Mental Health Practitioner
At a glance
- Band
- Band 5
- Contract
- Fixed-term
- Pattern
- Part-time, Flexible working
- Hours / week
- 22.5
- Posted
- 02/09/2026
- Closes
- 16/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This role is for a Mental Health Practitioner to join the Sefton CAMHS team at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust. The post holder will work with children, young people, and their families, providing assessments and implementing mental health interventions under supervision. They will also liaise with external agencies and promote service user participation in service design and delivery. This is a fixed-term position for 12 months to cover maternity leave.
Key responsibilities
- Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to assess children, young people, and families, planning and evaluating interventions.
- Act as a case manager for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems.
- Deliver evidence-based interventions, including in group formats, under supervision.
- Monitor risk and facilitate access to senior CAMHS practitioners for those with more severe problems.
- Promote safeguarding and welfare of children and young people.
- Adhere to Trust policies, procedures, and relevant legislative frameworks.
Essential criteria
- Degree level qualification and/or equivalent experience in a child and family related field e.g. social work, youth and community work, nursing1.Qualified in core profession such as Mental Health Nurse (RMN), Mental Health Practitioner, Occupational Therapy, Social Work or creative therapies e.g. Art Therapy.
- OR - Recognised degree level broad based health & social care qualification which will require completion of The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) Knowledge Skills and Attributes (KSA) http://www.babcp.com/Accreditation/CBP/KSA.aspx
- OR - Successful completion of a relevant HEE-commissioned course (for example children and young people's wellbeing practitioner, education mental health practitioner, psychological wellbeing practitioner)
- Experience of working with children and young people and their families in either Health, Social or Education settings.
- Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties
- Experience of the delivery of specific therapeutic interventions to children, young people or their families
- Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders.
- Experience of working with cultural diverse populations and adapting services to improve access.
- Understanding of how to work with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties
- Knowledge of safeguarding issues and relevant legislation.
- Knowledge of child development
- Ability to carry out therapeutic mental health interventions with children, their families or parent/carers.
- Assessment and management of children and young people who present with risk.
- Awareness of cultural diversity and ability to incorporate this into care planning and delivery.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work on own initiative, with reference to policies and procedures.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of liaising and working effectively with the wider network around the child including educational, social care, family and health.
- Experience of delivering group interventions.
- Knowledge of audit processes
- Skilled at engaging and building relationships with children young people and their families
- Skilled at undertaking holistic assessments of emotional and mental health needs alongside coexisting physical and environmental factors that impact on wellbeing.
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 5 at £29,970 – £36,483 a year, across England.
This advert: £32,073 – £39,043 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 1d ago · Closes in 14d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
Job summary
_Right to work: We actively promote diversity and inclusion. This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Health and Care route. We recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position. Visit Health and Care Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK_
1 x Mental Health Practitioner - Sefton CAMHS
22.5 hrs per week
Fixed term - 12 months maternity leave cover
The post holders will work as part of a multidisciplinary CAMHS team in Sefton. They will work to engage children, young people and their families in the therapeutic process, supporting the assessment and implementation, under the supervision of an experienced CAMHS clinician, of complex mental health interventions for children and young people
The post holder will be expected to liaise with external agencies including health, education, social care and the voluntary sector and act as a named key worker to children, young people and families accessing Alder Hey CAMH services. Under supervision the post holder will carry out effective and evaluated assessments in line with their own knowledge base and the trust's policies and procedures.
The post holder will also be responsible for enabling effective and meaningful service user participation in the design and delivery of our services through individual and group engagement, facilitation of events/focus groups, supporting the
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