SHSCT CAMHS ID Practitioner ref:56043736
Branch: Southern HSC Trust area (SHSCT)
Location: Trust Wide (Cedarwood, Armagh Base)
Directorate: Children & Young People's Services
Salary: Band 6 (£38,682 - £46,580)
Contract Type: Temporary
Opening date: 13/11/26
Closes: Fri, 27 November 2026 @ 4:00 PM
Interview Dates: TBC

Notes
If you are submitting a manual application, please post it to: Recruitment Shared Services, Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital Site, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7PR.

Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered, so please allow enough time for postage.

“A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026”.

Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week.

Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards.

Flexible Working
We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role.
Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

Apply and Job Description
To view the full job description and apply for this position please click the Job Details and apply button below. The page within our job application software will open in a new window.
Our help section provides guides and support information to candidates completing the application form.

Applicants with a disability who require support, please contact the relevant person in the organisation you are applying to. For known accessibility issues please view the accessibility statement for the application portal.

JOB DESCRIPTION: CAMHS ID Practitioner
Band: 6
Directorate: Children & Young People's Services
Initial location: Trust Wide (Cedarwood, Armagh Base)
Reports to: CAMHS ID Manager
Accountable to: Head of Service

Job Summary
The post holder will be part of a CAMHS ID (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Intellectual Disability), providing community-based specialist, multidisciplinary and therapeutic interventions for children and young people with an intellectual disability and co-morbid mental health problems or complex behavioural difficulties. The service is highly developmental in nature and modelled on examples of best practice at a national level. The post-holder will have opportunity to help shape and develop the service. The team consists of a Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist and Manager / Specialist Practitioner providing clinical leadership and CAMHS ID Practitioners (both Senior Band 7's and Band 6's from various disciplines), as well as a number of Assistant Practitioners.

The service offers timely advice, assessment and interventions to children and young people and their families within a stepped care model. The post-holder will manage their own caseload with access to advice and supervision from senior clinicians. The service, and the post-holder, will work in multidisciplinary and collaborative ways to ensure the needs of service-users are comprehensively met.

The team aims to combine the culture and approaches of CAMHS and learning disability services. As a core team member, the post holder will be expected and supported to develop areas of specialist practice within the team. It is recognised that further training will be necessary. It is anticipated that team members will develop specialist practice in areas such as:

• Sleep
• Behaviour and communication
• Sensory issues
• ADHD
• ASD-specific interventions
• CBT / psychological interventions
• Prescribing
• Working systemically with families

Alongside formal training, the post-holder will have the opportunity to develop their clinical skills through shadowing, co-working and supervision arrangements.

The majority of work will be clinic-based but assessments / interventions may also be provided in community e.g. schools, short stay units, homes. This work will primarily be provided during normal working hours except when difficult-to-treat issues require a more intensive level of intervention including out-of-hours.

Key Duties / Responsibilities
Clinical

• To hold a caseload independently as part of the multidisciplinary team, working with children with an intellectual disability and co-morbid mental health and behaviour problems.
• To undertake comprehensive and targeted assessments of the children and young people and families who present to the service, using biopsychosocial model and working with other disciplines / agencies and using information from a range of sources to understand the child's needs holistically.
• On the basis of a comprehensive assessment, develop a therapeutic formulation and intervention plan with clear treatment goals (taking advice and direction from other team members as appropriate).
• Be skilled, competent and knowledgeable in sensitively and collaboratively engaging in therapeutic work with children / young people who have an intellectual disability and their families / the wider system (e.g. schools).
• Deliver evidence-based therapeutic interventions working towards clear treatment goals.
• Monitoring progress in a responsive and objective manner when working with children, young people and their families (e.g. outcome measures, review meetings); adapting the treatment plan and seeking further support and opinion as necessary.
• Plan and deliver therapeutic groups, working alongside other team members.
• Understand the complex social issues which impact on children and young people with an intellectual disability and how these impact on their mental health.
• Understand the developmental and physical health needs and challenges faced by children and young people with an intellectual disability and how these contribute to behaviour problems.
• Organise and contribute to multidisciplinary and multiagency meetings and case discussions in order to ensure wider information sharing and care planning e.g. treatment planning meetings, LAC reviews.
• Prioritise and manage a caseload appropriately under the direction and supervision of their Line Manager.
• Co-work cases with other team members as necessary, acting as key-worker or providing specific assessments / interventions to cases held primarily by other team members.
• Undertake mental health risk assessments in accordance with regional guidelines (with supervision / support during a period of induction / training).
• Be flexible and adaptable in responding to service needs for children and young people, this will include crisis assessments, paediatric liaison, intensive-community intervention (both in hours, out of hours, evening / weekend and public holiday provision), generic clinical work, and referral co-ordination etc. in agreement with Line Manager.
• Provide treatment in a range of settings as determined by need, working collaboratively across specialist community CAMHS.
• Utilise a range of theoretical perspectives in best understanding and responding to the emotional and mental health needs of children and young people with an intellectual disability and their families (e.g. behavioural, systemic, etc.)
• Participate in devising and delivering therapeutic programmes to children and young people in accordance with NICE and other best practice guidelines, current legislation, emerging evidence / expert opinion and recommendations of professional bodies.
• Involve users / carers where appropriate in aspects of treatment programmes.
• Work in collaboration with other practitioners in providing the established services and in new developments. This will include multi agency working, providing advice and guidance to medical, nursing and social work staff in CAH/DHH on the management of children and young people who have been referred to CAMHS.
• To contribute to the developing ethos and culture of the team: providing the highest possible quality of care with compassion and a commitment to excellence.
• Contribute to governance, service evaluation and service improvement processes e.g. audit, outcomes measurement, QI projects, etc.
• Report response to treatment and other relevant clinical issues to the Line Manager and/or Clinical Supervisor.
• Engage in on-going evaluation of care plans and communicate according to Policies & Procedures and update others accordingly.
• Attend case planning meetings, case conferences, paediatric, psychiatric wards, or school based meetings as required.
• Provide advice and consultation to users and carers, and other professionals where appropriate.
• Facilitate the safe and seamless transition of care to other agencies where appropriate, including adult services.
• Assist and work with CAMHS referral co-ordinators to ensure referrals are appropriately responded to and followed up, providing advice and sign-posting as necessary.
• Provide specialist advice, consultation and liaison to other professionals working with children and young people with an intellectual disability e.g. teachers, paediatric colleagues.
• Be able to provide assessment and intervention in a range of settings and on occasions on an out-of-hours basis depending on client need and service developments.
• Develop a reflective, flexible, collaborative and problem-solving approach to patient management.

Professional / Governance

• Comply with the Professional Codes of Conduct and regulatory governing bodies standards of practice and guidelines (NMC, NISCC, RCSLT, HCPC).
• Adhere to established policies, procedures, protocols within CAMHS and Southern Health & Social Care Trust.
• Appropriately and without undue delay seek support and consultation regarding individual cases.
• Liaise with and develop positive partnerships and relationships with other professionals across CAMHS, CYP services and wider networks.
• Participate in regular shared learning activities and developmental experiences across CAMHS and CYP services.
• Be competent in assessing and managing risk in all aspects of the post, including clinical as well as generic risk assessment and management.
• Possess an effective understanding of the Trust's Lone Working policy and procedure.
• Adhere to the Regional Child Protection Policy and Procedures seeking support, advice and making child care / safeguarding referrals accordingly.
• Communicate appropriately and effectively at many levels.
• Be able to effectively manage time and work-load, prioritising urgent and important demands during high intensity periods and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
• Promptly seek and respond to appropriate advice, direction and clinical and professional supervision.

Education

• Participate in the preparation and provision of appropriate training to multi-professional groups.
• Participate in team, service and wider education and development processes within the trust e.g. academic meetings and in wider forums / networks.
• Participate in the introduction of new and innovative practices within the confines of governance and legislative requirements.
• Participate in the orientation and induction of new staff.
• Participate in the education and mentoring of students and other trainee professionals.

Organisational Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively within CAMHS, fostering good communication and team spirit across all aspects of the service.
• Work collaboratively with service users, carers and providers within the voluntary, private and statutory sectors.
• Adhere to legislation including Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, Mental Capacity Act NI 2016, The Quality Standards for Health and Social Care, 2006, and Human Rights Legislation.
• Provide and participate in appraisal and development activities.
• Participate in team meetings, student mentorship, training of others, selection and recruitment process, and professional development, as directed by Line Manager.
• Provide clinical, management and professional supervision to other practitioners in agreement with Line Manager. Adhere to Supervision Policy and Procedures.
• Keep Line Manager / Clinical Supervisor informed of clinical, management and professional issues.
• Be directly responsible and accountable to the Line Manager for their part in the provision of an effective and efficient CAMHS ID.
• Adhere to all SHSCT policies and procedures e.g. absenteeism, incidents/accidents/near misses, complaints, record keeping, etc.
• Contribute to the on-going development of working practices and procedures within the area of CAMHS.
• Ensure all records and documentation is completed and maintained in line with professional practice guidelines, CAMHS and Trust policies.
• Complete statistical recording of activity, caseload, outcomes, etc for auditing, statistical returns and capacity planning purposes.
• Participate in the Trust's Social and Clinical Care Governance arrangements.

General Requirements
The post holder will be required to:

• Ensure the Trust's policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through his/her own actions and those of any staff for whom he/she has responsibility.
• Co-operate fully with the implementation of the Trust's Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment defects to his/her manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for patients/clients, members of the public and staff.
• Adhere at all times to all Trust policies/codes of conduct, including for example: Smoke Free policy; IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct; standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour.
• Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.
• Co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.
• All employees of the Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Trust including patients/clients, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the [org name] policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.
• Take responsibility for his/her own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise his/her potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.
• Represent the Trust's commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service to patients/clients and members of the public, by treating all those with whom he/she comes into contact in the course of work, in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner.

This Job Description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

It is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to serve at any location within the Trust's area, as needs of the service demand.

Personnel Specification
Job title and band: CAMHS ID Practitioner – Band 6
Department / Directorate: Children & Young People's Services
Hours: 37.5

Waiting list information
Following interviews for the above post a waiting list may be created for future Permanent, Temporary, Full/Part-Time CAMHS ID posts across the Southern Health & Social Care Trust. This waiting list may be held for a period of 9-12 months from the date of interview.

Essential criteria
Experience: One year post qualifying experience which must be direct work within mental health, CAMHS, intellectual disability or child health setting. Experience of direct work therapeutically with children and young people with an intellectual disability and mental health difficulties in a clinical setting.
Qualifications / Registration: Registered Nurse Level 1 (sub parts 1,3,5, or 8, Adult, Mental health, Learning Disabilities, or Children's), and on the NMC Register; OR Degree or qualification recognised by RCSLT and registered membership of RCSLT and Health and Care Professions Council; OR Diploma of the College of Occupational Therapists or BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council; OR Professional Social Work qualification and registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC).
Other: Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment.
Skills / Abilities: Excellent communication skills to meet the needs of the post in full.
Knowledge: Commitment to training and development relevant to CAMHS ID.

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the Trust to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed. Successful applicants may be required to attend for a Health Assessment.

THE TRUST IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER
All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times.