Job summary
- Main area
- Applied Psychology
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- 9 months (Secondment end date 31st Dec 2026)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 334-CLI-7729807-A
- Employer
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Civic Centre
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £46,419 - £55,046 per annum inclusive of HCAs
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 22/02/2026 23:59
Employer heading
YJS CAMHS Practitioner
NHS AfC: Band 6
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.
We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.
We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.
The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.
As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated CAMHS practitioner to work within the YJS (Youth Justice) CAMHS service as a secondment from April until December 31st 2026. This is an excellent learning and developmental opportunity with a chance to work in a small specialist team that is supported by an experienced MDT. Caseloads remain small, allowing time to work with complex needs. There is ample opportunity for direct work with young people (enhancing clinical risk and CAMHS assessment skills and practicing a range of therapeutic interventions).
Applicants will need to have a relevant first level qualification in Social Work, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Child Psychotherapy, or Creative Therapies with related experience in the psychological aspects of caring for children and adolescent with mental health problems/needs. It is desirable that applicants have further training in additional evidence based treatments with some CAMHS experience.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be clinically confident in carrying out mental health and risk assessments and contribute to developing multi-agency risk management plans. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be committed to providing a high standard quality of care. They will have responsibility for a caseload providing a range of clinical interventions. They will work closely with other members of the multi-disciplinary alongside partner agencies (YJS officers, education, health, social care and police). a senior psychologist who also works in the HSB service. They will be a valued member of the YJS CAMHS team offering clinical input in the multidisciplinary team.
Flexible working:
As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. In this role you will be able to work Monday to Friday in the time frames from 8am to 6pm, giving you the very best of good work life balance.
Working for our organisation
YJS CAMHS is a multidisciplinary team that provides specialist mental health treatment to young people who have become engaged with the Youth Justice System and need help. The team comprises of 2 CAMHS Practitioners, 1 HSB Lead, 1 Youth Justice Liaison & Diversion Practitioner and a part-time Consultant Psychiatrist and Team Lead. The Team offers a combination of evidence-based interventions and work closely with the Youth Justice Team.
About our locations:
The YJS CAMHS team is located in the Civic Centre less than 5 minutes from the Brixton Underground and Train station (zone 2). The team is co-located with the Youth Justice Service, but work in a hybrid model with young people seen at the Youth Justice offices in Brixton or Lambeth CAMHS sites at St John's Angell Town or Black Prince Road. The is also opportunity for some remote working during the week.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
-To assume responsibility for own case list and case management of children, adolescents and families who are determined to be at low/medium/high risk.
-To make clinical formulation/ tentative diagnosis from a standard CAMH assessment, including risk assessment, on which to recommend a treatment intervention.
-Participate as a multi-disciplinary team member in the setting and reviewing of therapeutic aims, objectives, standards and strategies to provide a high standard of care to clients.
-Deliver interventions for children and young people with a range of complex needs commonly found when working within the youth justice service. As the work is predominantly with young people with emotional behavioural and conduct difficulties then a range of talking therapies and structured interventions and family work have been found to be effective. The treatment interventions provided would be based on NICE guidelines and evidence based practice.
-Use individual, group work, family work, advice and supervision according to the needs of children and young people and have a flexible and innovative approach to packages of care.
-Participate and lead in joint complex assessments with other as required
-Maintain good relationships and clear lines of communication with other professional agencies and departments, providing specialist advice and support where appropriate.
-Work with the team and clients to maintain a safe therapeutic environment. Work to assure the quality of care through achieving high operational standards in clinical systems. To link with other statutory and voluntary agencies and professionals as well as other CAMHS Teams in terms of referrals and joint work. Maintain good relationships and clear lines of communication with other professional agencies and departments, providing specialist advice and support where appropriate.
-Supervise junior members of the team (Band 5 - 6) or trainees from any discipline.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- First level nursing qualification/registration RMN or RSCN or HV with related CAMHS experience 0r First level qualification in OT, social work, family therapy or equivalent with related CAMHS experience. Or First level qualification in art, play, drama or music therapy with related experience in the psychological aspects of caring for children and adolescent with mental health problems/needs
- All applicants will require professional registration with a statutory body: The Nursing Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professional's Council, Chartered Clinical Psychologists by BPS, ACP or UKCP, Social Work England.
Desirable criteria
- Training in Clinical supervision.
- Further post qualifying training and education in working with children and adolescents with mental health problems.
- ENB 998 or mentorship and or equivalent experience and training (Nursing only)
- Training and/or experience of working using a solution focused, CBT or motivational interviewing approach.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Advanced experience of mental health assessment, formulation and treatment/intervention of children with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in child and adolescent mental health
- Assessment of risk and management of risk factors
- Experience in the use of assessment tools including the Wechsler Intelligence Scales and contributing to the formulation of a young person's difficulties by providing information on their level of intellectual functioning and specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
- Experience in chairing/leading multi-disciplinary meetings
- Experience in working with diverse populations
Desirable criteria
- Experience of supervising junior clinical staff
- Evidence of teaching, training and presenting complex clinical information to a range of client groups, stakeholders and professionals
Skills
Essential criteria
- Skills in the engagement of troubled young people involved in the criminal justice system.
- Assessed supervised clinical experience working with children and adolescents with mental health problems/needs or clear evidence of transferable skills.
- Working in collaboration with supervisor, service user, carers and MDT in assessing needs, planning and implementing care.
- Taking responsibility for care delivery in a specific area and maintaining a safe therapeutic environment.
- A good understanding and some experience of the following: Group, individual and family work, multi-disciplinary work, clinical governance and audit and the process of clinical supervision in CAMHS.
Desirable criteria
- Cultural competence as well as sensitivity to a range of diversity related issues. An awareness of how experiences of discrimination might affect young people's mental wellbeing and their opportunities to achieve their potential.
- Experience contributing to measures and systems, in their day to work, both to monitor and to take compensatory action to address overrepresentation and poor access to services.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- A good working knowledge of Mental health disorders in children and adolescents
- A knowledge of the full range of support services and care pathways for under 18 year olds with mental health, emotional, speech and communication, learning difficulties and other general vulnerabilities.
- Knowledge of the Children Act 1989 and The Mental Health Act 1983, the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, London Child protection procedures
- Experience in assessment of risk and management of risk factors
Desirable criteria
- Research informed and evidence based methods of assessment, treatment and case management.
- A working knowledge of criminal justice law and related systems as they affect those under the age of 18 years of age
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Hillary Despres
- Job title
- Clinical Service Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07812660230
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