Specialist CAMHS Practitioner - Learning Disabilities

Job overview

Brent CAMHS is looking for a permanent Specialist CAMHS Practitioner to join our friendly, supportive, and experienced multi-disciplinary specialist mental health service. We are looking for an enthusiastic and skilled clinician to be a core member of the LD team. They should maintain clinical curiosity and engage in reflective practice as well as be able to be an advocate for children, young people and families’ needs.

Previous experience within CAMHS-LD or adult LD settings (particularly with safeguarding, risk and Positive Behavioural Support [PBS]) would be helpful.

Brent CAMHS is looking for a permanent Specialist CAMHS Practitioner to join our friendly, supportive, and experienced multi-disciplinary specialist mental health service. We are looking for an enthusiastic and skilled clinician to be a core member of the LD team. They should maintain clinical curiosity and engage in reflective practice as well as be able to be an advocate for children, young people and families’ needs.

Previous experience within CAMHS-LD or adult LD settings (particularly with safeguarding, risk and Positive Behavioural Support [PBS]) would be helpful. Brent CAMHS-LD team is set up to provide specialist assessment and consultation to children and young people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and their families and carers. In recent years this team has been expanded to increase the capacity of the service allowing for exciting new developments.

In line with the Transforming Care agenda these developments are focussed on providing more intense support to those most at risk of restrictive practice. This role is suitable for a Learning Disabilities Nurse (RLD), Mental Health Nurse (RMN), Clinical Psychologist, Social Worker, Child Psychotherapist, CBT Therapist or Occupational Therapist with the requisite professional registration. The Trust will support flexible working hours where appropriate.

Main duties of the job The post holder will provide specialist assessments and interventions to children and young people. This will involve undertaking direct assessment and intervention with the client and indirect assessment, monitoring and intervention with staff and/or carers. Intervention will include working across a variety of settings, including home, school and short break services and will involve working with the multi-disciplinary team.

The post holder will work autonomously alongside clients, families, support workers and professionals to enable others to better understand and respond to behaviours that are challenging. The post holder will require a high degree of professional autonomy and self-management and will be required to account for their professional practice through supervision, appraisal and audit. Working for our organisation Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust is a prominent mental health trust offering high quality children’s mental health services across 5 boroughs of London.

The Trust supports staff wellbeing, reflective practice and monthly team reflective groups in CAMHS teams. Brent CAMHS-LD has a strong multi-disciplinary approach and thrives on innovative practice to meet the local population needs. We have strong links with our neighbouring CAMHS-LD teams within CNWL as well as universities and other local partners and stakeholders. The post provides an excellent opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in clinical practice and leadership via regular clinical supervision, being part of Quality Improvement (QI) projects, CPD opportunities as well as multi-disciplinary working within an experienced wider service of Family Therapists, Psychotherapists, Nurses, Child Wellbeing Practitioners, Psychiatrists and Clinical / Counselling Psychologists.

Job responsibilities

• To provide comprehensive specialist assessments, including risk assessment of children, young people and their families/carers referred with moderate, complex and severe mental health problems/ behaviours that challenge others using the PBS framework.
• To use a range of assessment techniques including…