Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 8a Highly Specialist CAMHS Practitioner (Child Psychotherapist, Clinical or Counselling Psychologist, Family Therapist, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist or Arts Therapist) with additional specialist training or experience of working with Under 5s, to join the expanding CAMHS Under 5s Service in West London NHS Trust. There is one full-time position in Ealing and one further full-time position in Hounslow.
The role of the Highly Specialist CAMHS Practitioner is to ensure delivery and development of a high-quality Under 5s mental health service; working with families from families from birth up to the age of 5 years. We are a small but growing specialist team with extensive knowledge of early years, located in community settings (Family Hubs) alongside multi-agency colleagues working closely with Early Years Services. The service provides assessment, consultation, training and individual intervention for parents/carers and infants, young children and their families.
- Do you have a core training in one of the listed CAMHS professions?- Do you have relevant professional registration with the accrediting body for your discipline?- Do you have extensive experience of working with children under 5s in a clinical setting?
Main duties of the job
As part of this role you will:
offer assessments and intervention (individual, for parents, or joint sessions) according to your formulation
offer specialist intervention to children age 5 years of age and under.
liaise with other agencies (e.g. health visiting, social workers, midwives, perinatal etc.) as part of the care plan when needed;
supervise trainees or junior staff;
take the lead in wider aspect of the team's work (e.g. Service User Involvement and development, Safeguarding)
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
The link below will also provide useful information.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services staff share their stories of working for the NHS. (youtube.com)
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Qualification in appropriate mental health profession including Child Psychotherapist, Clinical or Counselling Psychologist, Family Therapist, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist or Arts Therapist)
- Registration with relevant UK governing body.
- Evidence of accredited courses in child and adolescent mental health practice
- First or higher degree in appropriate subject area or equivalent post registration training and experience
Desirable
- Qualifications/ training in specialist evidence-based approaches to working with children under 5 and their families (i.e. Parent-Infant Psychotherapy, Video feedback approaches, Solihull Approach, Watch Wait Wonder, Incredible years - toddler pre-school) T
Experience
Essential
- Significant post qualifying experience of working within a multidisciplinary CAMHS.
- Experience of offering efficient, effective and specialist early intervention assessment and treatment for children under 5 and their families
- Experience of offering multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of families with children Under 5 with complex mental health presentations, developmental and emotional difficulties
- Experience of working in a number of ways i.e. assertive outreach/community settings, clinic based settings, Family Hubs or other appropriate environments
- Experience of assessing risk and formulating safe and effective risk management plans
- Experience of managing and supervising others in a clinical and performance management context including appraisals
- Experience of offering consultation, teaching and training on infant mental health and attachment to multidisciplinary colleagues working in Early Years settings
- Experience of delivering mental health awareness and bespoke CAMHS training and consultation to non CAMHS professionals
- Experience of delivering specialist training to colleagues
- Experience of management of child protection emergencies
Desirable
- Experience of audit and/or research
- Experience of contributing to and implementing new service developments
- Experience of developing operational protocols
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of legislation relevant to the Children's Act 2004, Mental Health Act 1983 & Safeguarding Guidelines
- A sound working knowledge and application of relevant professional code, i.e. professional Code of Practice - SWE, BASW
- Knowledge of the legal issues relating to consent and capacity in children and young people.
- An awareness and understanding of the issues facing infants, young children and their families
- Knowledge of the various assessment tools used in CAMHS, including of specialist assessment measure used with Under 5s
- Knowledge of the Care Programme Approach
- Extensive knowledge of normal and abnormal child development and other relevant theories, practices, and research in the field of child and adolescent development and work with Under 5s
Other Requirements
Essential
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- Treats service users with respect and dignity at all times
- Enthusiastic, flexible and confident approach to working
- Able to prioritise own workload ?Willingness and ability to learn new skills and adapt to change
- Honesty, enthusiasm and a sense of loyalty
- Conducts self in a professional, courteous manner at all times and able to maintain professionalism in an often
- The ability to present and communicate complex information
- Ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team
- Able to manage risk A good understanding of, and ability to use, clinical supervision
- A high level of self-awareness and capacity to reflect
Skills
Essential
- Mental Health Assessment: Able to confidently and competently undertake generic and emergency CAMHS assessments Able to confidently and competently undertake specialist assessments relevant to area of practice and develop formulation/understanding of presenting difficulties and strengths by drawing on theoretical models Understands developmental issues for children and young people and able to adapt interventions accordingly
- Assessment of risk/safeguarding: Understands the need for and able to competently assess risk Understands individual and service safeguarding responsibilities, policy and procedure
- Engagement: Understands the elements of effective engagement and can apply these to working practice Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication Able to foster strong therapeutic alliances Understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of evidence based interventions Understanding of and commitment to service user involvement, patient led care and choice
- Family and parenting work: Understands the need for and has experience of undertaking family and parenting work as part of CAMHS support
- Cultural competence: Understands the importance of assessment that explores and considers individual cultural identity and associated support needs.
- Consultation and Liaison: Experience of providing consultation and liaison support to colleagues, referral agencies and services responsible for the care, support and wellbeing of service users and their families/carers
- Psychoeducation: Able to promote self-management and recovery by working with service users and their families to understand their condition and identify and reinforce strengths, resources and coping skills
- Interdisciplinary work and partnerships: Able to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, actively engaging in and supporting duty and emergency rotas, peer support, training and skills development Able to build strong partnerships with external agencies and develop Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to "hold" stress of others
- Transition: Able to confidently and safely plan for and manage change and transition
- Professional Development: Actively uses supervision and opportunities for development of skills
- Specialist Assessment: Experience of undertaking specialist assessment at a level appropriate to the job Specialist assessment and treatment of Under 5s
- Partnerships: Understanding of need for and ability to form effective working partnerships with internal and external partners
- Policy and protocol: Ability to develop and implement clear and robust operational policy and protocol
- Leadership: Ability to lead the development and implementation of new structures and process that impact on staff at all levels
Other Requirements
Essential
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- Treats service users with respect and dignity at all times
- Enthusiastic, flexible and confident approach to working
- Able to prioritise own workload Willingness and ability to learn new skills and adapt to change
- Honesty, enthusiasm and a sense of loyalty Conducts self in a professional, courteous manner at all times and able to maintain professionalism in an often
- The ability to present and communicate complex information Ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team
- Able to manage risk A good understanding of, and ability to use, clinical supervision
- A high level of self-awareness and capacity to reflect
- Clinical Recording Systems: Competent in the use of clinical recording systems such as RIO Understands the process for keeping safe, secure and relevant clinical records Understands and is able to use online incident reporting systems.
- Email and Communication: Able to use email to support effective communication in line with WLMHT policy Able to use Microsoft PowerPoint and other communication methods to support the delivery of high quality, engaging training and presentations
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website .
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website .
Employer details
Employer name
West London NHS Trust
Address
CAMHS 0-5 Team CAMHS Tri Borough
Hounslow & Ealing
Hounslow & Ealing
TW3 3EL