Mental Health Support Worker

Working with CYP emotional needs across all elements of the iTHRIVE model. This diverse and exciting role delivers a range of interventions to CYP (children and young people) at various stages of their emotional recovery and safety needs. Working as part of a multi-disciplinary community team, you will work on a rotational basis across the community day & educational provisions as well as the urgent Haven evening (including weekends) service.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will provide urgent and day-to-day emotional support to children and young people (CYP) across both the Haven evening service and Hubs day services, supporting mental health needs within the Getting Advice / Getting Help elements of the iTHRIVE model. In the Haven service, you will provide immediate, person-centred support following referrals from urgent or emergency partners such as Police, Ambulance, ED, and CAMHS, conducting rapid safety assessments, implementing mood regulation techniques, de-escalating challenging behaviours, addressing safeguarding concerns, and coordinating safe transitions home or to emergency accommodation. You will develop and implement follow-up care plans, liaise with families and referral partners, maintain accurate records, and participate in ongoing training and professional development.

In the Hubs, you will deliver evidence-based emotional well-being support in individual and group settings across schools, community centres, and therapeutic spaces. You will develop individualised care plans, work with families to provide guidance, advocate for CYP mental health in the community, respond to safeguarding concerns, and engage with local communities to raise awareness of mental health services. The role also includes maintaining records, participating in supervision and peer support, and supporting service development to ensure high-quality, child-centred care.

Main Duties and responsibilities

• Haven (Evening service): The role provides direct urgent emotional support for CYP presenting safety needs and behaviours that challenge. After initial contact with one of our identified urgent/emergency service referral partners, the service provides immediate emotional support, conducts rapid assessment against inclusion/exclusion criteria, and collaborates with Police, Ambulance, ED and CAMHS to agree and coordinate ongoing safety and acceptance to service. The operator implements immediate mood regulation techniques, de-escalates behaviours that challenge, reports safeguarding concerns, and coordinates necessary actions to mitigate risks. They liaise with caregivers and referral partners to ensure ongoing safety post-support, coordinate a safe return to home or emergency accommodation, develop and implement follow-up care plans including referrals to appropriate mental-health services, and maintain accurate, up-to-date records. Ongoing training and professional development is also required.
• Hubs (Day services): The operator delivers emotional support to CYP in community settings including education settings, community centres and therapeutic spaces. The service supports CYP presenting with care needs within the Getting Advice / Getting Help elements, develops individualised care plans based on assessments, provides evidence-based social and emotional well-being support (individual and group), engages with children in schools and community centres, works closely with families, advocates for mental health needs, responds to safeguarding concerns, maintains accurate and up-to-date records, participates in regular supervision and peer support, and engages with local communities to raise awareness.

Any other duties appropriate to the role to support the development, quality, and delivery of services. Strong emotional support, de-escalation and risk assessment skills; understanding of emergency and urgent services; resilience; compassion for challenging behaviours; excellent communication; ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team; cultural competency; and proficiency in documentation.

Job Specific Requirements

• Work flexibly and adapt to suit service need.
• Work flexibly across a rota system including evenings and weekends.
• Ability to travel across service area footprint.
• Enhanced DBS check.

Qualifications

Up-to-date knowledge of CYP emotional wellbeing / early mental health clinical evidence-based practice and support for parents/carers.

Experience

• Knowledge of development in mental health of CYP, family development and transitions.
• Experience of working in an enhanced need mental health multi-disciplinary team environment and with external professionals such as emergency services.
• Experience of providing direct urgent mental health services within an urgent care setting or working with clients presenting with significant safety needs and behaviours that challenge.
• Ability to work independently to assess and manage risks including urgent needs and developing appropriate plans.
• Ability to recognise and respond to concerns about child protection and safeguarding.
• Ability to use supervision to support own wellbeing and professional development.
• Experience in quality improvement measures.
• Experience in delivering training and workshops to CYP and parents/carers.
• Experience in delivering training to professionals.
• Experience in running group interventions / peer support groups.

Skills and Knowledge

• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication skills including listening, verbal and written.
• Ability to communicate with CYP of different ages, developmental levels and backgrounds.
• Excellent telephone manner.
• Ability to prioritise work tasks.
• Highly resilient, able to work under high pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Understanding and evidence of adhering to information governance and data protection policies.
• Efficient problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interact with colleagues and other stakeholders politely and courteously.
• Excellent IT skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Experience with reporting in client database packages.
• Excellent customer care.
• Evidence of accuracy and paying attention to detail in tasks.
• Punctuality, reliability and honesty.
• Ability to use own initiative and be confident to do so in the workplace.
• Local knowledge of services and need.

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.