Education Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Gloucestershire Mental Health Support Team for the recruitment of Qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner's (EMHP) or Children's Wellbeing Practitioners. In line with the government's priority to increase access and availability of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people, the EMHP role is an exciting opportunity to deliver evidence-based early interventions for children and young people, working across both educational settings and healthcare sectors.

Successful candidates will be employed on a full-time basis based within Gloucestershire, and will play a key role as members of the Mental Health Support Team, who will have the responsibility for delivering schools' overarching approach to providing mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people.

Potential candidates will have already successfully completed the HEE commissioned 1yr 'Education Mental Health Practitioner' course or the equivalent 'Children's Wellbeing Practitioner' course.

As part of this role there may be a requirement to travel across the localities.

Please be advised that this vacancy may close ahead of schedule due to a high volume of applicants.

We welcome applications from newly qualified nurses.

Main duties of the job

To allow the post holder, with appropriate supervision, to work as an autonomous and

responsible practitioner as their training affords and within the scope of their job description, to engage in;

• Delivering evidence-based intervention for children and young people in education

setting with mild to moderate mental health problems

• Helping children and young people within these settings who present with more

severe problems to rapidly access more specialist services

• Supporting and facilitating staff in education settings to identify and where

appropriate manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing

• Working with and within education environments to afford better access to specialist mental health services and to use the acquired skills, knowledge and abilities to deliver a service based within education settings that builds on and reinforces but does not replace those initiatives that

already exist within these environments.

The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Working for our organisation

We have in excess of 5000 staff working over 50 sites, providing a diverse range of services. We strive to support an organisational culture that is welcoming, builds and celebrates inclusivity and diversity and provides a sense of belonging and trust.

The annual NHS Staff Survey gives our people the opportunity to tell us about their experience working at the Trust. For the 2023 survey just over 2800 colleagues gave us their views (58.5%). It was great to see from the results that colleagues are saying that:

• 89.7% believe they are making a positive difference to patients/service users;
• 73.3% would recommend the organisation as a place to work;
• 82.4% agree that care of patients and service users is the organisations priority;
• 76.7% would be happy with the standard of care for a friend or relative

Our results put us as 5th nationally as a Community, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities NHS Employer of Choice and 1st equal amongst all NHS Provider Trusts in the South West. However, we know we have more to do and will continue to drive forward our commitment to making GHC a Great Place to Work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Assess and deliver outcome focused, evidence-based interventions in educational settings for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, working at all times in collaboration with and giving respect to the education function of the setting in which the post-holder is deployed.
• Work in partnership to support children and young people experiencing mild to
  
  moderate mental health difficulties and their parents/carers, families and educators in the self-management of presenting difficulties.
• Work in effective, evidence-based partnership with children, young people, their families and their educators in the development of plans for the intervention and agreed outcomes.
• Support and empower children, young people, their parents/carers and families and their educators to make informed choices about the interventions being offered.
• Support the Participation and Engagement of children, young people, their
  
  parents/carers and families and their educators. Actively increasing autonomy and the ability for children and young people to make positive changes for themselves and future service-users.
• Operate at all times from an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects diversity.
• Accept referrals within educational settings according to agreed local and national and local protocols.
• Undertake and record accurate assessments of risk and operate clear risk management processes in line with locally agreed procedures including the safeguarding protocols of the educational setting and Local Safeguarding Board guidance.

We provide a Multi-professional preceptorship programme that is aligned to the National Preceptorship Framework for Nursing and have been awarded the Interim quality mark from NHS England. Our programme is provided to all Newly Qualified; Nurses, Nursing Associates, Internationally Educated Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals and Return to Practice Practitioners. In addition to the programme we also offer all preceptees the opportunity of enrolling and completing the level 7 (Masters) 15 credit validated module "Preceptorship for Healthcare" (AP7026).

Newly qualified Social Workers are offered the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment programme (ASYE) which is similar to a preceptorship programme.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Successful completion of the HEE commissioned 1yr 'Education Mental Health Practitioner' course or the equivalent 'Children's Wellbeing Practitioner' course or 'Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner' course
• Postgraduate Diploma/Graduate Diploma Psychological Therapies Practice (Low Intensity CBT for Children, Young People & Families)
• Postgraduate Diploma/Graduate Diploma Mental Health Practice in Education Settings

Desirable criteria

• A further relevant degree qualification
• Teaching qualification
• Youth Mental Health First Aid trained

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working with children and young people, their families and others
• Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders
• Experience of working with children and their families in a healthcare setting
• Experience of working with children and their families in an education setting

When joining us, as well as becoming part of a team that makes a difference, we also offer:

• Free car parking at many of our sites
• 27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service
• A broad range of training and development opportunities, including apprenticeships up to Level 7 qualification.
• A multi-professional preceptorship programme for all Newly Qualified; Nurses, Nursing Associates, Internationally Educated Practitioners, Social Workers, Allied Health Professionals and Return to Practice Practitioners.
• Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when if you work unsocial hours
• Flexible, family friendly and agile working opportunities
• Recognition and long service awards
• Fast Track physiotherapy
• Our Wellbeing line
• Access to discounts and salary sacrifice schemes; including Cycle to Work, Car scheme and discounts on travel, leisure and retailers.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Good luck with your application.

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