CAMHS Practitioner

• Process referralsreceived by Southwark CAMHS, undertaking initial screening and triage on behalf of the assessment and treatment teams to ensuretimelyandappropriate allocationof cases.
• Undertake meaningful clinical contactswith children, young people, and their families. This may include brief psychosocial and risk assessments, gathering relevant information to support clinical decision-making, providing brief psychoeducation and advice, listing referrals for specialist assessment and treatment, and signposting or redirecting referrals to alternative services whereappropriate.
• Liaise effectively with referrers, including GPs, schools, social workers, paediatric services, Accident & Emergency departments, and other professionals, to obtain relevant information and support comprehensive assessment of need.
• Work collaboratively within the Referrals Team multidisciplinary team (MDT)toidentifythe mostappropriate carepathways for children and young people referred to the service, ensuring decisions are evidence-based, child-centred, and aligned with service criteria.
• Participate actively in clinical decision-making forums, multidisciplinary meetings, business meetings, safeguarding discussions, and other relevant service meetings, contributing clinicalexpertiseand professional judgement.

The post holder will work as a key member of the Southwark CAMHS Referrals Team, providing specialist mental health screening, assessment, risk management, and care pathway recommendations for children and young people referred to the service. The role requires effective multidisciplinary working, sound clinical judgement, and a commitment to delivering high-quality, child-centred care.

• Clinicalresponsibilities
• Conduct initial psychosocial assessments with children, young people, and their families toidentifypresenting difficulties, strengths, needs, and goals.
• Undertake comprehensive risk assessments, including assessment of self-harm, suicide risk, risk to others, exploitation, neglect, and safeguarding concerns.
• Develop and agree contingency and safety plans with children, young people, and their families whereappropriate, ensuring risks are managed effectively.
• Make recommendationsregardingthe mostappropriate carepathway based on assessment findings and service eligibility criteria.
• Provide brief interventions, psychoeducation, support, and advice to children, young people, families, and professionals asrequired.
• Redirect, signpost, or refer children and young people to alternative services where specialist CAMHS intervention is notindicated.
• Ensure that assessments and interventions are deliveredin accordance withevidence-based practice and Trust policies.
• Care planning andservicedelivery
• Work collaboratively with children, young people, carers, line managers, supervisors, and multidisciplinary team members in assessing needs, planning care, and implementing interventions.
• Take responsibility for the delivery and coordination of care withinan allocatedarea of responsibility.
• Maintain a safe, supportive, and therapeutic environment for children, young people, and families accessing the service.
• Monitor clinical progress and contribute to decisionsregardingtreatment, referral onwards, or discharge.
• Promote the active involvement of children, young people, and families in care planning and decision-making.
• Multidisciplinary and partnership working
• Work closely with colleagues within the Referrals Team and wider CAMHS multidisciplinary teams to ensureappropriate clinicaldecision-making and allocation of referrals.
• Liaise effectively with external agencies, including schools, GPs, paediatric services, social care teams, youth services, voluntary sector organisations, and acute hospitals.
• Attend and contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings, clinical decision meetings, safeguarding meetings, network meetings, and other relevant forums.
• Provide specialist mental health consultation and advice to professionals involved in the care of children and young people.
• Professional responsibilities
• Maintainaccurate, contemporaneous, and legally compliant clinical records and documentation.
• Participate in regular clinical, professional, and management supervision.
• Support the learning and development of junior staff, students, trainees, and newly qualified practitioners asappropriate.
• Contribute to service development, quality improvement initiatives, audits, and implementation of best practice.
• Workin accordance withprofessional codes of conduct, Trust policies, and national guidance.
• Knowledge and experience
• The successful candidate willdemonstratea good working knowledge of:
• Mental health disorders in children and adolescents, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, neurodevelopmental conditions, trauma-related difficulties, eating disorders, and behavioural difficulties.
• Child development and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on emotional wellbeing and mental health.

We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. We want you to feel like you are part of a close knit team at SLaM. It's important to us that you valued and appreciated and that are why we have a comprehensive benefits package on offer

Generous pay, pensions and leave,we offer a comprehensive pay, pensions and leave package which is dependent on the role and length of service.

Work life balance,flexible working and support a range of flexible options, such as: part-time working and job sharing.

Career development,There are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and we support your development through a number of programmes such as mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes

Car lease,our staff benefits from competitive deals to lease cars

Accommodation, our staff benefits from keyworker housing available which is available on selected sites

NHS discounts,with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well-known retail brands though Health Service Discounts website.

• Counselling services
• Wellbeing events
• Long service awards
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Childcare vouchers
• Staff restaurants

Essential: - First level nursing qualification/registration RMN or RSCN or HV or; - Doctorate level qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology or; - First level qualification in OT, social work, or equivalent 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, developmental/ learning disability problems.; - Training in clinical supervision such as ENB 998 or mentorship and or equivalent experience and training.

Desirable: - Familiarity with therapeutic approaches commonly used in CAMHS eg CBT, Family Therapy

Essential: - Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team; - Working knowledge of MHA, MCA and safeguarding children legislation.; - Prompt and accurate recording on to electronic notes system and an understanding of the need for this

Desirable: - Prior experience of Camhs duty.

Essential: - Knowledge and understanding of issues relating to information sharing and confidentiality; - Understanding of and ability to maintain a safe therapeutic environment.

Desirable: - Familiarity with therapeutic approaches commonly used in CAMHS eg CBT, Family Therapy

Essential: - Ability to work effectively under pressure, managing competing demands and priorities within a busy CAMHS environment.; - Ability to reflect on own therapeutic practice, make effective use of supervision, and adapt practice based on reflection, feedback, and learning.; - Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, contributing positively to collaborative assessment, care planning, and clinical decision-making.; - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex clinical information clearly and appropriately to children, young people, families, and professionals.

Desirable: - Skill and/or formal training in a recognised therapeutic modality relevant to CAMHS practice (e.g. CBT, Systemic Family Therapy, DBT-informed approaches, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, IPT, ACT, Art Therapy, Play Therapy, or other evidence-based therapeutic interventions). (2)