CAMHS Infant Mental Health Psychotherapist
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a new post within the CAMHS Infant Mental Health Pathway, working as part of a small team of dedicated, multi‑disciplinary professionals supporting infants and caregivers in their early relationships. The new role will enhance the existing 0‑5 team by offering assessment and psychotherapy to young children aged 0‑5 years and their caregivers, with the ability to work with rising 5s up to 7 years old and their caregivers if clinically appropriate. The post holder will offer consultation and supervision to other CAMHS Pathways to share their expertise. This post will enable therapy to continue with rising 5s who have been referred to the Infant Mental Health pathway but whose difficulties require ongoing longer‑term psychotherapy.
The post holder will provide a high‑standard of service to infants, children and their families and to professionals from other organisations. The post holder will work autonomously and jointly within professional guidelines. The post holder will take an important role within the Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy pathway within Plymouth CAMHS and take part in the future development of this service. The post holder will ensure that the standard of the service is maintained at all times. The post holder will develop knowledge and skills in teaching, training and provide consultation to CAMHS colleagues.
Main duties of the job
Our aim is to improve children and young people’s mental health through the effective delivery of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) by providing a multidisciplinary Infant and Community Mental Health Pathway for infants, children and young people aged 0‑18 using the Anna Freud i‑Thrive framework to inform delivery and provide safe, effective, cost‑efficient, timely and accessible services that are in accordance with national and local priorities and responsive to the needs and views of local children, young people and their families.
To hold an autonomous caseload of young children aged 0‑5 years (or up to 7 years old if clinically appropriate) and their parents/carers who are experiencing highly complex mental health difficulties, providing treatment, assessment and consultation.
To provide supervision to Livewell Southwest staff (as appropriate).
Promote reflection and clinical supervision.
Post holder will currently be located at Tamar Folk Children’s Centre, Plymouth but may be required to work in other areas of the service when needed and there will be some hybrid working.
This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7‑day service.
Job responsibilities
* Hold an autonomous caseload of young children aged 0‑5 years (or up to 7 years old if clinically appropriate) and their parents/carers experiencing highly complex mental health difficulties, providing treatment, assessment and consultation.
* Provide an efficient, effective, comprehensive and highly specialist child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapy treatment service comprising assessment and treatment.
* Participate in regular review and ongoing discussion of cases with other multidisciplinary team members and coordinate network meetings with professional members of other agencies.
* Monitor and evaluate risk to/from children and young people in own caseload and during supervision/consultation discussions.
* Provide highly specialist advice, guidance and consultation to professional colleagues within CAMHS.
* Contribute to a specialist psychoanalytically informed understanding and care benefiting all clients of the service across all settings and agencies.
* Assist with the management of referrals to the child psychotherapy service, ensuring appropriate management and consultation with CAMHS team colleagues.
* Provide supervision to Child Psychotherapists in Training as required by the Clinical Pathway Manager.
* Work as an independent practitioner with regular clinical professional supervision on caseload in accordance with good practice guidelines.
* Adhere to administrative procedures, keeping clear and up‑to‑date case notes.
* Assist with teaching and training activities within the CAMHS Psychotherapy pathway.
* Apply specialist knowledge and experience of mental health assessment and treatment, and of psychoanalytic models of psychotherapy, to formulate a treatment plan.
* Communicate with service users about outcomes of assessment, treatment recommendations and informed discussion of options.
* Assess and manage clinical risk within defined frameworks, recognising the need for additional mental health team input where appropriate.
* Engage and communicate with service users and carers sensitively and clearly over sustained periods, managing severe difficulties, unconscious factors and high levels of emotional disturbance.
* Maintain relevant and up‑to‑date clinical records and ensure appropriate communication to referring and other agencies.
* Develop and maintain knowledge of local resources and effective working relationships with statutory and non‑statutory services.
Person Specification – Circumstances
* Frequent travel between Livewell Southwest sites and community locations, including areas not served by public transport.
* Work evenings up to 8 pm and weekends if required.
* Work flexibly (hours and duties) both individually and with other colleagues.
* Meet demands of the post with reasonable adjustments when required.
* Car owner/driver or suitable alternative transport.
* Adjustments considered in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act.
Aptitude and Ability
* Maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
* Communicate clearly and effectively with patients, families and staff about highly complex and sensitive matters.
* Express complex and multi‑layered concepts in clear and appropriate ways across a range of contexts.
* Contain and work with emotional distress within patients, carers and organisations.
* Reflect and contain intense feelings evoked by exposure to highly distressing material.
* Maintain intense concentration over long periods of time in high‑stress environments.
* Work collaboratively with colleagues and within a multi‑disciplinary team.
* Strong communication skills, both oral and written.
* Reason, analyse, interpret, evaluate and draw assumptions from data and information, using complex information to identify solutions.
* Motivate people to solve problems and base solutions on analytical thinking.
Experience
* Clinical experience as a Child Psychotherapist within CAMHS and infant mental health.
* Extensive knowledge of normal and abnormal child development and related theories, practices, and research.
* Substantial experience in multi‑disciplinary, multi‑agency settings.
* Knowledge of Child Protection legislation.
* Knowledge of research methodology and experience of recent research and audit.
* Knowledge of risk assessment and how to support staff in assessing and managing risk.
* Keen awareness of the specific clinical and therapeutic skills needed for working with children and young people aged 0‑19 and their families.
* Recognised postgraduate level training in Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy conferring eligibility for full membership of the Association of Child Psychotherapists.
* Evidence of relevant continuing professional development.
* Experience working within a multicultural framework and with partner agencies.
* Experience across the age range and with non‑communicating children.
Qualifications
* Recognised qualification in Child/Adolescent Psychotherapy (equivalent to Doctorate level).
* Eligibility for membership of the Association of Child Psychotherapists.
* Evidence of current CPD as recommended by professional bodies.
* Prioritised knowledge of health, social care, education and third‑sector frameworks for children and families.
* Understanding of safeguarding, child protection and vulnerable adult legislation.
* Understanding of performance management and its role in delivering excellent services.
* Mental health assessment skills.
* Knowledge of key strategies and policies affecting children's mental health services and their place within wider healthcare strategy.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and will require a disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Full‑time, part‑time, job share, flexible working
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