Assistant Practitioner - Eating Disorder Pathway

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

The closing date is 08 May 2025

Job summary

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) is the place to be! We have developed an innovative, integrated model of childrens community services. We are now looking to appoint enthusiastic individuals to join our friendly and dedicated locality and county-wide professional teams.

You will be joining a strong and supportive group of professionals who will be your peers, your phone a friend network and your inspiring colleagues. This provides a real sense of professional collaboration at work, that will be an asset to your daily work, your career development and your support network.

We are currently seeking dedicated and compassionate individuals to join our Eating Disorder team as Band 4 Assistant Practitioners. You will play a crucial role in providing essential support to children and young people who are experiencing an eating disorder. We have an opportunities available in our teams across the county.

You will work alongside a multidisciplinary team, collaborating with other professionals to deliver high-quality care and support to those in crisis.

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and young people, and are committed to personal development and growth, we invite you to apply for this rewarding position. We also offer Band 3 trainee opportunities for candidates who do not hold the relevant qualification but have relevant experience.

Main duties of the job

As an assistant practitioner, you will play a vital role in providing care and support to children. Working alongside a multidisciplinary team, your focus will be on meeting the unique needs of these young people in a comprehensive and holistic manner. Your insights and contributions will inform care planning and decision-making processes.

Your primary responsibility will involve conducting assessments and observations of children presenting with an eating disorder. You will gather information to identify immediate needs and risks. This will enable the team to implement timely interventions that support the well-being of young people. You will also provide interventions and support to young people.

Your active participation in the development of comprehensive care plans, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, is essential. By engaging in care planning and implementation, you will ensure that the plans are tailored to each child's unique circumstances, evidence-based, and person-cantered.

Accurate and up-to-date documentation of assessments, interventions, and evaluations is vital for providing quality care. By maintaining records and adhering to relevant policies and procedures, you will contribute to the overall coordination and continuity of care.

About us

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) comprises an Alliance of NHS organisations working together to improve health outcomes for children and young people in Devon.

CFHD provides integrated care and treatment for children and young people across physical and mental health. We are working closely with other organisations and providers to ensure we deliver locality and county-wide based integrated access to all of our services, based on the i-Thrive Framework, in response to consultation with our service users and communities.

CFHD works closely with our local universities of Plymouth, Exeter & the Peninsula Medical School where we support students in clinical training placements and in addition support our own staff to undertake post graduate training.

Our integrated care and treatment has been developed and refined in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers.

Our children and young people say

We would like the people who work for Children and Family Health Devon to be understanding, patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make us feel safe and comfortable. It is important that they use their skills and experience to listen carefully in a non-patronising and non-judgemental way. When staff are positive and friendly, they help to create an environment that is informal and without pressure.

Our vision is to be a successful, vibrant, partnership that benefits the communities we serve.

Date posted

24 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-25-0915-3

Job locations

Children & Family Health Devon

Bittern Road

Sowton Industrial Estate

Exeter

EX2 7FW

Evergreen

Victoria Park Road

Exeter

EX2 4NU

Integrated Childrens Services

Fishleigh Road

Roundswell Business Park

Barnstaple

Devon

EX31 3UD

Job description

Job responsibilities

The principal purpose of the job is to improve the health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families with a range of mental health difficulties. This will be achieved by:

Active involvement in the delivery of high quality, safe and compassionate mental health services as an effective member of the multi-disciplinary team.

Implementing specific assessment, review and care packages to individuals and groups within standard protocols, integrated care pathways.

Providing evidence based advice and consultancy to young people, family members/carers within standard protocols.

Organising and managing a defined caseload under distant guidance and work as lone workers where appropriate. The post holder will be accountable for their own actions within the delivery of this care.

Seeking advice and expertise of a registered practitioner when required through the use of regular managerial and clinical supervision in accordance with Trust policy.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The principal purpose of the job is to improve the health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families with a range of mental health difficulties. This will be achieved by:

Active involvement in the delivery of high quality, safe and compassionate mental health services as an effective member of the multi-disciplinary team.

Implementing specific assessment, review and care packages to individuals and groups within standard protocols, integrated care pathways.

Providing evidence based advice and consultancy to young people, family members/carers within standard protocols.

Seeking advice and expertise of a registered practitioner when required through the use of regular managerial and clinical supervision in accordance with Trust policy.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Must already hold or obtain the Care Certificate within the first 3 months of employment
Level 3 QCF in Health and Social Care or equivalent qualification
GCSE in Maths and English (Grade C or above) OR Level 2 Key Skills / Functional Skills in Maths and English
Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care or qualification to diploma level or equivalent
Evidence of additional relevant health training eg. Eating disorders /Working with young people experience/ Eating disorder/Social Care.

Experience

Essential

Previous experience working in a range of different mental health care settings
Experience of working autonomously and using own initiative
Working with young people with challenging behaviour and complex health needs

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of a range of Mental Health presentations and medications
An understanding of physical health problems which can impact on a persons mental health and monitoring of the same.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Must already hold or obtain the Care Certificate within the first 3 months of employment
Level 3 QCF in Health and Social Care or equivalent qualification
GCSE in Maths and English (Grade C or above) OR Level 2 Key Skills / Functional Skills in Maths and English
Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care or qualification to diploma level or equivalent
Evidence of additional relevant health training eg. Eating disorders /Working with young people experience/ Eating disorder/Social Care.

Experience

Essential

Previous experience working in a range of different mental health care settings
Experience of working autonomously and using own initiative
Working with young people with challenging behaviour and complex health needs

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of a range of Mental Health presentations and medications
An understanding of physical health problems which can impact on a persons mental health and monitoring of the same.

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.