Senior Low Intensity CBT Practitioner (School Cluster Lead)

Alliance's vision is to empower all children, young people, and families to thrive. We are the leading provider of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool, offering mental health and emotional wellbeing support directly in schools. We work in partnership with Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (CAMHS), Changing Futures North-East, The Link, Mind, and The Junction to ensure young people can access the right help, at the right time. Together, we also deliver The Tees Valley Getting Help Service, providing mental health support to children and young people aged 5 to 18 (or up to 25 if they have an EHCP). Everything we do is shaped by the iThrive framework, ensuring support is accessible, needs-led, and designed around the child or young person. Our mission is simple: to help families navigate mental health support so they can get the right support at the right time.

Main duties of the job

• This post aims to develop the role of Educational Mental Health Practitioners and Children's Wellbeing Practitioners.
• It provides an opportunity for clinicians who have formal training and experience in using evidence-based low or high intensity CBT interventions to develop their careers and support Alliance in developing their Mental Health Support Teams in schools.
• The post holder will develop, support, and supervise Educational Mental Health Practitioners and Children's Wellbeing practitioners to deliver evidence-based practice in guided self-help, CBT, and group-based interventions.
• In addition to CYP mental health expertise, the post holder will be expected to contribute to the services universal offer through psychoeducation, assemblies, transition preparation, and promote partnership working with local authority teams.
• You must have the right to work in the UK as we are currently unable to offer working visa opportunities.

Job responsibilities

• Ensure practice across all three MHST core functions:
• Direct evidence-based clinical work with children and young people.
• Developing and promoting a whole school/college approach to mental health.
• Providing professional consultation and support for access to specialist services.
• Provide consultation to professionals in creating management plans for children and young people in and around school.
• Support the designated senior mental health lead in each educational setting, supporting and managing a cluster of schools.
• Support education colleagues to contribute towards inclusive practices for pupils.
• Therapeutic practice:
• Develop the MHST Getting Help pathway for Low Intensity clinical interventions delivered by EMHPs/CWPs within HAST MHST.
• Embed CYP-IAPT principles within the MHST as a senior LICBT Practitioner and School Cluster Lead, leading by example.
• Accept requests for help via agreed referral pathways for MHST in partnership with Tees Valley Getting Help Service for North Tees HAST.
• Support LI practitioners using role modelling to assess and support young people with a common mental health problem in the self-management of their recovery.
• Provide a range of information and support for evidence-based low intensity psychological treatments, including guided self-help.
• Work collaboratively with parents and carers.
• Attend multi-agency and multi-disciplinary meetings, where appropriate.
• Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service.
• Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
• Training and supervision:
• Offer clinical caseload management and skills supervision to qualified and trainee EMHPs/CWPs in the service.
• Identify training needs across the team and assist in the development of routes for CPD.
• Offer training sessions where appropriate to both internal staff and external stakeholders such as education staff.
• Attend locally organised and national training appropriate to the work role.
• To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist Clinical Supervisors and team members in evidence-based CBT practice.
• Partnership Working:
• Create and maintain effective working relationships with Headteachers, Deputy Heads, SENCOs, Pastoral Team, and wider teaching staff by providing advice and consultative support on emotional and mental health issues.
• Engage with the MHST self-assessment process and implement resulting improvement plans.
• Liaise effectively with other local providers, including statutory and voluntary sector organisations.
• Attend multi-disciplinary and multi-agency meetings relating to referrals for children, young people, and families in treatment.
• Safeguarding:
• Responsible for safeguarding children and always promoting the welfare of children & young people.
• Taking appropriate safeguarding action to protect children & young people at risk of significant harm.
• Identify and support families in accessing Early Help and Children’s Services.
• Share appropriate information with parents, carers, or other agencies regarding the child’s wellbeing and progress.
• Support staff within CYPF via safeguarding duty processes to support effective management of clinical risk and safeguarding.

This job description is designed to identify principal responsibilities only. The post holder is required to be flexible in developing the role in accordance with changes in Alliance's organisational objectives and priorities.

Organisational Responsibilities

• Values and behaviours: To demonstrate and be a role model for Alliance's values, promoting and encouraging positive behaviours.
• Health, Safety and Wellbeing: To take responsibility for health, safety, and wellbeing in accordance with Alliance's policies and procedures.
• Equality and diversity: To promote a society that gives everyone an equal chance to work and live free from discrimination and prejudice.
• Confidentiality: To work in a way that does not divulge personal and/or confidential information.
• Performance Management: To promote a culture whereby performance management is ingrained, and the highest standards and performance are achieved by all.

Person Specification

• Experience:
• Experience of working with children and their families in an educational or health care setting.
• Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders.
• Experience of working with parents/carers of children who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.
• Experience of working with anxiety disorders, conduct disorders, and affective (mood) disorders.
• Experience of monitoring and recording outcome measures for children's emotional wellbeing.
• Experience of delivering specific therapeutic interventions to children, young people, or their families (e.g. CBT, solution-focused brief therapy).
• Experience of navigating complex social systems and environments.
• Experience of case managing and supervising others.
• Knowledge:
• Demonstrates an understanding of CYP IAPT & Mental Health Support Teams in Schools.
• Knowledge of educational environments and safeguarding issues.
• Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence.
• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence-based psychological therapies.
• Other:
• Full, enhanced and current satisfactory DBS disclosure for the role.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Self-motivated and able to travel to meet the requirements of the post.
• Team player with excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Proven commitment to continuous professional development.

Qualifications:

• Postgraduate certificate in evidence-based psychological treatments (CWP/EMHP/HICBT IAPT pathways).
• Senior EMHPS/CWPS with advanced post qualification experience.
• CBT training with extensive experience working with young children and families.
• Accreditation with professional bodies (BABCP/BPS).
• CYP/IAPT Supervision Qualification.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£38,682 to £41,182 a year Pro Rata to Hours Worked.