CAMHS Learning Disability School Liaison Practitioner in Plymouth

The CAMHS Neurodiversity Service is an established pathway within the Plymouth CAMHS service, providing services for 5‑18 year olds who have a mental health need alongside a neurodiverse diagnosis or presentation, such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Condition, Learning Disability, Tics or Tourette’s. You will be joining a friendly and enthusiastic team with diverse expertise and knowledge. As the CAMHS School Liaison Practitioner, the focus is on delivering early help consultation, advice and information to community services and schools working with children and young people who present with a learning disability and emerging mental health difficulties. All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7‑day service.

Responsibilities

• Deliver early help consultation, advice and information sharing to community services and schools for children and young people with moderate to severe learning disabilities and emerging mental health difficulties.
• Coordinate and implement evidence‑based targeted interventions in a timely manner in collaboration with other clinicians in the Neurodiversity pathway.
• Co‑ordinate early assessment to ensure timely access to appropriate interventions for children and young people.
• Organise and deliver group‑based needs assessment groups within school and community settings.
• Support delivery of evidence‑based parenting programmes for children and young people with mental health issues.
• Hold caseload responsibility and lead representation of CAMHS in multi‑agency meetings (EHAT, EHCP, CIN, child protection) to coordinate and oversee the mental health component of a multi‑agency plan.
• Act as a member of the Neurodiversity pathway and take responsibility for implementing pathway decisions.
• Ensure planned interventions are implemented effectively and evaluated using Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROMS) and the minimum data set.
• Participate in the delivery of training programmes for schools and community services from the CAMHS training portfolio.
• Maintain the highest standards of care within available resources.
• Actively participate in line management with senior and junior staff, team meetings and case discussions.
• Attend clinical supervision at least one hour per month.
• Organise own workload under the support and supervision of the clinical pathway manager.
• Liaise with other CAMHS pathways across the city.
• Develop and maintain relationships with statutory and non‑statutory providers.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding young people at all times.
• Communicate clearly with children, young people, families and other health professional groups about health problems.
• Participate in clinical governance and quality improvement initiatives (clinical audit, clinical policy development).
• Encourage children and young people to participate in decision‑making about the help they need and how they can access specific interventions, promoting person‑centred planning.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Qualified Learning Disability Nurse
• Clinical Supervision training
• Evidence of completion of statutory and mandatory training
• Experience of working within children's mental health providing interventions
• Understanding and awareness of therapeutic principles to support interventions within children's mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity
• Postgraduate training qualification in methods of working with children with mental health support needs (e.g., counselling, systemic practice or postgraduate diploma in child and adolescent mental health)
• Evidence of practice supervisor & assessor training completed to support nursing students

Skills and Abilities

• Mental health and risk assessment, care planning, evaluation and intervention skills
• Well‑established case management skills and strong organisational abilities with prioritisation capability
• Well‑developed communication skills, both oral and written
• Record‑keeping and IT skills
• Commitment to anti‑oppressive practice
• Ability to work in partnership and collaborate with others, both within and outside own professional background
• Commitment to own learning and professional development
• Robust and positive approach towards risk assessment
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage demanding professionals, young people or colleagues
• Ability to identify and refer unmet needs

Experience

• Post‑registration experience working with people with complex mental ill‑health within the community
• Experience of collaborating with clients and their families/carers
• Experience of working with children and young people who have experienced mental health and psychological well‑being difficulties
• Experience of assessment, including risk, care planning, intervention and evaluation
• Experience of maintaining own safety in community settings by working within relevant policy and completing or being willing to complete break‑away training or equivalent
• Experience of effective working with families of different cultural backgrounds
• Experience of working within multi‑agency safeguarding systems (e.g., child protection conferences, child in need meetings)
• Experience of managing demanding and difficult professionals, young people or colleagues
• Experience of managing own caseload and working in a team approach
• Previous experience at a Band 6 level or relevant registration experience
• Experience of working with children and young people within mental health
• Staff appraisal skills

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.