Job summary
You will be part of a Third Sector team of colleagues with a variety of qualifications and experiences who are passionate about supporting all children and young people to access the right mental health support at the right time, including where children may have been excluded, have additional needs or are not attending school.

This is an exciting opportunity for a fully qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner or Children's Wellbeing Practitioner to work within a multi-disciplinary, early intervention Mental Health Support Team (MHST) to increase and improve emotional wellbeing (5-18 years) and mental health provision within education settings.

Main duties of the job
You will hold a caseload of children and adolescents with mild to moderate emotional and mental health difficulties and will deliver evidence-based and time limited 1:1 and group interventions, employing the principles underpinning the national CYP-IAPT programme (Children and Young Peoples Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). Low intensity interventions (e.g. CBT guided self-help) will be delivered in a range of education settings (primary, secondary, special, alternative provision and sixth form and further education colleges).
Work will include psychoeducation sessions to a range of stakeholders, including children and young people, parents/carers and education staff, promoting a whole school approach to mental health. The role runs throughout the year, and you will be part of our holiday provision, ensuring we can support children all year round.

You will work with people from diverse backgrounds, using interpreters when necessary, and will have a commitment to challenging health inequities, and increasing access to our services for all young people. You will also work closely with colleagues and partners in the Local Authority, CAMHS, education settings where interventions are being delivered and other relevant mental health providers.

About us
West London Mind is a local mental health charity supporting people across West London to improve their mental health and wellbeing. Through our services, community work and partnerships, we work to make a positive and lasting difference to the lives of the people we support.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive and collaborative workplace where colleagues feel valued, can develop their skills and are encouraged to make a meaningful contribution.

Joining West London Mind means being part of a passionate and dedicated team, where the work you do can have a real impact on peoples lives and the communities we serve.

Job responsibilities
Delivering Interventions and Client Care

• Assess and develop evidence-based intervention plans to meet the mild - moderate needs of CYP with a range of mild moderate emotional and mental health difficulties, with the support of your supervisor
• Work in partnership with children, young people, their families and educators in the development of plans, agreeing interventions, goals and outcomes
• Support children and young people, their parents/carers, families and educators in the self-management of presenting difficulties
• Deliver evidence-based, low intensity 1:1 and group interventions for CYP aged 5-25 with mild moderate emotional and mental health difficulties
• Ensure that at all times assessment and intervention are provided from an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects diversity
• Undertake accurate assessments of risk to self and others, with support from your supervisor
• Maintain comprehensive records of all training and intervention activity
• Complete all requirements relating to data collection and report clinical outcomes and service access data into the digital patient record system, CYP IAPTUS
• Adhere to the protocols within the education settings worked in
• Deliver psychoeducation and training workshops and programmes to children, young people, parents/carers and education staff
• Signpost referrals for children and young people with more complex needs to relevant services
• Participate fully in regular 1:1 line-management and clinical and case-management supervision
• Practise, evidence, reflect on and demonstrate an ability to manage ones own caseload in conjunction with the requirements of the service and the team.
• Show evidence of working within a collaborative approach, involving a range of relevant others when indicated. Specifically, work in collaboration with teachers and other education staff, parents, children, young people and the wider community to enhance and broaden access to mental health services
• Contribute to the development of individual or group intervention materials or training materials
• Attending occasional Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings to discuss any young people known to the service
• Monitor and track progress against targets for your caseload and develop plans with your supervisor to reach targets within structured timescales
• Develop a local knowledge of the borough and its services and facilities, particularly in relation to mental health issues

Professional

• Ensure the maintenance of standards of your own professional practice and accreditation, and work in accordance with West London Mind's policies and procedures
• Ensure that confidentiality and its limits is understood, communicated and followed.
• Ensure that any safeguarding, risks or issues are communicated, recorded and shared with appropriate parties.
• Ensure clear objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with line-manager on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development
• Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives
• Keep all records up to date in relation to Continuous Professional Development and the requirements of the post and ensure personal development plans maintained up to date
• Attend relevant educational opportunities in line with identified professional objectives
• Ensure adherence to organisational policies and procedures in the design and delivery of interventions
• Carry out any additional tasks as required by the service and West London Mind

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Hold a current, accredited qualification (EMHP or CWP) to deliver evidence-based mental health based interventions for children and young people

Experience
Essential

• Direct experience delivering interventions for CYP aged 5-25 with mild moderate mental health difficulties
• Experience of routine outcome monitoring, including goals-based outcomes
• Experience of clinical risk assessment and effective case management
• Understanding of child development and psychosocial influences
• Experience of handling safeguarding concerns for Children and Young People and adults
• Excellent communication skills
• Organisational skills and excellent time management

Desirable

• Experience of using CYP IAPTUS patient record system
• Experience of working with children and young people with neurodevelopmental conditions, or who have special educational needs or disabilities
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary mental health team
• Experience of working in education settings
• Experienced in engaging a range of stakeholders (young people, families, mental health providers, schools etc.)

Skills, Attributes & Qualities
Essential

• A commitment to improving the lives of young people living in our boroughs through high-quality mental health support.
• Having a creative approach to problem solving and developing the service to meet the needs of diverse young people, families and schools.
• Ability to form and maintain relationships (e.g. with schools) and communicate effectively with all stakeholders and young people.
• Ability to manage own workload, work to deadlines and prioritise effectively
• Good standard of Microsoft Office MS Teams, SharePoint, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Commitment to working in a way which recognises and respects equity, diversity and inclusion
• Commitment to ongoing learning, through formal and informal training and development

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.