 CAMHS Practitioners, 1 HSB Lead, 1 Youth Justice Liaison & Diversion Practitioner and a part-time Consultant Psychiatrist and Team Lead. The Team offers a combination of evidence-based interventions and work closely with the Youth Justice Team.
About us
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust(SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.
By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To assume responsibility for own case list and case management of children, adolescents and families who are determined to be at low/medium/high risk.
- To make clinical formulation/ tentative diagnosis from a standard CAMH assessment, including risk assessment, on which to recommend a treatment intervention.
- Participate as a multi-disciplinary team member in the setting andreviewing of therapeutic aims, objectives, standards and strategies to provide a high standard of care to clients.
- Deliver interventions for children and young people with a range of complex needs commonly found when working within the youth justice service. As the work is predominantly with young people with emotional behavioural and conduct difficulties then a range of talking therapies and structured interventions and family work have been found to be effective. The treatment interventions provided would be based on NICE guidelines and evidence based practice.
- Use individual, group work, family work, advice and supervision according to the needs of children and young people and have a flexible and innovative approach to packages of care.
- Participate and lead in joint complex assessments with other as required
- Maintain good relationships and clear lines of communication with other professional agencies and departments, providing specialist advice and support where appropriate.
- Work with the team and clients to maintain a safe therapeutic environment. Work to assure the quality of care through achieving high operational standards in clinical systems. To link with other statutory and voluntary agencies and professionals as well as other CAMHS Teams in terms of referrals and joint work. Maintain good relationships and clear lines of communication with other professional agencies and departments, providing specialist advice and support where appropriate.
- Supervise junior members of the team (Band 5 - 6) or trainees from any discipline.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To assume responsibility for own case list and case management of children, adolescents and families who are determined to be at low/medium/high risk.
- To make clinical formulation/ tentative diagnosis from a standard CAMH assessment, including risk assessment, on which to recommend a treatment intervention.
- Participate as a multi-disciplinary team member in the setting andreviewing of therapeutic aims, objectives, standards and strategies to provide a high standard of care to clients.
- Deliver interventions for children and young people with a range of complex needs commonly found when working within the youth justice service. As the work is predominantly with young people with emotional behavioural and conduct difficulties then a range of talking therapies and structured interventions and family work have been found to be effective. The treatment interventions provided would be based on NICE guidelines and evidence based practice.
- Use individual, group work, family work, advice and supervision according to the needs of children and young people and have a flexible and innovative approach to packages of care.
- Participate and lead in joint complex assessments with other as required
- Maintain good relationships and clear lines of communication with other professional agencies and departments, providing specialist advice and support where appropriate.
- Work with the team and clients to maintain a safe therapeutic environment. Work to assure the quality of care through achieving high operational standards in clinical systems. To link with other statutory and voluntary agencies and professionals as well as other CAMHS Teams in terms of referrals and joint work. Maintain good relationships and clear lines of communication with other professional agencies and departments, providing specialist advice and support where appropriate.
- Supervise junior members of the team (Band 5 - 6) or trainees from any discipline.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level qualification in clinical psychology with CAMHS experience
- All applicants will require professional registration with the Health and Care Professional's Council.
Desirable
- Candidates with previous AIM training will be prioritized
- Additional post qualification training such as ADOS; SAVRY; ADI; CAI.
- Formal training in supervision
Experience
Essential
- Advanced experience of mental health assessment, formulation and treatment/intervention of children with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in child and adolescent mental health
- Assessment of risk and management of risk factors
- Experience in the use of assessment tools including the Wechsler Intelligence Scales and contributing to the formulation of a young person's difficulties by providing information on their level of intellectual functioning and specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
- Experience in chairing/leading multi-disciplinary meetings
- Experience in working with diverse populations
Desirable
- Experience of supervising junior clinical staff
- Evidence of teaching, training and presenting complex clinical information to a range of client groups, stakeholders and professionals
Skills
Essential
- Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups
- Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups within own service
- Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner with appropriate level of clinical and managerial supervision
- Ability to work therapeutically with the client group, using a range of therapeutic interventions and specialisation in at least one model of therapy
- Excellent time management skills
Desirable
- Experience of writing court reports for use within criminal or family proceedings
- Experience of presenting own research/audit
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist and transferable skills and knowledge of the theory and evidence base relevant to work with child and young people with moderate to severe learning disabilities and/or neurodevelopmental disorder (including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD), and additional mental health needs and/or challenging behaviour.
- Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities including the Children Act, child protection procedures, and the Mental Health Act.
- Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
Desirable
- Experience of working with forensic populations, or young people who display sexually harmful behaviour
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for children with complex trauma.
- Specialist knowledge regarding sexually harmful behaviour in children and adolescents.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level qualification in clinical psychology with CAMHS experience
- All applicants will require professional registration with the Health and Care Professional's Council.
Desirable
- Candidates with previous AIM training will be prioritized
- Additional post qualification training such as ADOS; SAVRY; ADI; CAI.
- Formal training in supervision
Experience
Essential
- Advanced experience of mental health assessment, formulation and treatment/intervention of children with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in child and adolescent mental health
- Assessment of risk and management of risk factors
- Experience in the use of assessment tools including the Wechsler Intelligence Scales and contributing to the formulation of a young person's difficulties by providing information on their level of intellectual functioning and specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
- Experience in chairing/leading multi-disciplinary meetings
- Experience in working with diverse populations
Desirable
- Experience of supervising junior clinical staff
- Evidence of teaching, training and presenting complex clinical information to a range of client groups, stakeholders and professionals
Skills
Essential
- Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups
- Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups within own service
- Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner with appropriate level of clinical and managerial supervision
- Ability to work therapeutically with the client group, using a range of therapeutic interventions and specialisation in at least one model of therapy
- Excellent time management skills
Desirable
- Experience of writing court reports for use within criminal or family proceedings
- Experience of presenting own research/audit
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist and transferable skills and knowledge of the theory and evidence base relevant to work with child and young people with moderate to severe learning disabilities and/or neurodevelopmental disorder (including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD), and additional mental health needs and/or challenging behaviour.
- Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities including the Children Act, child protection procedures, and the Mental Health Act.
- Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
Desirable
- Experience of working with forensic populations, or young people who display sexually harmful behaviour
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for children with complex trauma.
- Specialist knowledge regarding sexually harmful behaviour in children and adolescents.
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
