Job summary
22.5 hours per week.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the CAMHS Eating Disorder Pathway for a Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner (Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Mental Health Nurse, Learning Disability Nurse or Paediatric Nurse) to join our multidisciplinary team.

The post holder will contribute to a range of assessments and interventions for children and young people with eating disorders and their families. The role will include direct clinical work with children and young people whose primary diagnosis is an eating disorder and who require intensive support to minimise deterioration and improve their physical and mental health outcomes.

The successful candidate will work as part of the CAMHS Eating Disorder multidisciplinary pathway and will receive clinical supervision and line management from senior practitioners within the service.

Plymouth CAMHS works within the i THRIVE model of care, working closely with partner agencies to improve health and social outcomes for children, young people and families across Plymouth.

This role supports the wider CAMHS commitment to collaborative working, improving access to evidence based mental health services and reducing health inequalities across the city.

Main duties of the job

• To provide specialist assessment and evidence based interventions for children and young people with eating disorders, working with their families and carers as part of the CAMHS Eating Disorder multidisciplinary team.
• To take a key role in eating disorder assessments, care planning and coordination, including assessment and management of the physical health risks associated with eating disorders.
• To manage a defined caseload, using clinical judgement to plan, deliver and review care in collaboration with children, young people, families and the wider multidisciplinary team.
• To work closely with other professionals involved in the young persons care, including Psychiatry, Paediatrics, General Practice and Dietetics.
• To provide specialist mental health assessment, formulation and interventions, drawing on knowledge of child development, child and adolescent mental health and eating disorders.
• To work in accordance with current guidance for the recognition and management of medical emergencies in eating disorders, including MEED.
• To support parents, carers and families as an integral part of assessment and treatment.

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route; please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility.

Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline.

All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.

We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Details
Date posted: 16 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year pro-rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
Reference number: B9832-2026-NM-10489
Closing date: 01 November 2026

Job responsibilities

• Service Delivery: improve children and young people's mental health through safe, culturally competent, effective, cost efficient, timely and accessible services.
• To be part of an Early Help package of care and take a key role in eating disorder assessments and coordinating the next stages of care planning, including assessment of physical risk and prioritising urgency of ongoing treatment.
• Manage own caseload of patients, as well as being part of a wider systemic therapeutic team.
• Offer support to parents, carers and the wider family system, some of which may be mealtime support within the family home.
• Competently liaise with other professionals involved in care including Psychiatry, Paediatrics, General Practice and Dieticians.
• Regularly use Routine Outcome Monitoring as part of clinical practice.
• Practise safely around the physical risks associated with eating disorders using MEED guidelines.
• Provide specialist and culturally competent mental health assessment, formulation, and implementation of specific evidenced based treatments.
• Draw upon experience and knowledge relating to child development, child and adolescent mental health and adult mental health.
• Demonstrate effective skills in the assessment of risk and communicate concerns accurately in a timely fashion, which may require multi-agency responses to risk assessment and risk management plans.
• Maintain high standards in the recording of clinical activity.
• Strongly adhere to culturally competent and anti-discriminatory practice, promote equity of opportunity, and challenge power imbalances where found to exist.
• Provide consultation to staff in the wider CAMHS Service and other agencies.
• Contribute to the eating disorder Duty Rota which operates daily, Monday to Friday.
• Contribute to the delivery of education and training to other professionals, including continuing professional development within the MDT.
• Be available for and make use of clinical supervision, safeguarding supervision and caseload management.
• Offer supervision to others as appropriate to grade.
• Organise own workload under the support and supervision of Clinical Pathway Manager.
• Maintain health records to the standards required by Livewell Southwest.
• Contribute to the development of team protocols and clinical practice, proposing changes for discussion.
• Participate in team meetings, for example allocation, supervision, reflective practice, case discussions.
• Keep up to date with CAMHS and Eating Disorders developments nationally in line with service objectives.
• Participate in audit and quality improvements.
• Management of Resources: make best use of time in arranging working pattern efficiently; make good use of resources and facilities.
• Workforce and managing people: participate in the training of other colleagues and students in areas of own expertise, and in promotion of the team through training and information giving events.
• Corporate and Other Responsibilities: undertake other duties in a corporate role as reasonably expected for the grade; attend continued professional development meetings facilitated by the Senior Clinical Team; ensure all duties are delivered in accordance with Livewell Southwest policy, procedure and professional registration practice.

This job description is indicative of the range of responsibilities of the post holder. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties and will be subject to review.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential: Experience of working in a multi-agency and/or multi-disciplinary context. Experience of working with the care systems both directly with children and young people and professionals within the care system. Experience of post-registration working with children and young people who have experienced mental health difficulties. Experience in assessment, including risk, care planning, intervention and evaluation. Maintaining own safety in community settings by working within relevant policy and having completed or be willing to complete breakaway training or equivalent. Experience of effective working with families of different cultural backgrounds. Experience of working within multi-agency safeguarding systems e.g. child protection conferences, child in need meetings.
Desirable: Experience in the delivery of training. Experience of service evaluation.

Qualifications
Essential: Core qualification in any Mental health modality such as Nursing / Social Work / OT / Psychology. Appropriate registration relevant to professional qualification. Post graduate training qualification in methods of working with children with mental health problems, e.g. counselling, systemic practice or post grad diploma in child and adolescent mental health.

Knowledge
Essential: Knowledge of relevant legislation and documents pertaining to children, e.g. Children Act 2004, Child Protection, National Service Framework, Every Child Matters etc. Learning Disability specific legislation and documents, Aiming High for Disabled Children, Valuing People, Mansell report, Mental Capacity Act. Knowledge of a range of mental health problems and disorders affecting children and young people who are in care. Knowledge of theories of child development and their application to practice. An understanding of resilience and vulnerability.
Desirable: Knowledge of different models of therapy, e.g. Applied Behaviour Analysis and at least one other therapeutic modality e.g. CBT, Psychodynamic psychotherapy, solution focussed.

Skills
Essential: Self motivating and able to work on own initiative. Mental Health and Risk assessment, care planning, evaluation and intervention skills. Well established case management skills and good organisational skills with ability to prioritise. Well-developed communication skills both oral and written. Commitment to anti-oppressive practice. Ability to work in partnership and in collaboration with others, both in and out of own agency/professional background.
Desirable: Competent assessment and intervention skills. Specific therapeutic skills relevant to working with children and families. Consultation skills. Training skills.

Other
Essential: Ability to work flexibly (hours of work and duties) both as an individual and with other colleagues in Livewell and with partner agencies. Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments where required. The post holder will need to travel and attend to service users based across Plymouth and other geographical areas. Ability to frequently travel independently and in a timely manner between Livewell Southwest sites and community locations including areas not served by public transport.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Livewell Southwest
Address: Livewell South West, Mount Gould Road, Plymouth, PL4 7QD, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/

For questions about the job, contact: CAMHS Service Manager, Tom Hunter, tom.hunter@nhs.net, 01752435125