Behaviour and Conduct Pathway Lead (Social Worker/Family Therapy)
The closing date is 19 January 2026
Come and work for NELFT's Children and Young People’s Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) in Tunbridge Wells, Kent and be part of one of the UK's most innovative healthcare Trusts.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Experienced Mental Health professional (Social Worker, RMN, Clinical Psychologist, Occupational Therapist) or Post-Graduate Qualified Therapist to join our dynamic multi-disciplinary team working within our Behaviour & Conduct Pathway as the Pathway Lead. We are particularly keen to hear from applicants with a background in Systemic Family Therapy, Clinical/Forensic Psychology, Social Work or therapists with training in NVR, DBT and/or EMDR.
Main duties of the job
* Be responsible for managing the referrals within the Behaviour and Conduct Pathway
* You will undertake mental health assessments and routinely measure clinical outcomes and deliver evidence-based clinical interventions in line with the CYP-IAPT programme within CYPMHS
* Promote the mental and emotional health of children, young people and families in the community through clinical interventions in the care pathway
* Undertake assessments and deliver a range of therapeutic interventions, such as NVR, DBT or family work, to children and young people with a range of emotional and psychological difficulties where appropriate
* Assess and develop plans of care to meet the complex needs of patients with a variety of conditions.
About us
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
Starting with NELFT
NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
Use of AI
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Job responsibilities
We are a community mental health service that support children and young people with the following difficulties:
Mood and anxiety disorders
Behavioural and conduct disorders
Emerging personality and attachment disorders
Psychotic disorders
Deliberate self-harm and suicidal ideation
Substance misuse with co-existing mental health needs (dual diagnosis)
Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) - with co-occurring mental health needs
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - with co-occurring mental health needs
Prolonged bereavement problems
All referrals to the service are assessed using a care pathways approach, developed in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance criteria (NICE) and based on a best practice model of treatment.
The aim of ourservice is to respond earlier to children and young peoples needs in order to help prevent, reduce or delay the need for more specialist interventions. This transformation of children and young peoples mental health services has a clinical focus, integrated with local authorities to deliver a long term collaborative approach to planning and delivering services.
CYPMHS focuses on emotional wellbeing as well as mental health and includes access to self-help tools and services based in schools and the community. The CAMHS Tier II and Tier III service no longer exist, replaced with an integrated CYPMHS. Training and support is available to other professionals and agencies. We are creating a modern service that fits with childrens lives in a way that best suits them. Key new features include a Childrens Single Point of Access (SPA) into the service, clear early signposting, and use of digital channels such as Big White Wall to access support and services. The locality team have care pathways. Each care pathway is clinically led, with care pathway leads operationally managing all practitioners working in that care pathway. With the support of the team manager, care pathway leads are responsible for assessment, treatment and systematic outcome measurement in that care pathway.
Care pathway leads and practitioners ensure that a high quality, timely, accessible and evidence-based service is available to all children and young people who need it. This means establishing and maintaining excellent working relationships with wider social, health and voluntary services. If working in our CYPMHS team in Tunbridge Wells is for you and you are excited by a modern approach then we would very much like to hear from you.
Person Specification
Qualification
* Core professional registration
* Post grad development and training in CYPMHS
* Qualification in Family Therapy/NVR/DBT/EMDR
Experience
* 3 plus years experience in working with CYPMHS
* Theraputic work undertaken with complex cases
* Experience of working with difficult, disturbed or challenging children/young people requiring skilled and complex interventions
* Experience of working therapeutically with parents/carers/families of children and young people with complex mental health problems
Skills
* Evidence of groups work or ability to run groups
Knowledge
* Knowledge of legislation in relation to children and adolescents and safeguarding procedures and policies
* Knowledge of risk management and ability to monitor and assess risk and act accordingly to ensure safety
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
NELFT North East London Foundation Trust
£47,810 to £54,710 a yearper annum pro rata
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