Education Mental Health Practitioner Trainee
Location: Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove, BN3 3BQ (application closing date: 01/06/2026).
Salary: £29,064 - £31,022. Contractual hours: 37 hours per week. Basis: Fixed Hours Package.
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Job description
TEAM: Schools Mental Health Service
HOURS: Full time Fixed Term whilst training
Are you interested in supporting children and young people’s mental health in schools?
Would you like to train in an evidence‑based role while learning within a supportive, multidisciplinary service?
Are you keen to develop your skills while working with children, families and schools across diverse communities?
Brighton & Hove City Council is recruiting Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) to join our established Schools Mental Health Service (SMHS). The SMHS includes our Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), which work directly with primary, secondary and sixth‑form settings across Brighton & Hove.
About the role
As a Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner, you will work with children and young people aged 5 to 18 who are experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, alongside their parents and carers. You will also contribute to schools’ approaches to promoting emotional wellbeing and positive mental health.
You will deliver evidence-based interventions informed by Low‑Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Li‑CBT), working under regular supervision as part of a multidisciplinary mental health team. This is a developmental role, and you will be supported to grow your skills, confidence and professional identity over the course of the training year.
You will spend:
* Two days per week studying at the University of Sussex
* Two days per week on placement within schools or education settings
Across the training year, you will, under supervision, develop knowledge and practice skills to deliver individual and group interventions, undertake holistic and child‑centred mental health assessments (including risk assessments), and work collaboratively with children, families and schools.
What you’ll be doing
* Work alongside mental health professionals delivering a range of evidence‑informed interventions in education settings
* Develop skills to work directly with children and young people, taking account of their individual experiences, needs and strengths
* Engage parents and carers in supportive, respectful and inclusive ways
* Carry out holistic and child‑centred mental health assessments, including identifying and managing risk appropriately
* Contribute to whole‑school wellbeing and mental health approaches that support a wide range of pupils and communities
What we’re looking for
We are looking for people with the potential to develop into this role and a genuine interest in children and young people’s mental health.
You will be able to demonstrate:
* The ability to work at degree level or equivalent, with relevant learning or study in areas such as child development, wellbeing or mental health
* Experience of working with children and young people, and an understanding of social, emotional and mental health difficulties
* Experience of working with parents, carers and/or families
* Experience of working collaboratively with a range of professionals, services or agencies
* Experience of supporting children and young people with social, emotional and/or mental health needs in education or community contexts
We value transferable skills and welcome applications from people with a wide range of professional, community and lived experiences.
What we offer
* A fully supported training year combining academic study and supervised practice
* Regular clinical and professional supervision within a reflective, supportive team
* A service culture that values inclusion, learning, collaboration and staff wellbeing
* The opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to children, young people and schools across Brighton & Hove
* Clear development opportunities within the Schools Mental Health Service
We are committed to inclusive recruitment and to removing unnecessary barriers to application. Reasonable adjustments can be discussed at any stage of the recruitment process.
Further information
If you would like to find out more about the role or the Schools Mental Health Service, please contact our service and we will invite you to an information session on 26th May between 3.30 and 4.30: schoolsmentalhealthservice@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Encouraging a diverse workforce
Our city is known and loved for its diversity. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve, and we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, male or trans.
Find out more about our commitment to being a fair and inclusive place to work by reading about our fair and inclusive actions, our anti‑racism strategy and the work we are doing to encourage a diverse workforce.
How to apply
All applications are read by at least two hiring managers. The application includes education, career history and responses to shortlisting questions. These are used in the shortlisting process to assess whether you meet the essential requirements for the role. Please refer to the council's application guidance.
Additional information
Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is less than 37 hours or term‑time only.
Note that this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service check.
We are a workplace that supports flexibility and employee wellbeing in the way we work whilst providing the best service for our customers. Team and service working arrangements are designed to support both employee work life balance and team collaboration.
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