Band 8a - MHST Senior Supervisor and Locality Lead

The NHS is working with schools and colleges across England to provide expert mental health support for up to half a million pupils a year - part of the Government's ambitious plans to transform children and young people's mental health through the NHS Long-Term Plan.This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced clinical/counselling/educational psychologist/Family Therapist or BABCP accredited CBT therapist to join the expanding Mental Health Support Teams in Kent & Medway. The post holder will clinically lead and supervise in their area, and also support with the service growth and development.

MHSTs support children and young people, in and near schools and colleges. Each designated MHST supports a population of up to 7,000 children and young people. Kent and Medway have the largest MHST in the country with 12 teams already and 9 more to come.

MHSTs aims to:

• Support children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems through evidence-based interventions
• Support schools in developing their whole school approach to mental health
• Provide timely advice to school staff and to liaise with other services in order to help children and young people get the right help and stay in education.

Main duties of the job

This is a new post to support the clinical development and service delivery of the Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in Kent & Medway. The post holder will be responsible for supporting the delivery of evidence-based CBT interventions in schools/colleges and providing supervision to practitioners in the team. They will also be responsible for supporting schools to develop a whole school approach to emotional wellbeing and mental health using a range of different evidence-based and theoretical approaches (e.g. systemic and attachment theory). We are looking to recruit someone who is passionate about working with children, families, education staff and the wider school community to provide evidence-based and innovative support for emotional wellbeing and mental health.

We have posts in both East and West Kent and Medway (please discuss preference at interview) Each post holder will cover a defined area of the county e.g Canterbury and Ashford or Medway and Swale or Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells or Dartford, Gravesham & Sevenoaks.

Expertise in the delivery of CBT to children and young people and their families to manage anxiety, low mood and understand behaviour is essential. Experience delivering supervision using a CBT framework is highly desirable, as is experience conducting clinical audits and evaluating research data to inform the delivery and development of clinical services. A professional commitment to the CYP-IAPT principles is essential.

About us

We also aim to send all of our senior staff on Supervisor training with either Kings Collage London or Sussex University to ensure the support we can offer to Education Mental Health Practitioners is of a high standard and in line with future plans for accreditation. HEE fund this training and we have allocated spaces each year.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex

COVID-19 Vaccination

We continue to encourage all staff to ensure that they have been double vaccinated and received their booster. We recognise that taking the vaccine provides the best defence against COVID 19 for our patients, our staff and their families.

Job description

Job responsibilities

• Provide Supervision to Trainee EMHP's
• Provide Supervision to qualified staff in MHSTs
• Clinical oversight of the named MHST's in the patch area.
• Lead on and support service evaluation, governance and audit.
• Lead on and support research and co-production.
• Support and develop evidence based practice relevant to MHSTs
• Provide strategic thinking and oversite of the designated MHST areas drawing on knowledge of the local community, research and evidence based practice.

Our service is innovative and creative with lots of opportunity for research, development of clinical programmes, co-production and participation working, please see some of our work on our Website.

Kent and Medway Mental Health Support Teams | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of work in mental health and educational settings

Desirable

• Experience of clinical leadership

Qualification and Professional Registration

Essential

• Post graduate qualification in MH
• Has correct professional registration as outlined in JD

Employer details

Employer name

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Twistleton Court

Priory Hill

Dartford

DA1 2EN

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

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