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Job summary

Main area
Mental Health
Grade
Band 5
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
411-COM-24-6462219
Employer
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Liverpool Fresh CAMHS - Alder Hey
Town
Liverpool
Salary
£28,407 - £34,581 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
09/08/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust logo

Mental Health Engagement Practitioner

Band 5

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of specialist health care and has a presence in community outreach sites and, in collaboration with other providers, our clinicians help deliver care closer to patients’ homes by holding local clinics at locations from Cumbria to Shropshire, in Wales and the Isle of Man. The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at our Sunflower House building newly relocated, and opened on the hospital site.

We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We’re also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.

As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under-represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.

You can expect a warm welcome at Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At Alder Hey we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:

  • Great flexible working opportunities
  • Lease car scheme and Home Electronics Scheme
  • Generous annual leave and pension scheme
  • Extensive staff health and well-being programmes

Job overview

Mental Health Engagement Practitioner  (Learning Disabilities) - Liverpool Fresh CAMHS

37.5hrs per week 

Permanent 

The post holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary CAMHS team in Liverpool. They will work to engage children, young people with a learning disability and their  families in the therapeutic process, supporting the assessment and implementation, under the supervision of an experienced CAMHS clinician, of complex mental health  interventions for children and young people

The post holder will be expected to liaise with external agencies including health, education, social care and the voluntary sector and act as a named key worker to children, young people and families accessing Alder Hey CAMH services. Under supervision the post holder will carry out effective and evaluated assessments in line with their own knowledge base and the trust's policies and procedures.

The post holder will also be responsible for enabling effective and meaningful service user participation in the design and delivery of our services through individual and group engagement, facilitation of events/focus groups, supporting the wider CAMHS participation agenda and that of Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

The post holder will have the ability to self-reflect and be aware to work within their job remit. They will also attend team meetings, regular supervision and will be willing to joint work cases with all members of the multidisciplinary team

Main duties of the job

Main duties of the job

  • To work directly with children and young people with a learning disability and their families as directed by senior clinicians. 
  • To maintain patient records (including care plans and risk assessments) in line with trust policy.
  • To escalate any risk or safeguarding concerns to senior colleagues and other relevant agencies in line with trust policy.
  • To work in the community, including home visits and through agreed activities to positively improve a young person's social and emotional development.
  • To work flexibly in order to maximise opportunities for engagement of children, young people and families.
  • To develop positive relationships with children, young people and families which actively supports their engagement.
  • To identify appropriate activities for young people and develop a local knowledge of youth groups and alternative voluntary projects young people can link with.

 

 

Working for our organisation

This is an exciting opportunity for a mental health engagement practitioner to join the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. The mental health engagement practitioner will be a member of the specialist, multi-disciplinary service and will be supported through supervision by a senior member of the team on a regular basis. The post holder will provide a range of appropriate, evidence based clinical interventions informed by assessed individual need.

Alder Hey is an equal opportunities employer, and our workforce is currently under-represented from people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities and people with disabilities. We would welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds as our ambition is that our workforce is fully reflective of the communities that we serve. Alder Hey is signed up to the disability confident scheme and we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the vacancy.

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Experience and knowledge

Ability to form appropriate relationships with children, young people and families

Ability to engage and maintain engagement of children, young people and families in the therapeutic process

Ability to assess, plan and implement a care plan with weekly supervision.

Knowledge and practical understanding of child development.

Experience of working with families with various or multiple socio-economic difficulties

Knowledge of behavioural based interventions.

Knowledge and understanding of the needs of children, young people and families with varying or multiple protected characteristics: ethnicity, disability, culture, sexuality, religion etc.

Ability to engage with a team of multi-disciplinary professionals both internally and externally in a child/family-centred way

To demonstrate a commitment to working with a diverse group of families and professionals from a variety of backgrounds.

Experience of communicating sensitive issues

Experience of facilitating groups of young people and enabling their effective participation in service design and development

Knowledge and experience of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and the ability to act in accordance with Trust procedures.

 

Person specification

Qualifications, Experience and Training

Essential criteria
  • Degree level qualification and/or equivalent experience in a child and family related field e.g. social work, youth and community work, nursing
  • Ability to assess plan and implement patient plans of care with regular supervision.
  • Ability to develop therapeutic relationships
  • Knowledge of child development including adolescence.
  • To be able to work independently with young people presenting at risk but being aware to maintain this within the bounds of your responsibility accessing supervision if required out of the formal structure.
Desirable criteria
  • To demonstrate a commitment to work with a diverse group of families and professionals from a variety of backgrounds.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working with children, young people and families who are experiencing mental health difficulties
  • Knowledge of behavioural based interventions.
  • An understanding of the specific needs of people from different ethnic backgrounds and an understanding of those with disabilities.
  • Skilled in the communication of sensitive issues and have an awareness of child protection issues and understand the bounds of confidentiality.
  • Must demonstrate a commitment to on-going professional development

Personal Attributes

Essential criteria
  • Must demonstrate a commitment to on-going professional development
  • Must demonstrate an understanding of the need to take part in Personal Development Reviews to ensure career development plus attending relevant training when appropriate.
  • Must show enthusiasm and appreciation for multidisciplinary and multiagency working.
  • Must demonstrate a professional manner.
  • Must demonstrate a high level of verbal and written communication skills commensurate with the nature of clinical and professional contacts required for the job.
Desirable criteria
  • Driving licence and access to car (due to outreach work)

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - SilverMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Navajo - Merseyside and CheshireDisability confident employerHappy to Talk Flexible Working

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Mark Austin
Job title
Assistant Clinical Lead
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0151 293 3662
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