Job summary
We are seeking a Band 7 NMC registered Nurse, OT, Social Worker, to take up this exciting opportunity to work in the Berkshire West CAMHS Specialist Community Team (SCT). An excellent opportunity has become available for a Band 7 Advanced Mental Health Practitioner to cover Reading and Wokingham and when needed Newbury. This is a 12months fixed terms contact role is full time (1WTE) 9-5pm and is based at Erlegh House, University of Reading with free parking on-site.

CAMHS SCT provides a responsive, formulation led intervention for children and young people experiencing complex mental health difficulties or needing urgent and/or intensive specialist support. The service develops an early, holistic understanding of each young per by coproducing formulations with them, their families and key professionals across education, social care and the voluntary sector. This shared approach clarifies the young person's difficulties and the systemic factors influencing their presentation and creates the best care plan to meet their needs.

The post holder will join a team of clinicians from various disciplines to provide assessments, care-coordination, and evidence-based psychological interventions to young people and their families. As a senior member of the team, you will be supporting and supervising less experienced and junior members of the team.

Main duties of the job

• Provide comprehensive assessments and therapeutic interventions to young people and their families, as appropriate.
• Provide care co-ordination for young people open to the service where appropriate.
• Independently manage an appropriately sized caseload.
• Use supervision effectively.
• Offer supervision and training to junior colleagues and other agencies as appropriate.
• Work with colleagues to support the clinical leadership of the team.
• Work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and within a multiagency system.
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice.
• Contribute to audit, service development and research, as appropriate.
• Maintain own continuing professional development and contribute to team professional development initiatives.

About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Details
Date posted: 11 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £51,657 to £58,785 a year per annum
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 371-CFS806-A
Job locations: Erlegh House, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Whiteknights Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6BZ

Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:

• Qualification in one of the core mental health professions Nurse, OT, Social Worker.
• Experience in Childrens Mental Health services.
• The ability to manage complexity.
• Training or experience in risk assessment and management.
• The ability to work as part of a team.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification. We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted. For further application tips see the help with your application document attached once you click apply.

If youre someone who shares our passion for excellence and care, you belong at Berkshire Healthcare!

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to contact: Christina Subrai by email on christina.subrai@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl be delighted to help.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where required.

Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential

• To have undertaken a qualification in one of the core mental health professions with associated professional registration including: Nursing qualification and registration as RMN, RNLD, RNC by NMC OR Social Worker with Social Work England registration OR Occupational Therapy registered by HCPC

Continuous Professional Development
Essential

• Demonstrates a commitment to ongoing professional development relevant to Mental Health and CAMHS, evidenced through up-to-date CPD activities and certification.
• Provides clear evidence of specific training, experience, and/or interest in the service area, including work with service users presenting with significant or severe mental health difficulties, particularly children and adolescents.
• Training or experience in risk assessment and management, including crisis intervention.

Desirable

• Additional training in evidence-based psychological approaches (e.g. CBT skills, DBT skills, Systemic approaches, trauma-informed care).
• Relevant postgraduate qualification or equivalent level short courses, such as: Practice Assessor qualification OR Training in clinical supervision and appraisals

Previous Experience
Essential

• Strong knowledge of, and significant experience in, mental health practice, including working with CYP presenting with a range of emotional, behavioural, and psychological needs.
• Demonstrated experience of managing highly distressing or emotionally charged situations, including serious mental illness, child abuse including physical/sexual/exploitation, and complex family dynamics
• Experiencing of working with complex situations concerning safeguarding and risk management including understanding of safeguarding legislation, guidance, and multiagency working.
• Demonstrated experience of working assertively with CYP to support their engagement in therapeutic activities.
• Significant experience of working with and knowledge of neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g., ASD, ADHD) and their impact on mental health.
• Experience of working with, and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to service.
• Demonstrated experience of working effectively within a multidisciplinary team, contributing to collaborative decision-making and high-quality, integrated care.
• Proven ability to work both as an effective team member and independently, using own initiative to make sound clinical decisions without direct supervision.

Desirable

• Experience of autonomously managing a caseload in a community mental health setting.
• Experience of service development and carrying out clinical audit, supporting research and applying the findings.
• Experience or training in delivering group interventions.
• Familiarity with ROMs and outcome monitoring tools.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential

• Ability to manage difficult situations with service users that have complex presentations and/or challenging behaviours and to manage a demanding and complex caseload.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, technical and/or sensitive information to service users, their carers/families and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to support, influence and engage with clinicians, stakeholders and service users to create change and improvement.
• The ability and skills to act as an advocate for the service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of this service with the wider health care system.
• Ability to confidently cope well under pressure, resolve issues and competing demands, with excellent time management skills and an ability to respond constructively to challenge or resistance, applying practical problem-solving skills in everyday and complex situations.
• Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO, Outlook, databases, MS office/Teams, One Consultation and the internet).

Additional Requirements
Essential

• Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required.
• Able to travel independently between locations in Berkshire Healthcare geographical area to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position.

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
Address: Erlegh House, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Whiteknights Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6BZ
Employer's website: https://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Team Manager - SCT West
Christina Subrai
christina.subrai@berkshire.nhs.uk
01189046780

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.