Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Job Summary

Warrington CYPMHS has an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and experienced Mental Health Practitioner to join our well‑established community team specialising in Child and Young Person Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) in the Warrington Borough.

We are looking to appoint a permanent band 6 senior mental health practitioner. The role involves referral management, assessments, case management and therapeutic intervention for children and young people (CYP). Silly and mindful guidance is essential, as the post will be part of an organisation that has successfully implemented Thrive and works closely with multi‑agency partners throughout the borough, including CDC, education institutes and third‑sector organisations.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS Check. Applications are welcomed from experienced nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and non‑core practitioners with mental health experience.

As a Senior Mental Health Practitioner, the post holder will provide high standards of evidence‑based, client‑centred care to children and young people with mental health problems within the THRIVE Framework for service delivery. You will be expected to manage your own caseload and provide clinical assessment and interventions to children, young people, their families and wider networks with complex mental health needs.

You will provide duty (referral management) support when required and will engage in all levels of clinical responses such as urgent assessments. Collaboration with the CYPMHS multi‑disciplinary team (MDT) will be essential, and the role will evolve in line with national and local initiatives.

• Hold a caseload of specialist and generic work dependent on clinical competence and experience.
• Undertake assessments, treatment and consultation work based upon a conceptual framework and employing research‑based evidence.
• Provide direct therapeutic interventions in line with the grading of the post, including assessments, formulation and therapeutic input into children, young people and families referred into the service.
• Undertake risk assessments and care plans in line with the THRIVE framework.
• Work sensitively with children and young people from a wide range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds.
• Screen referrals to children and young peoples services.
• Participate directly in team duty rotas.
• Exercise responsibility and autonomy within supervisory and managerial structures for assessment, treatment and discharge of clients.
• Deliver care coordination, ensuring effective assessment, care planning and risk management processes are maintained.
• Involve the views of children, families, referring agents and other professionals, including organising multi‑agency meetings.
• Produce clinical formulations and intervention plans based on evidence‑based practice, in cooperation with the child, young person and carers.
• Hold responsibility for standards of clinical practice within the area of specialist knowledge.
• Work collaboratively with other team members to enhance and develop services for young people and their families.
• Apply knowledge of other modalities to engage effectively with colleagues in other disciplines.
• Provide consultation, advice and guidance to junior colleagues.
• Promote effective multi‑agency work and contribute theoretical knowledge to risk management within the network.
• Undertake risk management for all children, considering protective and risk factors in significant relationships.
• Identify and respond appropriately to child protection issues, following Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines and NHS Trust safeguarding policies.
• Maintain clear and comprehensive electronic clinical records in compliance with Data Protection Act and professional body and Trust standards.
• Use routine outcome measures clinically, including inputting data into records.
• Collaborate with children, young people and families, contributing to the Trust’s service user participation agenda.

• Communicate information about assessment, formulation and treatment plans sensitively and monitor progress during multidisciplinary care.
• Effectively communicate…