Education Mental Health Practitioner

Job Information

Achieving for Children is a Community Interest Company that has a public sector ethos, combined with the freedom to innovate enabling us to do things differently. As a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by three local authorities (Windsor & Maidenhead, Kingston and Richmond), we offer the freedoms of a social enterprise with the employment benefits of local government. To find out more about us

We are responsible for the entire range of children’s education, health and social care services in all three boroughs. We use a Signs of Safety practice model and approach which ensures the voice of the child is at the heart of everything we do. There’s never been a better time to join AfC, we are growing our workforce, implementing new flexible working arrangements and have increased our virtual wellbeing offer.

We are currently recruiting for an Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) to work with some of our Kingston Schools.

About the role

The post holder will work within a service providing a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing. It aims to engage in preventative work and offers low intensity early interventions to children and young people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression and / or behavioural difficulties.

The post holder will work with children, young people of all ages and families from a range of different cultural backgrounds.They will utilise interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities. The post holder will also be part of a team of clinicians who can provide access to clinical supervision, peer supervision, line management and
CPD.

About you
- Successful completion of the HEE commissioned 1 year ‘Education Mental Health Practitioner’ course, or Child Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) course
- Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and / or behavioural difficulties, including anxiety disorders and affective (mood) disorders
- Experience of the delivery of specific therapeutic interventions to children, young people or their families e.g. guided self-help and time-limited therapy
- Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders
- Experience of a range of assessment tools and frameworks to evaluate progress and outcomes for children and young people
- Ability to carry out mental health assessments of children and young people and carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children and families
- Ability to conduct group parenting programmes
- Ability to work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness within the staff group
- Ability to make an assessment of risk, to record and communicate it appropriately and take appropriate action to mitigate or manage risk
- Have the ability to recognise your own professional limitations and gaps and to use clinical supervision and regular CPD to overcome limitations and close knowledge gaps
- Have good IT skills, including the use of database or spreadsheet packages

About our benefits

We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:

- 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years.
- Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
- Stable and supportive leadership
- Hybrid and mobile working (between home and work) with latest technology to facilitate this
- Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
- Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
- A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
- A range of staff benefits and discounts
- An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway

To find out about all of the breadth of benefits of working for Achieving for Children

Important Information

**Right to work**: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.

**Safeguarding**: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).