Main area Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) Grade Band 5 Contract Permanent Hours
* Full time
* Flexible working
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Job ref 448-CCYP-8046269
Employer: East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust (Cambridgeshire)
Location: Peterborough (Site: Close Town Peterborough)
Salary £32,073 - £39,043 per annum, pro‑ra
Closing 16/06/2026 23:59
Interview date 02/07/2026
Band 5
East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust delivers expert healthcare in people’s homes, community hospitals and local settings across the East of England. Our nurses, therapists, clinicians, support teams and partners work together to provide coordinated care that supports independence, recovery and wellbeing. We believe people are best cared for close to home, in the communities where they live and belong.
Job overview
We have a brilliant opportunity for a Band 5 Qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) to join the Peterborough Mental Health Support Team with a team base in Hampton, Peterborough.
Please only proceed to application if you are a qualified EMHP
It is a condition of your employment that you will be registered with either the BPS or BABCP. We understand there is a backlog and therefore will accept applications where registration is in progress or you intend to register as soon as possible.
The EMHP role is an opportunity to deliver evidence‑based early interventions to parents and young people, working across both educational settings and healthcare sectors.
Mental Health Support Teams work in collaboration with education settings to provide early intervention to children, young people and their families/carers for mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
The role requires the applicant to travel around the area to allocated schools.
Main duties of the job
You will be working in a creative environment where evidence‑based interventions, new ideas, ways of working and supporting children and young people (CYP) are actively encouraged. The approach requires flexibility and adaptability, and a passion for working with CYP in education settings.
The post holder will work as an autonomous Practitioner in education and health care settings alongside a team of mental health professionals and within the scope of their job description.
The post holder will carry out assessments, develop and deliver evidence‑based interventions to children, young people, parents and carers. The interventions address mild to moderate mental health difficulties (anxiety, worries and fears, behaviour, low mood).
The post holder will receive regular supervision to support them in their work.
Working for our organisation
Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
Our staff are highly valued and have contributed to our outstanding performance. If you share our passion for innovative and high‑quality care delivery, please submit your application to join our exciting journey as a leading‑edge specialist community provider.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Mental Health Support Team
The Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) are part of the Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service (EHWS) in CCS NHS Trust and sit within the 'Getting Advice' and 'Getting Help' quadrants of the iThrive model. The iThrive model provides an integrated approach to the delivery of person‑centred and needs‑led services for children, young people, and families.
Since January 2020, Cambridgeshire Community Services (CCS) NHS Trust has launched twelve MHSTs across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and we continue to expand, moving towards 100 percent coverage of schools by 2030.
The MHSTs provide mental health and emotional wellbeing support to children and young people and their families and carers through schools and colleges.
The MHSTs work with education settings to provide early intervention for mild to moderate mental health difficulties and support staff in schools and colleges on their 'Whole School Approach' (WSA) to mental health.
The postholder, with appropriate supervision, will work as an autonomous and responsible practitioner as their training affords in educational and health care settings alongside a team of mental health professionals and within the scope of their local job description, to:
* Develop and deliver evidence‑based interventions under supervision, to children, young people, parents and carers in an educational/community setting who are experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties
* Develop and practice evidence‑based skills under supervision to carry out holistic and child‑centred mental health assessments, including risk assessments and risk formulations
* Help children and young people within these settings who present with more severe problems to rapidly access more specialist services
* Support and facilitate staff in education settings to identify and, where appropriate, manage issues related to mental health and well‑being
* Use the EMHP skills, knowledge and abilities to deliver a service based within education settings that builds on and reinforces but does not replace initiatives that already exist within these environments
Main Duties and Responsibilities
* Assess and deliver outcome‑focused, evidence‑based interventions in educational settings for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, working at all times in collaboration with and giving respect to the education function of the setting in which the post-holder is deployed
* Work in partnership to support children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties and their parents/carers, families and educators in the self‑management of presenting difficulties
* Work in effective, evidence‑based partnership with children, young people, their families and their educators in the development of plans for the intervention and agreed outcomes
* Support and empower children, young people, their parents/carers and families and their educators to make informed choices about the interventions being offered
* Operate at all times from an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects diversity
* Accept referrals within educational settings according to agreed local and national protocols
* Undertake and record accurate assessments and formulation of risk and operate clear risk management processes in line with locally agreed procedures including safeguarding protocols and Local Safeguarding Board guidance
* Adhere to all regulations, processes, and procedures within the educational service
* Signpost referrals of children with more complex needs to a locally identified appropriate relevant service
* Escalate cases where the level of need or risk is beyond the scope of practice of the postholder
* Provide a range of information and support for evidence based psychological treatments, primarily guided self‑help
* Demonstrate an ability to manage one’s own caseload in conjunction with the requirements of the team
* Attend multi‑disciplinary and multi‑agency meetings relating to referrals or children and young people in treatment, where appropriate
* Keep clear, professionally coherent records of all activity in line with both health and education service protocols and use these records and outcome data to inform decision making
* Complete all requirements relating to data collection, assessment and integration of transition, education and training/employment issues
* Contribute to the development of individual or group clinical materials or training materials
Communication
Effective written, verbal and non‑verbal communication on complex issues to a wide range of audiences, including senior management, children, young people and families.
Research & Development Activity
* Utilise theory, evidence‑based literature and research to support evidence‑based practice
* Participate in clinical and other audits as required
* Use a computer for clinical work, literature searches, word processing, delivery of remote interventions and training
* Input data, email, report write and other tasks necessary for efficient running of the service
* Contribute data for accessible management information for service improvement and reporting via System One datasets, suitable technology/systems development and in compliance with Trust Information Governance and legislation standards
Clinical and Practice Governance
* Observe and maintain strict confidentiality in line with the Data Protection Act
* Adhere to Trust risk assessment, risk management processes, infection control policies and procedures
* Maintain professional registration with either the BPS or the BABCP and participate in mandatory training and audits
* Participate in Clinical, Line Management & Safeguarding supervision regularly
* Provide information to patients and their families/carers on standards expected from the team
* Collaborate with other agencies to ensure regular case reviews and effective progress through the care pathway
* Be accountable to the MHST Clinical Team lead for the direct delivery of effective MHST service across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
* Ensure all risks or safety issues are communicated and shared with appropriate parties
* Maintain accurate clinical records, supervision logs and continuous professional development plans
* Maintain awareness of safeguarding and data protection requirements, information governance and all relevant legislation and local policy
Person specification
Qualifications & Training
* Successful completion of the HEE commissioned 1 yr ‘Education Mental Health Practitioner’ (EMHP) course
* Teaching qualification
Experience
* Experience of working with children and young people, their families, and others
* Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders
* Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties
* Experience of working with anxiety disorders and affective (mood) disorders
* Experience of the delivery of specific therapeutic interventions (CBT, solution‑focused therapy)
* Experience of working with children and their families in a healthcare setting
* Experience of monitoring and recording outcome measures for children’s emotional wellbeing
* Experience of navigating complex social systems and environments with conflicting priorities or agendas
* Experience of working with other vulnerable groups
Knowledge & Skills
* Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health assessments and interventions with children and families
* Ability to conduct group parenting programmes
* Ability to make an assessment of risk and to record and communicate it appropriately
* Knowledge of safeguarding issues
Working within professional boundaries
* Accepts responsibility and accountability for own work and can define responsibilities of others
* Understands the principle of confidentiality
Equal Opportunities – We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion. Additionally, people with disabilities that fall under the Disability Confident Scheme will be offered an interview providing they meet the minimum criteria for the post.
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