Senior Wellbeing Practitioner - MHST

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

NELFT is the largest provider of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in England. Our Southend, Essex and Thurrock services cover 144 schools currently. We currently cover 48% of secondary and primary schools within Southend, Essex and Thurrock.

The MHST delivers evidence-based individual and group interventions in educational settings for children experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties aged 4 to 18 years old. The teams also have a strong focus on whole school approaches to improve mental health outcomes for children and young people.

The MHSTs build on the support already in place from school counsellors, nurses, educational psychologists, and the voluntary sector to support those with mild to moderate mental health issues in school and will help children and young people with more severe needs to access the right support and provide a link to the CAMHS services.

The post-holder will be a graduate qualified health care professional (e.g. nurse, social worker, occupational therapist), or have completed Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP)/Children Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) qualification and will be fully registered with the appropriate professional or regulatory body (e.g. HCPC, NMC, BPS, BABCP). They will have extensive clinical experience working with Children and Young People (CYP) with emotional wellbeing and mental health difficulties.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for delivering interventions within MHSTs in and around schools and colleges whilst receiving clinical supervision.

• Act as an autonomous, registered (where appropriate) practitioner who is legally and professionally accountable for own unsupervised actions guided by the professional code of conduct and Trust guidelines and protocols.
• Initiate referrals to other health professional specialist services and agencies.
• Provide expert emotional wellbeing and mental health support as part of plans to transform CYPs mental health through the NHS Long-Term Plan.
• Undertake school-based and community-based assessments, risk assessments, care plans and deliver a range of early interventions to CYP with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
• Responsible and accountable for service delivery to clients/patients, via NICE compliant pathways and in accordance with the crisis care concordat.
• Provide leadership and promote initiative, creativity, and motivation in the MHSTs.
• Routinely measure clinical outcomes and deliver evidence-based interventions.
• Communicate complex patient-related information facilitating positive outcomes and ensuring collaborative working.
• Support peers and team leader and be an effective team member while working on their own initiative. Commitment to collaborative working and actively support and liaise with other health and social care professionals and agencies.

About us

Starting with NELFT

NELFT places a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training, and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently partway through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

Use of AI

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants from seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Job responsibilities

The Mid Essex Mental Health Support Team (MHST) covers a large geographical area incorporating the districts of Braintree, Chelmsford, and Maldon. We are an early intervention and prevention evidence-based service and as a team, we are supportive and passionate in what we deliver. We are a friendly team of professionals who come from multidisciplinary backgrounds. We recognize the needs for a healthy work-life balance, and we will consider flexible working applications in line with the trust policies and process. We encourage Continual Professional Development (CPD) and are keen to support our staff to grow and progress.

The successful post holders will have completed or be supported to complete the Senior Wellbeing Practitioner (SWP) course or CYP IAPT Low Intensity Supervisor course.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Successful completion of a graduate training (e.g. nursing, social work, occupational therapy) or have completed a low intensity EMHP/CWP Qualification.
• Registration as a full member of the appropriate professional body (e.g. HCPC, NMC) or successful CYP-IAPT Low Intensity CBT training (CWP/EMHP) with substantial post-qualified experience and CPD alongside BPS or BABCP registration.
• Attended/willing to attend SWP course or CYP IAPT Supervisor training.

Skills

• Capacity to work alone, involving colleagues and manager as relevant.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively highly complex and sensitive matters to patients, which give rise to psychological distress.
• Ability to tolerate anxiety without recourse to premature action whilst appreciating the role of the supervisor.

Knowledge

• High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of short-term and long-term clinical interventions in Children and Young people's Mental Health Services.
• An awareness of NHS priorities.
• Knowledge of risk management and ability to monitor and assess risk and act accordingly to ensure safety.
• Knowledge of electronic record systems, i.e., Systmone.
• Substantial experience in delivering low-intensity CBT treatments with children, young people, and parents.
• Experience of working with difficult, disturbed, or challenging children/young people requiring skilled and complex interventions.
• Experience of assessment carried out autonomously to determine the most appropriate treatment plan from a range of options for the child/young person.
• A minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience within mental health services.

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.

Job Details

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Mid Essex MHST (Covering the areas of Braintree, Chelmsford & Maldon)

£37,338 to £44,962 a year (pro rata)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

395-EC073-25-A

Job locations

Mid Essex MHST (Covering the areas of Braintree, Chelmsford & Maldon)