Senior Practitioner.

Job Summary

Are you passionate about children and young peoples mental health? Do you enjoy sharing your knowledge of how to support children and young people with colleagues within the education sector? Our Future in Mind (MHST) is a growing and developing service within Wakefield which aims to provide early intervention to improve the lives of children and young people experiencing mild to moderate emotional and mental health needs. Due to additional funding we are looking to recruit an enthusiastic practitioner to join our friendly and supportive team.

Responsibilities

• Deliver evidence‑based interventions to children, young people and parents/carers through individual and group work.
• Deliver psychoeducation sessions to children, young people and parents/carers through assemblies, classroom and parent sessions.
• Ensure children/young people play an active part in decision making about the support they need.
• Provide advice/consultation to education staff to support children/young people getting the right help at the right time.
• Develop local knowledge of services particularly in relation to mental health issues to enable effective signposting and planning.
• Support education settings in developing and embedding whole school approaches to mental health through collaboration and co‑production with the school community.
• Participate in the delivery of training programmes for education settings and community services.
• Complete CYP‑IAPT supervision training and provide clinical supervision to EMHPs.

Person Specification

Essential Attributes

• Able to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Commitment to a multi‑agency approach
• Ability to work and make decisions under pressure.
• Calm, confident, innovative, creative and assertive
• Clarity of decision making
• Willingness to be flexible and adaptable in accordance with changing service priorities.
• Commitment to challenging discrimination and improving accessibility of services.
• Ability to cope calmly in a crisis
• To demonstrate good self‑care and encourage the same in team members
• A current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability).

Special Skills and Knowledge (Essential)

• A good understanding of evidence‑based, low intensity interventions for mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
• An understanding of mental health and wellbeing support within community settings.
• Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and the importance of multi‑agency work for children and families in the community.
• Understanding of CYP‑IAPT principles, including the use of evidence‑based therapies and routine outcome measures.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to engage with children/young people of all ages and a wide range of mental health presentations.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of professionals from various settings.
• Ability to work effectively with partner services and external partners to promote and adapt change processes.
• Good verbal and communication skills.
• Ability to manage own caseload.
• Good negotiation and problem‑solving skills.
• Customer service orientation.
• Effective record keeping and report writing skills, including care planning and risk assessments.
• IT skills.
• Good team‑working skills, ability to predict and manage inter‑disciplinary tensions and foster good working practices.

Special Skills and Knowledge (Desirable)

• A good understanding of the green paper initiative and the function of a MHST.

Experience (Essential)

• Substantial post‑qualification experience, some of which must be working with children, young people and their carers in a mental health or community setting.
• Experience of working in Primary Care, MHST Services or CAMHS.
• Experience of managing a caseload of children and young people with a range of moderate mental health needs.
• Experience in assessment and risk management and ability to implement evidence‑based practice.
• Experience of delivering evidence‑based psychological therapy (e.g. CBT).
• Experience of working with parents.
• Experience of working in or in conjunction with an educational setting.
• Experience of providing clinical supervision.
• Proven ability to work with other agencies and disciplines and in partnership with other organisations.
• Experience working within Early Intervention and Prevention Services.
• Experience of service delivery via digital platform.

Experience (Desirable)

• Successful completion of the CYP‑IAPT CBT/EMHP supervisor training or willingness to undertake.

Qualifications (Essential)

• Registered Wellbeing Practitioner (Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners, Education Mental Health Practitioners).
• Or registered mental health practitioner (NMC, HCPC).
• Or registered social worker.
• Or KSA equivalent accreditation.

Qualifications (Desirable)

• Successful completion of the CYP‑IAPT CBT/EMHP supervisor training or willingness to undertake.

Physical Attributes

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Training

• Experience delivering training to a diverse audience (or group work).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a submission for disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Job Details

• Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level
• Employment type: Contract
• Job function: Information Technology (Note: this appears inconsistent with the content and may reflect a data entry error.)
• Industries: Hospitals and Health Care
• Salary: £38,682 to £46,580 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full‑time, Part‑time, Flexible working
• Job locations: 2 Flemming Court, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF105HW
• Reference number: C9378‑W1360A
• Posted: 18 November 2025
• Band: Band 6

Employer Details

• Name: South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust
• Address: C A M H S, 2 Flemming Court, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF105HW
• Website: https://www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk