Job summary
In line with the government's priority to increase access and availability of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people, the Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) role is an exciting opportunity to deliver evidence-based early interventions for children and young people, working across both educational settings and healthcare sectors in England.
Successful candidates will be employed on a fixed-term 1 year full-time contract by Southern Health Foundation Trust and based in a newly developed Specialist MHST team working across the county with Special Schools. We are looking for individuals with experience, passion and motivation for working with children with special educational needs including neurodiversity and young people with or without a learning disability, aiming to improve mental health, emotional well-being and self-efficacy in this population to support the development and growth of this new MHST.
As part of this role there will be a requirement to travel to Southampton University for the academic training required for this post.
Successful completion of the training will lead to a substantive full time band 5 position.
Main duties of the job
During training, the post-holder will work under supervision to gain experience across healthcare and educational settings to enable them to gain the level of competence required to deliver high-quality, evidence-based early interventions for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health problems.
On successful completion of training, trainee EMHPs will be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and capabilities to work as a qualified EMHP as autonomous and responsible practitioners within their scope of practice, alongside education colleagues.
About us
Southern Health is one of the largest NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK, specialising in mental health and learning disabilities, as well as offering physical health community-based services.
With a workforce of more than 7000 and a footprint that spans more than 200 sites across Hampshire, we're committed to providing the best possible healthcare, reaching a range of diverse communities, whilst placing patients and staff at the forefront of all our endeavours.
We are currently working closely with other NHS Trusts to combine all our collective community, mental health, and learning disability services, with the plan to create a new larger, more integrated and accessible organisation.
The transformation will happen in stages; Hampshire CAMHS, part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust joined Southern Health in February 2024, with Isle of Wight NHS Trust mental health and community services transitioning across in May 2024. The final combination of Southern Health and Solent NHS Trust services is expected in late 2024, when our new organisation, to be known as Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, will be formed.
Our new Trust will continue to cater to the unique needs of different communities, making healthcare across the county more accessible, as well as offering staff more opportunities for career development, training and partnership working.
Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare in Hampshire.
Job description
Job responsibilities
EMHPs will play a key role as members of the new Mental Health Support Teams, who will have the responsibility for delivering schools' overarching approach to providing mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people.
As this is a full time training post, initially you will apply for the training post, just as you would with any other job application, and then you will be expected to make a separate application to the university mentioned later on in the recruitment and selection process. Following successful completion of the course you will be then be required to make a separate application to the band 5 substantive position with the Trust.
Successful candidates will be offered a full-time educational programme specifically for the role in partnership with the University of Southampton, gaining credits towards either at graduate or postgraduate level qualification (depending on level of previous academic study).
To enable this, all applicants must demonstrate in their application the ability to work at degree level or have an equivalent level of relevant experience, with a proven record of previous learning or formal study in child development, wellbeing or mental health. Further to that experience of working with children and young people and an understanding of the educational system in England is highly desirable.
The training programme for this post starts January 2024, is 12 months in duration and will consist of academic and supervised practice learning across mental health services and educational settings, such as primary and secondary schools, and further education colleges. Delivery of the programme will be provided through a combination of taught days within a University, independent self-guided study days and experience gained in education wellbeing and mainstream mental health services .
The training course is divided into 6 modules, developing skills and knowledge in areas such as:
- Working with children, young people and their parents/carers to support self-management including development of plans for specific interventions and agreeing outcomes;
- Learning to manage own caseload, gaining the necessary skills to practice a range of interventions such as guided self-help;
- Preparing and presenting caseload information to supervisors;
- Working with colleagues to provide better access to specialist mental health services and supporting referrals where required;
- Supporting colleagues in education to identify and manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing.
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached.
We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.
Job description
Job responsibilities
EMHPs will play a key role as members of the new Mental Health Support Teams, who will have the responsibility for delivering schools' overarching approach to providing mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people.
As this is a full time training post, initially you will apply for the training post, just as you would with any other job application, and then you will be expected to make a separate application to the university mentioned later on in the recruitment and selection process. Following successful completion of the course you will be then be required to make a separate application to the band 5 substantive position with the Trust.
Successful candidates will be offered a full-time educational programme specifically for the role in partnership with the University of Southampton, gaining credits towards either at graduate or postgraduate level qualification (depending on level of previous academic study).
To enable this, all applicants must demonstrate in their application the ability to work at degree level or have an equivalent level of relevant experience, with a proven record of previous learning or formal study in child development, wellbeing or mental health. Further to that experience of working with children and young people and an understanding of the educational system in England is highly desirable.
The training programme for this post starts January 2024, is 12 months in duration and will consist of academic and supervised practice learning across mental health services and educational settings, such as primary and secondary schools, and further education colleges. Delivery of the programme will be provided through a combination of taught days within a University, independent self-guided study days and experience gained in education wellbeing and mainstream mental health services .
The training course is divided into 6 modules, developing skills and knowledge in areas such as:
- Working with children, young people and their parents/carers to support self-management including development of plans for specific interventions and agreeing outcomes;
- Learning to manage own caseload, gaining the necessary skills to practice a range of interventions such as guided self-help;
- Preparing and presenting caseload information to supervisors;
- Working with colleagues to provide better access to specialist mental health services and supporting referrals where required;
- Supporting colleagues in education to identify and manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing.
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached.
We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Ability to study at degree level (requirement by University and verified by University at application
- Proven record of previous academic attainment.
- Good solid basic literacy and numeracy qualifications which is assessed on entry by the University
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Ability to study at degree level (requirement by University and verified by University at application
- Proven record of previous academic attainment.
- Good solid basic literacy and numeracy qualifications which is assessed on entry by the University
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.