YOUnited are looking for a Band 5 Associate Practitioner to work in our busy referral hub. If you are you are looking for a new challenge, enjoy variety in your work and wish to be part of a team striving to make a difference to children and young people with mental health difficulties then we want to hear from you.

You will be working as a member of the CAMHS YOUnited Team and YOUnited Referral Hub, providing screening of referrals, information gathering and consultation to referring agencies, young people and their families and/or carers. This role will give you the opportunity to develop your skills in this field working in a collaborative partnership with third sector and NHS colleagues.

This role is a hybrid role with a mixture of office and home working available. Office base is in Huntingdon and you will need to travel to base regularly.

Our ideal candidate will have a strong team work ethic, sense of accountability and an ability to work flexibility using initiative. You should possess excellent communication skills and be confident to liaise with other professionals as necessary.

We will provide the necessary support to ensure development within the role and any future ambitions.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work collaboratively in the YOUnited Referral Hub as part of a multidisciplinary team. The Referral Hub supports access to help for children and young people's emotional health and wellbeing and mental health needs in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The post holder will process non-crisis referrals of children and young people referred. The post holder will be supported to triage each referral for risk and supported to make a decision about whether referral meets the threshold for specialist CAMHS pathways, a trusted assessment within the getting more help CAMHS interventions pathways or a getting help intervention pathway. If not, to signpost the referral to the appropriate service or offer suitable advice working autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the Referral Hub's policies and procedures.

About us

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.

Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.

To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high calibre candidates that share our vision & values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people & members of our ethnic minorities & LGBTQ+ communities.

Job description Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities

YOUnited role specific

To work as a member of the CAMHS YOUnited Team and YOUnited Referral Hub, providing screening of referrals, information gathering and consultation to referring agencies, young people and their families and/or carers.

To develop specialist knowledge to make decisions about a child or young persons mental health needs and how they would most appropriately be met.

To assess clinical risk based on information available and additional information gathered, and to prioritise accordingly in partnership with senior colleagues.

To participate in the prevention and early detection of emotional and mental health difficulties in children and young people referred to the service.

To develop an awareness of the resources of the core, neuro-developmental and eating disorders pathways in main Community CAMHS.

To work alongside Community CAMHS to ensure that waiting time standards are met.

To contribute to the development of systems for managing referrals including screening, filtering, re-directing and fast-tracking referrals as appropriate.

To follow the Standard Operating Procedures of the YOUnited Referral Hub team.

To network and develop partnerships with CAMH professionals and other professionals within Social Care, Education, Early Help services, General Practitioners, Child Health services, Health Promotion agencies and the Voluntary / Independent sector.

To work within the framework of legislation, guidance, policies and procedures relating to the Childrens Act, Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act.

To maintain accurate and appropriate records of work undertaken.

To ensure that Trust policy in relation to confidentiality and consent is always adhered to.

To attend training opportunities to promote professional practice and skills development in line with professional body requirements.

Clinical role

To develop the skills to be able to provide comprehensive mental health assessments demonstrating the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of data from a variety of sources including, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care, a range of direct work and evidence-based therapeutic intervention. To develop specialist knowledge to make decisions about a child or young persons mental health needs.

To participate in the prevention and early detection of emotional and mental health difficulties in children and adolescents referred to the service.

To support formulation of presenting problems or situations that summarise the presenting needs of the young person in a holistic way.

To educate and involve children and young people and family/carers, in their care/support plan and provide opportunities for service users to contribute to assessment and the development of service provision.

To maintain accurate and appropriate records of work undertaken.

To ensure Trust policy in relation to confidentiality and consent is always maintained.

To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions on aspects of risk assessment and risk management in line with Trust and inter-agency policies and procedures.

To communicate, in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, to clients, family carers and others as appropriate, information that may be contentious or highly distressing concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care.

To produce reports on clients, in a timely manner, that convey the key findings of a mental health assessment.

To work in partnership with other disciplines and to maintain links with statutory and non-statutory and primary care agencies as appropriate.

Person Specification Education / Qualifications Essential

• A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level: nursing, social work, occupational therapy, creative therapy or within a psychological therapy. NMC BABCP, HCPC, SWE

Desirable

• Other relevant certificated training
• Evidence of on-going CPD activity

Experience Essential

• Experience of working in a role and setting relevant to CAMHS either post qualification or as a student
• Experience working with systems around the young person, e.g. family, schools

Desirable

• Experience of multi-agency or multi-disciplinary working
• Experience of working in diverse communities
• Post-qualification experience in assessment and treatment with children, young people and families. using evidence-based therapeutic intervention.

Skills & Abilities Essential

• Advanced interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Good personal organisational skills
• Ability to contain and work with high levels of distress from clients
• Ability to interact effectively with staff of all disciplines
• Evidence of ability to keep clear and accurate clinical records

Desirable

• Skills or exposure to therapeutic approaches used in YOUnited services
• Willingness and ability to develop the skills to participate as independent practitioner in assessments

Knowledge & Understanding Essential

• Motivated towards personal and professional development
• Knowledge of a range of clinical conditions typically presenting to YOUnited services

Desirable

• Knowledge of the Trust's and Local Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Awareness of systems of service delivery and pathways in Children's Mental Health Services
• Knowledge of a range of therapeutic interventions used in YOUnited.

Physical Requirements Essential

• Ability to sit for long periods
• Ability to work at a screen for long periods
• Ability to liaise with families, young people and other professionals via a range of methods include telephone and Teams meeting

Desirable

• Ability to work flexible hours

Other Essential

• Recognise people's right to privacy and dignity, treating every person with respect
• Willingness to embrace integrated models and new ways of working
• Willingness to be flexible in approach and attitude
• Ability to travel between sites when clinically necessary

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

310-CYPF-5091805