Trainee Children\'s Wellbeing Practitioner in Silsoe

Overview

CHUMS is a Children and Young Peoples Psychological Therapy (CYP-PT) compliant service and has been successful in setting up an early intervention service which comprises of a large CYP-PT training hub. We have Family Wellbeing Teams in each of our localities, where the CWPs are placed.

The aims of this service are to meet the emotional wellbeing needs of children and their families through guided self-help. We have the opportunity to extend the team to include 8 further trainee CWP places predominantly based in Milton Keynes, Luton, Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire localities, with some virtual support.

These are training posts to provide support to children and young people with mild to moderate mental health difficulties. The ideal candidates will have an undergraduate degree (psychology or similar), as well as some experience of working with children and young people up to the age of 18 with a range of mild to moderate mental health difficulties, either individually or in groups.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will be taught to deliver evidence based guided self-help interventions with children and young people or their parents/carers when the CYP is experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. They will also be taught how to deliver interventions in the community, for example participation activities, training and group delivery. Trainees will receive supervision to support their professional development.

Our head office is in the grounds of Wrest Park, Silsoe. Post holders will be required to travel independently as needed within the community.

Applicants will need to be ready to start work in early/mid-January 2024 and posts cannot be offered to candidates unless they can guarantee this start date.

Shortlisted candidates will also need to submit an application form to UCL for a place on the Diploma in Child Wellbeing Practice. The UCL application form will need to be completed at the same time as your application for a post. Please visit their website for more information:https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught-degrees/child-and-young-persons-psychological-wellbeing-practice-pg-dip

The UCL application details are contained in the separate document, UCL CWP Course guide.

If you would like to be considered for this role, please complete an application form, available on our website:

https://chums.uk.com/vacancies/ and return it to recruitment@chums.uk.com

Please note: CVs will not be accepted for this vacancy.

About us

CHUMS CIC Social Enterprise is an NHS Approved and QNCC accredited provider of clinical services to children and families. The service left the NHS in 2011 to become an independent Social Enterprise, affording the organisation more freedom to offer its services in a way that best suits the needs of the service users.

Job responsibilities

CYP-PT

Job Purpose

This is a training role within the Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Programme (CWP-MH). The post-holder will work within a CYP mental health service that is focused on outreach to the community. Trainees will be delivering, under supervision, high-quality; brief outcome-focused evidence-based interventions and guided self-help for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties within the community.

The training and service experience will equip the post-holder with the necessary knowledge, attitude and capabilities to operate effectively in an inclusive, value-driven service.

The post holder will attend all university-based teaching and Onsite Protected Learning Time required by the education provider, as specified within the agreed national curriculum and work in the service for the remaining days of the week using their newly developed skills.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Therapeutic skills
   1. Assess and deliver, under supervision, outcome focused, evidence-based interventions to children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties within the community.
   2. Working in partnership, support children, young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties and their families in the self-management of presenting difficulties.
   3. Working in partnership with children, young people and families in the development of plans for the intervention and agreed outcomes.
   4. Support and empower children, young people and families to make informed choices about the intervention.
   5. Regularly undertake the planning, delivery and implementation of participation activities in service and in the community.
   6. On occasion, prepare and deliver training sessions to professional groups within service and in the community and evaluate the impact and outcomes of such training sessions.
   7. Contribute to networking and building close working relationships with community groups and organisations to improve access to psychological support and enhance the overall impact of CWP role within the community.
   8. Operate at all times from an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects diversity.
   9. Accept referrals within agreed national and local protocols.
   10. Undertakes accurate assessment of risk to self and others.
   11. Adhere to the service referral protocols. Under supervision, unsuitable referrals to the relevant service as necessary.
   12. Through close case management and supervision, escalate cases where the level of need becomes beyond scope, or more severe ensuring adherence to other relevant elements of service delivery.
   13. Provide a range of information and support for evidence based psychological treatments, primarily guided self-help. This work may be face-to-face, by telephone or via other media.
   14. Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the overall number of children and young people contacts offered, and sessions carried out per week to improve timely access and minimise waiting times.
   15. Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or CYP in treatment, where appropriate.
   16. Keep coherent records of all activity in line with service protocols and use these records and outcome data to inform decision making. Complete all requirements relating to data collection.
   17. Assess and integrate issues relating to transitions, education and training/employment into the overall therapeutic process.
   18. Work within a collaborative approach involving a range of relevant others when indicated.
   19. Work in collaboration with children, young people and communities to enhance and widen access.
2. Training and Supervision
   1. Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post including practical, academic and practice-based assessments.
   2. As well as attendance at the University for training, fulfil private study requirements to enhance learning and prepare assignments for examination.
   3. Apply learning from the training programme to practice.
   4. Receive practice tutoring from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards.
   5. Prepare and present case load information to supervisors within the service on an agreed and scheduled basis, in order to ensure safe practice and the governance obligations of the trainee, supervisor and service are delivered.
   6. Prepare and present case information and videos to course staff in practice tutor groups and other small groups in the university setting on an agreed and scheduled basis, to enhance clinical skill development.
   7. Respond to and implement supervision suggestions by supervisors in practice.
   8. Engage in and respond to personal development supervision to improve competencies and practice.
3. Professional
   1. Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating bodies and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the relevant departments.
   2. Ensure that confidentiality is protected at all times.
   3. Ensure clear objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with supervisors and senior colleagues on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
   4. Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.
   5. Keep all records up to date in relation to Continuous Professional Development and ensure personal development plans maintain up to date specialist knowledge of the latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
   6. Attend relevant conferences/workshops in line with identified professional objectives.
4. General
   1. Support the collection of data and facilitate data flow to the Workforce Development Team.
   2. Contribute to the development of best practice within the service.
   3. Ensure a comprehensive understanding of the relevant safeguarding legislation, guidance and best practice.
   4. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures
   5. All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (2018) and Security and Confidentiality Policies.
   6. It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.
   7. This Job Description does not provide an exhaustive list of duties and may be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder in light of service development.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Personal Specification
• Undergraduate degree, upper second class or above, in Psychology OR related subject (e.g., Psychology, Education, Childhood development, Social Work etc), OR any subject with further training or experience in a relevant field (e.g., Teaching/TA; Learning Support; HCA; Youth Work; Counselling etc)
• OR relevant professional experience in CYP Mental Health/Education/ Mentorship (to be considered on a case-by-case basis)
• Previous experience of working with children and young people
• Ability to study as a self-motivated learner and implement training with appropriate support
• Demonstrates high standards in written and verbal communication
• Demonstrates ability to work well with other professionals/colleagues
• Ability to personally manage a sensitive, traumatic and potentially emotionally distressing caseload
• Ability to manage own caseload and time
• Full, enhanced and current satisfactory DBS disclosure for the role
• Able to travel across Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire and Luton to meet post requirements (ability to drive and have access to a car)
• Training in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, counselling or within a specific psychological therapy
• Psychology or other health /social care/youth related undergraduate degree
• Experience of working in mental health or related services
• Worked in a service where agreed targets in place to demonstrating outcomes
• Experience of working with diverse populations
• Speaks a second language
• Demonstrates an ability to present mental health psychoeducation to non-mental health audiences

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.