Senior Mental Health Practitioner- CAMHS Therapeutic Education

Senior Mental Health Practitioner- CAMHS Therapeutic Education

Therapeutic Education is part of the Homes and Horizons project, a ground-breaking collaboration between the NHS, Social Care, Education and The Shaw Trust. Together, we provide homes, therapeutic education, foster care and trauma-informed environments for some of Somerset's most complex young people.

Therapeutic Education is currently provided at Misterton Learning Centre, with a second site opening in Wellington in 2026. Each Centre will offer education, therapeutic activities and specialist interventions for up to 15 young people.

Due to the continued growth of our project, we are recruiting a Mental Health Nurse to provide a broad clinical service and a unique professional perspective across our education sites and children's homes. You will be interested in working with young people who present with neurodivergence, mental health difficulties and needs rooted in adverse early experiences. You will play a key role in shaping a rich therapeutic culture across this developing service.

This role is suited to someone with clear professional boundaries, strong clinical judgement and the ability to work flexibly and collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams. You will work closely with education staff and CAMHS colleagues to empower young people to reach their full potential.

This post is supported by an experienced clinical team, including Clinical Psychology, Creative Therapies, Speech and Language Therapy, Social Work and Occupational Therapy.

• Provide high-quality mental health assessment, formulation and evidence-based intervention for young people attending the Therapeutic Education Centres.
• Deliver consultation, guidance and clinical support to multi-disciplinary colleagues across education, social care and children's homes.
• Contribute to the development of therapeutic culture and trauma-informed practice across the service.
• Work collaboratively with families and carers, ensuring they are informed, supported and involved in care planning.
• Lead or contribute to group and individual interventions tailored to young people with complex needs.
• Identify risk, undertake risk assessments and implement positive risk management plans.
• Maintain accurate clinical records in line with Trust policies.
• Liaise effectively with a wide range of internal and external partners, including CAMHS teams, education colleagues, children's social care, GPs and other agencies.
• Provide clinical leadership, supervision and guidance to junior staff where appropriate.
• Participate in service development activity, clinical audit and the evaluation of new approaches.
• Contribute to training, induction and learning opportunities for staff and students.

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card
, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce
, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty
, and breathtaking coastlines
, with vibrant cities like Bristol
, Bath
, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London
.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities
, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it’s a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Clinical responsibilities

• Carry out mental health assessments, including risk and safeguarding assessments, using flexible verbal and nonverbal communication methods to support engagement.
• Manage a clinical caseload, planning and prioritising work independently.
• Lead evidence-based interventions, adapting approaches to meet the needs of neurodivergent young people and those with trauma-related presentations.
• Offer consultation and advice to schools, carers and partner services to improve outcomes for young people.
• Facilitate referrals to other services where needs fall outside the scope of Therapeutic Education.
• Provide reports, formulations and recommendations that inform care planning and multi-agency decision making.
• Take part in Community Treatment Reviews or Community and Education Treatment Reviews where required.

Interagency working

• Develop strong working relationships with CAMHS teams, social care, education colleagues, health…