Senior Mental Health Practitioner - Enhanced Triage

Overview

Job Summary Children and Family Health Devon is excited to offer a 12-month fixed-term opportunity for a Band 6 Senior Mental Health Practitioner to join our Managing Mood, Emotions & Relationships (MERs) pathway as part of a newly funded Enhanced Triage Pilot. This innovative model is designed to improve access, flow and coordination for children and young people presenting with emotional and relational difficulties.

The pilot ensures that every child referred for a specialist mental health assessment receives a telephone triage assessment within two weeks of referral, providing earlier engagement, better prioritisation and improved continuity of care. You will play a key role in developing, delivering and evaluating this new approach, helping us test a model that puts children and families firmly at the centre of what we do.

• Undertake enhanced triage assessments to support timely, needs-led decision-making for children and young people.
• Provide brief formulations, risk assessments and signposting in collaboration with multi-disciplinary colleagues.
• Conduct telephone triage calls to confirm service suitability, gather clinical information and complete initial risk assessments.
• Develop care plans while children are waiting, including safety planning, signposting and psychoeducation.
• Support the ongoing development and evaluation of the Enhanced Triage Pilot, contributing to audit and quality-improvement work.
• Uphold safeguarding and risk-management standards and promote high-quality, responsive care.

Successful applicants will be employed by Devon Partnership Trust. CFHD comprises an Alliance of NHS organisations working together to improve health outcomes for children and young people in Devon. CFHD provides integrated care and treatment for children and young people across physical and mental health. We work closely with other organisations and providers to ensure locality and county-wide integrated access to all services, based on the i-Thrive Framework, in response to consultation with service users and communities.

CFHD works closely with local universities and supports students in clinical training placements and postgraduate training for staff.

Our children and young people say we should be understanding, patient and respectful. Staff should be trustworthy, non-patronising, non-judgemental, listening carefully and creating an environment that is informal and without pressure. Our vision is to be a successful, vibrant partnership that benefits the communities we serve.

Date posted: 26 January 2026

Pay scheme:
Agenda for change

Band:
Band 6

Salary: £38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract:

Fixed term

Duration: 1 year

Working pattern:
Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number: C-2

Job locations:
Lescaze Offices, Shinner's Bridge, Totnes, TQ9 6JE
;
South Devon Healthcare, 187 Newton Road, Torquay, TQ2 7BA
;
Integrated Childrens Services, Fishleigh Road, Roundswell Business Park, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 3UD
;
Evergreen, Victoria Park Road, Exeter, EX2 4NU

Full vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.

In this pathway, Senior Mental Health Practitioners work within a strong multi-disciplinary team, providing assessments and therapy to children with severe, chronic and enduring mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety-based disorders and trauma. You would work with children, young people and families to understand their experiences and presenting concerns in order to provide an appropriate evidence-based intervention and work closely with other agencies to support the best outcomes.

Essential

• A professional qualification at degree level or equivalent e.g. Psychological profession, Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, or equivalent.
• Professional registration/accreditation with a recognised body, e.g. NMC, HCPC, Social Work England, UKCP,…