Qualified Educational Mental Health/Child Wellbeing Practitioner | Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

Overview

The SEND MHST (Mental Health Support Team) are seeking to appoint a motivated, committed, flexible and forward thinking Qualified EMHP (Educational Mental Health Practitioner) or CWP (Child wellbeing practitioner) to work in our MHST team, who is committed to supporting Children and Young People (CYP) and their families across Hertfordshire. The Mental Health Support Team works specifically with SEND children and families across Hertfordshire and West Essex schools, delivering early intervention mental health support and supporting schools to develop their whole school approach to emotional wellbeing. This is an exciting opportunity to take your EMHP or CWP training and build the MHST offering to children, families and schools with a great need for mental health support, while working creatively with the training to meet children’s additional needs and support the schools.

Proposed interview date: 10 October 2025

You will work in a variety of school environments across Hertfordshire and West Essex, combined with being part of a “virtual team” to deliver our service. We operate from 7-7, Monday to Friday.

Responsibilities

• Deliver evidence-based intervention for children and young people in education settings with mild to moderate mental health and SEND additional needs.
• Support children and young people within these settings who present with more severe problems to rapidly access more specialist services.
• Support and facilitate staff in education settings to identify and, where appropriate, manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing.
• Work with and within education environments to improve access to specialist mental health services.
• Support schools in developing strategies/activities to promote emotional wellbeing and positive mental health.
• Work with families following the parent as therapist method to support emotional wellbeing within the home.
• Support the school to develop their overall whole school approach to emotional wellbeing.
• Use acquired skills and knowledge to deliver a service within education settings that reinforces but does not replace existing initiatives.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Must hold an Educational Mental Health Practitioner or Child Wellbeing Practitioner qualification.
• Must have some SEND experience.
• Creative and flexible in approach; able to adapt practice to support children and families with additional needs.
• Ability to build relationships with a wide variety of professionals, schools and families.
• Experience delivering evidence-based interventions for children and young people in education settings.
• Good understanding of risk assessment and ability to seek supervisor support to manage risk.
• Willing and able to participate in supervision and maintain professionalism in emotive settings.
• Flexible, with resilience under pressure; able to work both in a team and autonomously.
• Full driving licence and access to a car for business use (unless exempt under the Equality Act 2010).

We can offer you

• Regular clinical and professional supervision.
• Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development, including co-facilitating workshops.
• Regular opportunities to meet as a team and regular CPD and peer reflection.
• Opportunities to work with a multi-disciplinary team and learn from other evidence-based frameworks and approaches.
• Involvement in service development and opportunities to provide line management and clinical supervision to other MHST team members.
• 27 days holiday rising to 33 days (depending on NHS Trust service) plus bank holidays (pro rata where applicable).
• One of the UK’s best pension schemes; Special Leave for family and personal reasons; NHS Car Lease Scheme for substantive staff; Eye Care Vouchers; Employee Assistance Programme; NHS Discounts.

Additional notes

The post holder must hold an Educational Mental Health Practitioner or Child Wellbeing Practitioner qualification. For further details / informal visits contact: Sarah Garvey – MHST Operational Lead, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust on 01727 732031 or email hct.mhst@nhs.net

We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.

Advert closes on Monday 22 Sep 2025