Mental Health Practitioner - Enhanced Support Team (Sefton)
Job summary
Sefton Enhanced Support Team is looking for an experienced Mental Health Practitioner to join our service.
The Enhanced Support Team works with children and young people with complex needs who present with high risk, high harm behaviours and high vulnerability. They are likely to have difficulties in multiple domains which are persistent, severe and are framed by family and social contexts (family disruption, loss, ACEs). This may include for example, children and young people who are involved in youth justice services, not in education employment or training, who engage in substance misuse, have multiple adverse childhood experiences, who are neurodiverse or have speech language and communication difficulties etc. These children and young people are likely to have been referred to multiple services, but there are significant barriers to engagement
Sefton Enhanced Support Team has links into Community CAMHS however is integrated with Children's Services including Social Care and Youth Justice.
The successful applicant will provide a substantial contribution to the clinical work of the team and will hold case management responsibility for their workload. Provision of supervision to lower banded team members, students and other internal professionals as required is expected.
We are particularly seeking candidates who have experience of working within complex systems, providing case consultation and working with families indirectly via wider professional involvement.
Main duties of the job
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
The post holder will undertake appropriate mental health assessment of children and young people referred to CAMHS, and provide a range of appropriate, evidence based clinical interventions informed by assessed individual need.
The post holder will provide support, advice and consultation to families, carers and other professionals involved in the life of the child/young person.
Undertake with supervision/consultation, case management of cases of some severity, risk and complexity, co-ordinating multi-disciplinary inputs and working in partnership with other agencies where appropriate
About us
Sefton Enhanced Support Team is part of the North-Mersey Vanguard, funded via NHS England Health and Justice to implement Framework for Integrated Care (Community) which was developed in response to the commitment set out in the NHS Long Term Plan to further invest in services for children and young people with complex needs.
Alder Hey has already earned our place as one of the world's leading children's hospitals, thanks to innovation and pioneering medical work. We treat 250,000 young patients a year and have a broad range of hospital and community services, serving the local population of children, as well as being a tertiary referral centre for children from across Merseyside, Cheshire and parts of Lancashire, Shropshire and North Wales.
We would welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds as our ambition is that our workforce is fully reflective of the communities that we serve. Alder Hey is signed up to the disability confident scheme.
Details
Date posted
23 December 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 6
Salary
£38,682 to £46,580 a year Pro rata
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
411-COM-25-7698993
Job locations
Sefton CAMHS
Burlington House
Crosby Road North, Waterloo
L22 0PJ
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the job description and person specification for further information about this role
Job descriptionJob responsibilities
Please refer to the job description and person specification for further information about this role
Person Specification
Education and Training
Essential
- Either: Qualified in core profession with associated professional registration oHCPC registered Drama Therapist oHCPC registered Art Therapist oHCPC registered Music Therapist oHCPC registered Occupational Therapist oHCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist oSWE registered Social Worker oNMC registered Nurse oUKCP registered Family and Systemic Psychotherapist (MSc level) oACP registered Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist (MSc level or above) oMBACP registered Counsellor 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 Framework And Training in child & family mental health related field
- Two years' experience of post graduate work in core profession / following qualification
- Two years' experience working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary setting
- Experienced in and able to demonstrate proficiency in case management responsibility
Desirable
- Experience of working in child and adolescent mental health services.
Experience of
Essential
- Able to demonstrate application of therapeutic and analytical skills
- Able to demonstrate ability to be self-reflective in relation to practice
- Able to provide, (with appropriate supervision), assessment of emergency/ self-harming behaviour
- Must demonstrate a working knowledge of health, education, social services and the voluntary sector.
Knowledge of
Essential
- Knowledge of relevant, current legislation
- Knowledge of safety factors in management of self-harming behaviours and child protection issues
- An understanding of principles underlying psychodynamic, systemic, cognitive and behavioural therapies
- Working knowledge of child development
- Awareness of recent government initiatives
Desirable
- Knowledge of audit and evaluation methodology
Skills
Essential
- Organisational skills to manage and prioritise workload balance appropriately
- Able to demonstrate a commitment to the overall vision and the development of the professional group of mental health practitioners
- Must demonstrate utilisation of professional development planning in own career progression
Personal attributes
Essential
- Must demonstrate utilisation of professional development planning in own career progression
- Must show enthusiasm and appreciation for multi -disciplinary and multi -agency working.
- Must demonstrate a high level of communication skills commensurate with the nature of clinical and professional contacts required of the post.
Education and Training
Essential
- Either: Qualified in core profession with associated professional registration oHCPC registered Drama Therapist oHCPC registered Art Therapist oHCPC registered Music Therapist oHCPC registered Occupational Therapist oHCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist oSWE registered Social Worker oNMC registered Nurse oUKCP registered Family and Systemic Psychotherapist (MSc level) oACP registered Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist (MSc level or above) oMBACP registered Counsellor 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 Framework And Training in child & family mental health related field
- Two years' experience of post graduate work in core profession / following qualification
- Two years' experience working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary setting
- Experienced in and able to demonstrate proficiency in case management responsibility
Desirable
- Experience of working in child and adolescent mental health services.
Experience of
Essential
- Able to demonstrate application of therapeutic and analytical skills
- Able to demonstrate ability to be self-reflective in relation to practice
- Able to provide, (with appropriate supervision), assessment of emergency/ self-harming behaviour
- Must demonstrate a working knowledge of health, education, social services and the voluntary sector.
Knowledge of
Essential
- Knowledge of relevant, current legislation
- Knowledge of safety factors in management of self-harming behaviours and child protection issues
- An understanding of principles underlying psychodynamic, systemic, cognitive and behavioural therapies
- Working knowledge of child development
- Awareness of recent government initiatives
Desirable
- Knowledge of audit and evaluation methodology
Skills
Essential
- Organisational skills to manage and prioritise workload balance appropriately
- Able to demonstrate a commitment to the overall vision and the development of the professional group of mental health practitioners
- Must demonstrate utilisation of professional development planning in own career progression
Personal attributes
Essential
- Must demonstrate utilisation of professional development planning in own career progression
- Must show enthusiasm and appreciation for multi -disciplinary and multi -agency working.
- Must demonstrate a high level of communication skills commensurate with the nature of clinical and professional contacts required of the post.
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional informationDisclosure 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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Sefton CAMHS
Burlington House
Crosby Road North, Waterloo
L22 0PJ
Employer's website
https://alderhey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Sefton CAMHS
Burlington House
Crosby Road North, Waterloo
L22 0PJ
Employer's website
Salary range
- £38,682 - £46,580 per year