The advertised post is an exciting and varied role with good scope for creative and innovative working within a new national initiative to increase mental health input directly into schools. There is a very strong peer support network across the service as well as clinical supervision being offered by the borough 8B lead and service development supervision being offered by the consultant psychology lead. There is a huge amount of opportunity for developing skills and being at the forefront of an innovative service. We are looking for an enthusiastic, proactive and creative psychologist who is keen to expand their skills and learn on the job, with strong support offered at all levels.
The role involves supervising, running and training a new Mental Health Support Team (MHST) across schools in Roehampton and Putney. The team will consist of 4 Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) trainees, 3 qualified clinicians (bands 6 and 7), the advertised post plus admin support. MHSTs offer direct interventions within schools and the implementation of a whole schools approach (WSA) to mental health.
The successful applicant will be expected to undertake the Kings College London CYP IAPT supervision course (15 days over the year, starting in late January 2025) and a place has already been confirmed for the successful candidate. This is a rare opportunity to obtain a fully funded, formal supervision qualification at a renowned university.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will be responsible for the smooth running of the MHST and supervision of the team, including risk and safeguarding issues. The role includes a link liaison role with schools and working jointly with our other MHSTs in Wandsworth. The WSA work involves collaborative working with schools at a preventative or early intervention level, meeting need as it arises. There are many opportunities for offering consultation, staff training or reflective practice sessions, parent workshops, coffee mornings and groups. The postholder will also provide specialist clinical interventions for children and young people who do not meet higher CAMHS thresholds. There is an opportunity to complete EMDR training in 2026 in order to pick up specialist EMDR cases if desired.
The MHSTs sit within a network of child mental health resources that coordinate early help, targeted help and specialist interventions for children and young people according to presentation and need. There are good opportunities for linking in with local CAMHS and the Single Point of Access to ensure joined up service delivery.
Good experience of working in a CAMHS setting is essential. A strong understanding and experience of using CBT and parenting principles will be needed to effectively supervise the four EMHPs in the team.
The post is advertised as 4 days per week but could be full time, term time only if preferred (5 days per week during school term time with all school holidays as leave).
About us
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services. We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti-racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do. We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
About our locations:
This new MHST will work with primary and secondary schools across Putney and Roehampton in the borough of Wandsworth. The team will have a base within one of the schools in the area (currently being arranged) but will also link in closely with the other three MHSTs working across Wandsworth and the other Wandsworth MHST leads. As such, cross borough internal meetings and peer support groups are held at Springfield Hospital.
Job description
Job responsibilities
* To promote and ensure highly specialist psychological services and skills to the team.
* To collaboratively work with schools to implement a whole school approach to mental health, including staff consultation and training as appropriate.
* To provide advice and consultation on clients psychological care. To work within Trust and professional guidelines, to a clear CAMHS job plan.
* To offer clinical supervision to the EWPs and the band 7 post, with a focus on CBT models and parenting approaches. Providing clinical input to supervisees PADRs.
* Within supervision, team meetings and other fora, to support and promote the use of measures to evolve clinical practice and enhance user experience.
* To offer direct interventions with 5 to 11 year olds and their parents in primary schools plus 11 to 18 year olds in secondary schools, including those who may have experienced trauma and who exhibit behaviours that may be challenging.
* To lead on the management of clinical risk or safeguarding issues within the team.
* To seek opportunities to include service user perspectives in how services are delivered.
* To utilise research skills for practice evaluation and service development, as required by the service and set out in the job plan.
* To work with the consultant clinical lead and school cluster lead to provide a clear team focus and goals for increasing mental health access and support across the cluster of schools.
Person Specification
Training & Qualifications
Essential
* Qualified Clinical, Counselling or Educational Psychologist registered with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist.
* Evidence of continuing professional development.
Desirable
* Training as part of a CYP IAPT collaborative in a recognised evidenced based approach.
* Formal training in the supervision of a psychotherapeutic modality.
* Further training in a recognised evidence-based psychological therapy.
Experience
Essential
* Consolidated experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care, and in-patient settings.
* Consolidated experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
* Demonstrate further specialist training and experience by having received a minimum of 50 hours of clinical supervision of working as a specialist psychologist or psychotherapist over a minimum of 18 months.
Desirable
* Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
* Experience of service development or of a leadership role.
* Experience of working within a school setting.
Employer details
Employer name
South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust
Address
Springfield Hospital
Tooting
SW17 7DJ
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