Mental Health Practitioner in Ipswich

• Centre Academy East Anglia
• Address: Church Road, Brettenham, Ipswich, Suffolk IP7 7QR
• Salary: Starting from £30,000 per annum
• Hours: Full time
• Contract: Permanent
• Reference: 5747

Centre Academy East Anglia is a small SEN School and is a vibrant and inclusive educational institution dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment for our students. We are seeking a dedicated and reliable Mental Health Practitioner to join our team.

Main purpose of the role

• To promote positive mental health and emotional wellbeing across the school.
• To provide intervention and targeted support for pupils experiencing social, emotional or mental health difficulties.
• To work collaboratively with staff, families and external professionals to help pupils feel safe, included and able to achieve their potential.

Duties and responsibilities

Direct support and interventions

• Identify and support pupils experiencing social, emotional, mental health or behavioural difficulties
• Deliver tailored one-to-one and small-group wellbeing interventions supporting with emotional regulation, self-esteem, coping skills, relationships and engagement with learning
• Provide planned wellbeing interventions alongside flexible drop-in support sessions, offering pupils a safe space for check-ins, emotional regulation, and early intervention when needed
• Adapt approaches and resources to meet a range of SEND needs
• Liaise with staff and external professionals to ensure appropriate support and referrals where required.

Assessment, tracking, recording and evaluation

• Gather appropriate pupil, staff and parent/carer views to understand needs, strengths, triggers and protective factors
• Set achievable support goals to monitor progress
• Keep accurate, timely and confidential records of sessions, concerns, interventions and progress
• Produce concise written progress reports and practical recommendations for staff, pupils and families as appropriate.

Whole-school mental health and wellbeing

• Work with all school staff to embed a consistent whole-school approach to mental health and emotional wellbeing
• Help staff to recognise signs of emotional distress or emerging mental health needs
• Develop or adapt accessible wellbeing resources, strategies and practical tools for use in classrooms and individual support.

Working with colleagues

• Liaise regularly with the SENCo, teachers, teaching assistants and safeguarding staff to identify needs and agree realistic support strategies
• Provide guidance and modelling to staff on strategies supporting regulation, wellbeing and engagement
• Attend relevant pupil-support, pastoral, review and multi-agency meetings.

Working with parents/carers and external agencies

• Communicate sensitively with parents/carers about agreed support, strategies and progress, in line with safeguarding and confidentiality requirements
• Work alongside external agencies and specialist professionals as directed by the SENCo and/or Head of School.

Safeguarding and professional practice

• Work in accordance with current statutory safeguarding guidance, including Keeping Children Safe in Education and the Prevent duty, and all relevant school policies
• Recognise, record and promptly report safeguarding concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), following school procedures
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries, confidentiality, data protection and secure information-sharing practices
• Participate in relevant training, supervision or reflective practice and keep professional knowledge up to date.

Essential

• Relevant experience supporting children or young people with emotional wellbeing, mental health or social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. A recognised qualification, degree, or specialist training in a mental health, counselling, psychology, wellbeing, or related profession is highly desirable
• Understanding of SEND and how neurodevelopmental, sensory and communication differences can affect wellbeing and access to learning
• Ability to build trusting, professional relationships with pupils and to plan and deliver individual and small-group interventions
• Ability to write clear records and communicate practical strategies to staff and parents/carers
• Knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities, confidentiality, professional boundaries and when to seek specialist support
• Ability to work collaboratively with school staff, families and outside professionals.

Health and Safety

• Ensure the environment is safe, organised, and conducive to learning and wellbeing
• Follow risk assessments and individual pupil support plans
• Undertake positive handling/restraint training where required and act in accordance with school policy.

General Responsibilities

• Uphold the ethos and values of the school
• Maintain confidentiality and professionalism at all times
• Participate in staff meetings, training, supervision, and professional development
• Comply with all school policies and procedures
• Undertake any other reasonable duties commensurate with the role.

Safeguarding Statement

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references, online searches, and all other safer recruitment checks in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).

Applicants are required to attend a face-to-face interview, reference checks, and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance is required for this position prior to commencement. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. CAEA is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

What we will offer you

CAEA is in a small and rural location convenient to Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, Woolpit and Lavenham, a quiet environment with students who want to be at school and finally with the freedom to devise a curriculum that will provide the most benefit for the students.

For more information

For an informal discussion only, please contact Lisa Gilbert, Head of School on 01449 736404.

Closing date: 11 December 2026