Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity to join West Sussex County Councils Mental Health Support Team as a Mental Health Practitioner. This is a great time to join us as we expand our services to meet the needs of our schools and communities.
Main duties of the job
If you have experience of working with people with mental health difficulties, and training in low or high intensity CBT, we would love to hear from you.
Within this role you will hold a case load of children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems within schools, being responsible for developing packages of care.
You will deliver a variety of evidence-based interventions against a CBT model, working collaboratively with children, young people, their families, schools, and other mental health professionals.
Key areas of responsibility:
- Providing advice to schools and families, and liaising with external specialist services, to get the right support for children and young people.
- Keep clear records, case files, assessments, and data.
- Work in line with safeguarding protocols and follow the Local Safeguarding Board guidance.
- Attend and participate in multi-disciplinary and multi-agency meetings relating to the people you are supporting.
You will need to be able to demonstrate personal resilience as some cases may be sensitive, traumatic, or potentially emotionally distressing.
Please contactthought-full@westsussex.gov.ukfor more information.
For a full list of responsibilities, key skills, and experience, please refer to the job description.
About us
At West Sussex County Council (WSCC) we have an opportunity for a Mental Health Practitioner to make a real difference in supporting Mental Health in Children. You will be working within Education & Skills, Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) where there are exciting new initiatives and an important strand of the Governments 2017 Green Paper Transforming Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Provision.
We fulfil 3 core functions:
- Delivering evidence-based interventions in education settings (primary and secondary schools and colleges) for mild to moderate mental health issues.
- Supporting the senior mental health lead in each education setting to introduce or develop their whole school or college approach.
- Giving timely advice to school and college staff, and liaising with external specialist services, to help children and young people to get the right support and stay in education.
For more information, please visit ourEducation, Children and Familiespage on our West Sussex County Council (WSCC) website.
If you are interested in making a difference and working in a friendly and supportive team with a role that offers variety and challenge, then this could be the role for you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Working within Education & Skills, Thought-Full Mental Health Support Teams in schools are an exciting new initiative and an important strand of the Governments 2017 Green Paper Transforming Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Provision.
We fulfil three core functions:
1. Supporting the senior mental health lead in each education setting to introduce or develop their whole school or college approach.
2. Delivering evidence-based interventions in education settings (primary and secondary schools and colleges) for mild to moderate mental health issues.
3. Giving timely advice to school and college staff, and liaising with external specialist services, to help children and young people to get the right support and stay in education.
Salary: £35,411 - £38,296 per annumWorking Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week and part time, 18.5 hours per weekContract:PermanentLocation:We have multiple vacancies based at County Hall Chichester (full time), Arun (full time), Bridge House Adur and Worthing (full time) and County Hall North Horsham (part time)
You will need to be able to travel independently to carry out assessments, and there will be periodic physical requirements to the role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Working within Education & Skills, Thought-Full Mental Health Support Teams in schools are an exciting new initiative and an important strand of the Governments 2017 Green Paper Transforming Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Provision.
We fulfil three core functions:
1. Supporting the senior mental health lead in each education setting to introduce or develop their whole school or college approach.
2. Delivering evidence-based interventions in education settings (primary and secondary schools and colleges) for mild to moderate mental health issues.
3. Giving timely advice to school and college staff, and liaising with external specialist services, to help children and young people to get the right support and stay in education.
Salary: £35,411 - £38,296 per annumWorking Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week and part time, 18.5 hours per weekContract:PermanentLocation:We have multiple vacancies based at County Hall Chichester (full time), Arun (full time), Bridge House Adur and Worthing (full time) and County Hall North Horsham (part time)
You will need to be able to travel independently to carry out assessments, and there will be periodic physical requirements to the role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Key Skills:
- 1. Ability to carry out low-intensity, CBT-informed 1:1 therapeutic mental health assessments and interventions with children and young people, and/or their families.
- 2. Ability to carry out initial (mental health) assessments which will include thorough assessments of risk and safeguarding or where there may be additional complexities.
- 3. Ability to work flexibly with a range of professionals and other adults including teachers, parents/carers, social workers and other mental health professionals in the best interests of the child or young person, communicating complicated or sensitive information effectively.
- 4. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to quickly build effective therapeutic rapport with a child, young person and / or their parents.
- 5. Ability to effectively manage an allocated caseload including assessing, recording and communicating risk appropriately and taking necessary actions.
- 6. Ability to positively make use of clinical and peer group support supervision.
- 7. Ability to complete and maintain data recording and paperwork appropriate to the work undertaken.
- Qualifications and/or experience:
- Core professional qualification relevant to mental health, e.g. nursing with specialism in mental health or learning disability nursing, Occupational Therapy, Social Worker, CBT Therapist.
- Appropriate professional registration e.g. NMC, HCPC, BABCP.
- Evidence of continuous professional development.
- Training in Low Intensity or High Intensity CBT and/or experience.
- OR
- Demonstrable experience as set out in the NHS England South East Region Childrens Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) and Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) Band 5 to Band 6 Progression Framework*. This will be evidenced through CPD and post-qualification supervisor reference / report.
- please contact thought-full@westsussex.gov.uk for more information.
- Minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience.
- Experience of working with people with mental health problems.
- Experience of working with children and young people, parents and families.
- Experience of managing risk.
- Experience of carrying out comprehensive assessments.
- Experience of multidisciplinary and multi-agency working.
Desirable
- Experience of working in school settings and/or of whole school approach work - Desirable
- Experience of offering consultation to other professionals - Desirable
- Experience of delivering therapeutic groups - Desirable
- Experience as a care coordinator - Desirable
- Lived experience of mental health issues - Desirable
- Experience with Looked After and adopted Children - Desirable
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Key Skills:
- 1. Ability to carry out low-intensity, CBT-informed 1:1 therapeutic mental health assessments and interventions with children and young people, and/or their families.
- 2. Ability to carry out initial (mental health) assessments which will include thorough assessments of risk and safeguarding or where there may be additional complexities.
- 3. Ability to work flexibly with a range of professionals and other adults including teachers, parents/carers, social workers and other mental health professionals in the best interests of the child or young person, communicating complicated or sensitive information effectively.
- 4. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to quickly build effective therapeutic rapport with a child, young person and / or their parents.
- 5. Ability to effectively manage an allocated caseload including assessing, recording and communicating risk appropriately and taking necessary actions.
- 6. Ability to positively make use of clinical and peer group support supervision.
- 7. Ability to complete and maintain data recording and paperwork appropriate to the work undertaken.
- Qualifications and/or experience:
- Core professional qualification relevant to mental health, e.g. nursing with specialism in mental health or learning disability nursing, Occupational Therapy, Social Worker, CBT Therapist.
- Appropriate professional registration e.g. NMC, HCPC, BABCP.
- Evidence of continuous professional development.
- Training in Low Intensity or High Intensity CBT and/or experience.
- OR
- Demonstrable experience as set out in the NHS England South East Region Childrens Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) and Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) Band 5 to Band 6 Progression Framework*. This will be evidenced through CPD and post-qualification supervisor reference / report.
- please contact thought-full@westsussex.gov.uk for more information.
- Minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience.
- Experience of working with people with mental health problems.
- Experience of working with children and young people, parents and families.
- Experience of managing risk.
- Experience of carrying out comprehensive assessments.
- Experience of multidisciplinary and multi-agency working.
Desirable
- Experience of working in school settings and/or of whole school approach work - Desirable
- Experience of offering consultation to other professionals - Desirable
- Experience of delivering therapeutic groups - Desirable
- Experience as a care coordinator - Desirable
- Lived experience of mental health issues - Desirable
- Experience with Looked After and adopted Children - Desirable
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.
