Specialist CAMHS Practitioner

This post will provide a specialist service within CAMHS to young people and their families within the Emotional and Behavioural (E&B) Team. The post holder will be expected to conduct specialist CAMHS assessment and offer treatment (both individual and group) for young people aged 6-18 presenting with a range of mental health difficulties.

The post holder will directly contribute to the positive working environment within the multi-disciplinary team. The role includes work with the wider network, being part of the duty system and supervisory responsibilities.

Main duties of the job

The E&B team works with young people across the age range with a wide range of presentations from moderate to severe mental illness, including those who have experienced trauma and abuse and those presenting with suicidality and self-harm. The E&B teams are composed of a mix of disciplines including Clinical Psychology, Systemic Family Therapy, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Mental Health Nursing, Creative Therapy and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy. There is a broad range of therapy groups offered and the post holder would be supported and encouraged to develop skills in group work, alongside individual clinical work.

Applicants who have experience and appreciation of some of the richness and complexities of working inter-culturally are welcomed. Newham CAMHS is a service committed to working with community partners and addressing inequalities. This post is part of a comprehensive Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service, within the East London NHS Foundation Trust. The successful candidate will be part of a stimulating and supportive multidisciplinary team. There is a strong commitment to clinical supervision and professional development within CAMHS and the wider NHS Foundation Trust including many learning and teaching opportunities.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Job responsibilities

Newham CAMHS is a large and vibrant specialist child and adolescent mental health service with a reputation for innovation and flexibility in meeting the complex mental health support needs of Newham's children, young people and families. It is centrally located on one site in Plaistow, Newham, and provides an extensive and growing range of services including multi-disciplinary specialist teams such as the Emotional & Behavioural Teams, Adolescent Mental Health Team, Paediatric Liaison Team, Neurodevelopmental Team, Children in Care Pathway and the Well Being in Newham Schools Team. It meets weekly with community partners and social care as part of the Newham Multi Agency Collective. Practitioners work in Youth Zones and form part of the Vanguard Team - a specialist community psychology led service in Newham, for young people up to 25 years of age impacted by, or at risk of youth violence. There is a broad spectrum of disciplines and a long tradition of effective multidisciplinary and interagency working, outreach and consultation work.

Person Specification Education/ Qualification/ Training

• Degree level study or equivalent / Further post degree qualification
• Current Registration with appropriate professional body
• Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy Honours degree. Postgraduate Diploma / MA in Psychoanalytical Observational Studies or recognised equivalent. Masters in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: Child & Adolescent. Registered with the APC. or Clinical or Counselling Psychology Honours degree. Postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS. Registered with the HCPC. or Family & Systemic Psychotherapy Qualification in appropriate mental health/social welfare profession such as Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Nursing or Counselling. Masters or Doctoral level qualification in Systemic Psychotherapy or AFT agreed equivalent. or Creative Therapies Masters (or equivalent) in Arts Therapies Registration with the HCPC (or in the case of Dance Movement Psychotherapists registration with ADMPUK)
• Evidence of continuous and relevant professional training and development (CPD) in keeping with qualification period.
• Qualifications/ training in specialist skills e.g. systemic therapies, neuropsychology, MBT training, ADOS training, trauma therapies

Experience

• Previous experience of working in CAMHS
• Experience of working with a wide range of CAMHS presentations
• Experience of care planning
• Experience of working in a culturally diverse Inner city area
• Experience of working in a multi- disciplinary way
• Experience in crisis work
• Experience of working with Young People known to Children and Social Care, or having worked in Youth Centres.

Knowledge and Skills

• Evidence of well-developed clinical skills and knowledge in CAMHS
• Skilled in emergency and crisis assessments
• Specialist clinical skills within specific therapeutic modalities
• Able to manage own time and caseload
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Evidence of ability to support others
• Able to work effectively across organisational boundaries
• Good knowledge of theories on intersectionality
• Self-reflexivity: ability to reflect how identities and cultures impact work and working relationships and young people's engagement
• Able to manage inter agency working
• Teaching skills, both in clinical setting and education centres
• Evidence of ability to lead and influence others

Other

• A high degree of self-awareness and an ability to reflect on personal and professional attitudes and accept feedback
• Awareness of current national guidelines and policies in the field of CAMHS
• Specific knowledge of pertinent issues for CAMHS
• In depth knowledge of CAMHS issues including assessment and interventions
• Knowledge of The Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007) and associated legislation
• Knowledge of specific inner city issues which impact care delivery
• Knowledge of the Children's Act and other appropriate legislation
• Knowledge of standard setting and audit implementation
• An awareness of different research methods A working knowledge of Child Protection Guidelines

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.

£53,751 to £60,651 a year Pro rata inc HCA