Senior CAMHS Practitioner

Job summary

You would be joining a comprehensive and dynamic CAMH service, delivering a substantial, stepped model of care following the needs-led i-Thrive framework. This is a post within an established Mental Health Support Team in Luton. Your role will help to develop and deliver a wide range of interventions, projects and system changes, with the aim of the whole school and whole community approaches supporting young people's mental health. In addition to providing comprehensive consultation, assessment, risk management and interventions for young people experiencing emotional and mental health difficulties in schools, the post-holder will also clinically supervise colleagues. There may be a possibility of supervisor training at Reading University, which we would strongly encourage the post-holder to take up.

We offer an exciting and a dynamic environment, where your ideas and career development will be valued. You will be supported directly by a senior colleague, and we will develop the service together. You will be supported by regular, separate clinical and management supervision sessions, access to a variety of CPD sessions, and an annual performance appraisal. You will also participate in weekly clinical discussions with the team. East London NHS Trust prioritizes staff wellbeing, and there are a range of staff wellbeing initiatives to support this.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a confident CAMHS professional with a demonstrable track record, within CAMHS, of providing good quality, evidence-based interventions and improving service quality. You will be a Mental Health Nurse, Systemic Family Psychotherapist, Psychologist, Art Psychotherapist, Social Worker, Child Psychotherapist, CBT Therapist, Counsellor or Occupational Therapist, with the requisite professional registration. We welcome applicants who have experience of working or living in Central Bedfordshire or Luton.

There is a national focus on increasing the reach of Mental Health Support Teams, with the aim of improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in the community. The recently published NHS 10 Year Plan has an ambition to increase MHSTs' coverage to all schools by 2030. There is a specific focus on developing more access to help and aiding and improving the general culture of emotional support within all primary and secondary schools, including special educational provisions and PRUs. Working alongside community partners, the Mental Health Support Team will be fully integrated with community CAMHS and educational settings.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Details

Date posted

23 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum Inc HCAs

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-SSLB7556117

Job locations

Charter House

Alma Street

Luton

LU1 2PJ

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information regarding this post, please kindly refer to the job description and person specification attached to this advert.

For further details / informal visits contact:

Brendi Waks, Operational Lead, brendi.waks1@nhs.net

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information regarding this post, please kindly refer to the job description and person specification attached to this advert.

For further details / informal visits contact:

Brendi Waks, Operational Lead, brendi.waks1@nhs.net

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A qualification of Mental Health Nurse, Systemic Family Psychotherapist, Clinical Psychologist, Art Psychotherapist, Social Worker, Child Psychotherapist, Occupational Therapist, CBT Therapist & Registration, Counsellor
• Understanding of current NHS/Social Care policies/practices relating to Mental Health and Services and understands the Child Protection Policy

Desirable

• Parenting qualification and parenting supervision qualification
• Specific therapeutic modality training and qualification e.g. CBT, DBT, IPT
• IAPT supervisors' course

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of working in CAMHS
• Experience of working with a wide range of mental health problems commonly seen in CAMHS
• Experience of care planning
• Knowledge and experience of working within a CBT framework to support trainee practitioners

Desirable

• Delivery of parenting programmes - Webster-Stratton, Triple P, NVR, etc. Previous experience working with schools in a mental health capacity
• Supervision of clinicians delivering parenting and manualised CBT interventions
• Experience of working in a culturally diverse, inner-city area

Skills

Essential

• Evidence of well-developed clinical skills and knowledge in CAMHS
• Specialist clinical skills within specific therapeutic modalities
• Able to manage own time and caseload
• Evidence of ability to lead, support and influence others

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A qualification of Mental Health Nurse, Systemic Family Psychotherapist, Clinical Psychologist, Art Psychotherapist, Social Worker, Child Psychotherapist, Occupational Therapist, CBT Therapist & Registration, Counsellor
• Understanding of current NHS/Social Care policies/practices relating to Mental Health and Services and understands the Child Protection Policy

Desirable

• Parenting qualification and parenting supervision qualification
• Specific therapeutic modality training and qualification e.g. CBT, DBT, IPT
• IAPT supervisors' course

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of working in CAMHS
• Experience of working with a wide range of mental health problems commonly seen in CAMHS
• Experience of care planning
• Knowledge and experience of working within a CBT framework to support trainee practitioners

Desirable

• Delivery of parenting programmes - Webster-Stratton, Triple P, NVR, etc. Previous experience working with schools in a mental health capacity
• Supervision of clinicians delivering parenting and manualised CBT interventions
• Experience of working in a culturally diverse, inner-city area

Skills

Essential

• Evidence of well-developed clinical skills and knowledge in CAMHS
• Specialist clinical skills within specific therapeutic modalities
• Able to manage own time and caseload
• Evidence of ability to lead, support and influence others

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 information

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).

Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Charter House

Alma Street

Luton

LU1 2PJ

Employer's website

https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Charter House

Alma Street

Luton

LU1 2PJ

Employer's website

https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)