Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video
Job overview
At NELFT, we’re proud to be the largest provider of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in England.
Our MHSTs deliver evidence-based individual and group interventions within educational settings, supporting children and young people aged 4 to 18 who are experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. We also champion whole-school approaches to promote positive mental health across entire school communities.
Integrated, Holistic Support
MHSTs work alongside existing school-based services — including counsellors, nurses, educational psychologists, and voluntary sector partners — to strengthen the support available for children and young people. For those with more complex needs, we provide a vital link to CAMHS services, ensuring timely access to the right care.
Who We’re Looking For
We’re seeking a passionate and experienced practitioner who is:
1. A qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner/Children's Wellbeing Practitioner and having been offered a place on or currently undertaking or completed the SWP PgDip course.
You must be fully registered with a relevant professional or regulatory body ( BPS or BABCP) and have extensive clinical experience working with children and young people with emotional wellbeing and mental health needs.
Interviews will be held face to face at 900 The Crescent in Colchester on Thursday 23rd October.
Main duties of the job
As a valued member of our Mental Health Support Team (MHST), you’ll play a key role in delivering high-quality mental health support to children and young people across schools and colleges in NE Essex. Your responsibilities will include:
Clinical Delivery & Support
2. Delivering evidence-based interventions in schools
3. Conducting comprehensive assessments, including risk assessments, care planning, and reviews for children and young people
4. Making referrals to specialist services and external agencies when needed
5. Provision of high quality clinical supervision.
6. Working with schools to support the development of the Whole School Approach
Professional Practice
7. Acting as an autonomous, registered practitioner, accountable for your own clinical decisions in line with your professional code of conduct and NELFT policies
8. Supporting the transformation of children and young people’s mental health as part of the NHS Long-Term Plan
Quality & Outcomes
9. Routinely measuring clinical outcomes using Routine Outcome Measures (ROMs) to guide and improve practice
10. Ensuring all care is delivered via NICE-compliant pathways.
Teamwork & Leadership
11. Providing leadership, promoting initiative, creativity, and motivation
12. Communicating complex clinical information effectively to ensure collaborative working
13. Contributing to a positive team culture while working independently and collaboratively with other professionals and agencies
Working for our organisation
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 focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
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).
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.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Join the North-East Essex MHST – covering Colchester, Clacton and Harwich
The North-East Essex Mental Health Support Team (MHST) delivers early intervention and prevention-focused mental health support across a wide geographical area, including Colchester, Clacton and Harwich. We’re a passionate, multidisciplinary team committed to improving the emotional wellbeing of children and young people in educational settings.
We pride ourselves on being a friendly, supportive team that values collaboration, compassion, and continuous learning. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance, and we welcome flexible working applications in line with Trust policies.
Professional Development & Training
We actively encourage Continual Professional Development (CPD) and are committed to helping our staff grow and progress. Successful candidates will either:
14. Have completed the Senior Wellbeing Practitioner (SWP) course or
15. Be supported to complete the CYP IAPT Low Intensity Supervisor course
For full details, please refer to the job description and person specification attached.
Certificates of Sponsorship
While NELFT is a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system before applying.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
16. Successful completion of a graduate training ( nursing, social work, occupational therapy) or have completed a low intensity EMHP/CWP Qualification.
17. To be eligible for registration as a full member of the appropriate professional body ( HCPC, NMC, BABCP, BPS)
18. Attended/willing to attend SWP course or CYPIAPT Supervisor training
Experience
Essential criteria
19. Experience of working with moderate presentations and neurodivergence.
20. at least 1 year as a registered practitioner delivering low intensity CBT-informed interventions
Desirable criteria
21. 2 years post qualification experience in children’s mental health services
Travel
Essential criteria
22. To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
Benefits
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:
23. A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
24. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity.
25. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
26. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.