Mental health practitioners (MHPs) work across education and healthcare to provide mental health support for children and young people in schools and colleges.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Core Mental Health Practitioner within the Halton Mental Health Support Teams in Schools service. In line with the government's priority to increase access and availability of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people, the MHP role is an exciting opportunity to deliver evidence-based early interventions for children and young people.
There will be an opportunity for the successful candidate to undertake funded training to become a PGDip Educational Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP).
Main duties of the job
Successful candidates will be employed on a full-time basis based within Halton and will play a key role as a member of the Halton Mental Health Support Team. They will have the responsibility for delivering the 3 core functions of an MHST to support the mild to moderate mental health and wellbeing needs for children and young people in allocated schools.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Mental Health Practitioner, the post holder will provide high standards of evidence-based client centred care to children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs within the THRIVE Framework for service delivery. The post holder will be expected to provide assessment and interventions to children and young people and their families/carers referred into the service.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES
1. To hold a caseload of both specialist and generic work dependent on clinical competence and experience.
2. To undertake assessments and treatment based upon a conceptual framework and employing research-based evidence.
3. To provide direct therapeutic interventions including assessments, formulation and therapeutic input into children, young people, and families referred into the service with mild to moderate mental health problems.
4. To undertake risk assessments and care plans accordingly, in line with the THRIVE framework.
5. To work in ways that are sensitive to the needs of children and young people and families from a wide range of racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds.
6. To participate directly in the team's duty rotas in line with the grading of the post.
7. To exercise responsibility within supervisory, managerial and accountability structures, for the assessment, treatment, and discharge of clients.
8. To deliver care, ensuring effective assessment, care planning and risk management processes are maintained.
9. To produce a clinical formulation and intervention plan founded on evidence-based practice in cooperation with the child, young person and carers.
10. To hold responsibility for standards of clinical practice within the area of work.
11. To work jointly and collaboratively with other team members in order to enhance and develop the provision of services to young people and their families.
12. To undertake risk management for all children including the protective and risk factors present in the network of significant relationships.
13. To identify and respond appropriately to child protection issues, as described with the guidelines of Local Safeguarding Children's Board and Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust safeguarding policies.
14. To maintain clear and comprehensive electronic clinical records, ensuring information is accurate and complies with Data Protection Act and professional body and Trust standards.
15. To engage with using routine outcome measures as clinically appropriate including their use in clinical practice and inputting data into clinical records.
16. To work collaboratively with children, young people and their families and contribute to the trusts service user participation agenda.
Person Specification
Knowledge/ Experience
Essential
* Able to communicate effectively.
* Possess good listening and negotiation skills.
* Ability to work as a member of a team.
* Demonstrate a sound knowledge base regarding effective care coordination, care planning and evaluation, quality and clinical audit, Health & Safety/Risk Management, and Mental Health Act.
* Demonstrate a good knowledge of the Code of Conduct and the nurse's responsibility to identify gaps in their knowledge base.
* Demonstrate knowledge in the concepts of mentorship, preceptorship and supervision.
* A demonstrated understanding of Equality and Human Rights.
* Experience of working with a range of people with mental health problems.
Qualifications
Essential
* Appropriate professional qualification by RMN, AHP, or Social Worker.
Skills
Essential
* Ability to learn in a variety of settings and using a variety of learning methods.
* Computer literate.
* Ability to identify and provide appropriate means of support to carers exposed to distressing situations and challenging behaviours.
* Ability to conduct mental health assessments of children and young people.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills.
* Team player.
* Excellent time management and organisational skills.
Employer details
Employer name
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Halton MHST
Halton
WA8 7TD #J-18808-Ljbffr