Job summary
In line with the government's priority to increase access and availability of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people the Getting Help Service in Durham have some fantastic opportunities available; and are looking to recruit 2xTrainee Children's Wellbeing Practitioners Fixed Term/Secondment for 12 Months and 2x Trainee Educational Mental Health Practitioners Fixed Term/Secondment for 18 Months.
Trainee CWP Vacancies
The Trainee Children's Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) role is an exciting opportunity to deliver evidence-based early interventions for Children and Young People in the community. Successful candidates will be employed on a full-time basis and will be based within a community setting across the Durham patch.
As part of this role there will be a requirement to travel to NorthumbriaUniversityfor an element of the training from the service where the candidate is based.
Trainee EMHP Vacancies
The Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) role is an exciting opportunity to deliver evidence-based early interventions for children and young people, working across both educational settings and healthcare sectors in England. Successful candidates will be employed on a full-time basis and based within education settings where the Mental Health Support Teams would be located to deliver mental health support across a range of educational settings in the region. The sites will be based across the Durham patch.
Main duties of the job
Due to time constraints the successful candidates would need be available to start this new post before January 19th, 2026, to comply with university requirements. If you would like to apply for this post, please clarify that you would be able to start before the 19th January within your supporting statement.
As part of this role there will be a requirement to travel to Northumbria Universityfor an element of the training from the service where the candidate is based.
Successful candidates will be offered a full-time educational programme specifically for the role in partnership with the Northumbria University. This post will be funded at NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) Band 4 level, gaining credits towards either a graduate or postgraduate level qualification (depending on level of previous academic study). There may also be an opportunity for employment on successful completion of training and accreditation, with a starting salary on NHS AfC Band 5. Successful candidates will not be uplifted to NHS AfC Band 5 until they receive accreditation
To enable this, all applicants must demonstrate in their application the ability to work at degree level or have an equivalent level of relevant experience, with a proven record of previous learning or formal study in child development, wellbeing or mental health. Further to that experience of working with children and young people and an understanding of the educational system in England is highly desirable.
About us
We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.
From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.
Details
Date posted
12 November 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 4
Salary
£27,485 to £30,162 a year per annum
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
346-DDC-036-25-D
Job locations
Across South Durham, North Durham and Darlington sites
Durham and Darlington
DL5 4PE
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
The training programme for the Trainee Educational Mental Health Practitioner post is for 18 months in duration and will consist of academic and supervised practice learning across mental health services and educational settings, such as primary and secondary schools, and further education colleges.
The training programme for the Trainee Children's Wellbeing practitioner post is 12 months in duration and will consist of academic and supervised practice learning across mental health services.
Delivery of the programme will be provided through a combination of taught days withinUniversity, independent self-guided study days and experience gained in education wellbeing and mainstream mental health services.
During training, the post-holder will work under supervision to gain experience across healthcare and educational settings to enable them to gain the level of competence required to deliver high-quality, evidence-based early interventions for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health problems.
The training course is divided into modules, developing skills and knowledge in areas such as:
- Working with children, young people and their parents/carers to support self-management including development of plans for specific interventions and agreeing outcomes;
- Learning to manage own caseload, gaining the necessary skills to practice a range of interventions such as guided self-help;
- Preparing and presenting caseload information to supervisors;
- Working with colleagues to provide better access to specialist mental health services and supporting referrals where required;
- Supporting colleagues in education to identify and manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing.
On successful completion of training, trainees will be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and capabilities to work as autonomous and responsible practitioners within their scope of practice, alongside education colleagues.
As this is a full time training post, initially you will apply for the training post, just as you would with any other job application, and then you will be expected to make a separate application to the university mentioned later on in the recruitment and selection process.
Please find attached the job description and person/role specification.
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
1. Trainee EMHP: Applicants will have a minimum of good Honours degree (Level 6) in a relevant subject to the programme.
2. Trainee EMHP: Prove record of previous academic attainment.
3. Trainee CWP: Evidence of ability to study successfully at undergraduate level or the equivalent
4. Trainee CWP: Meet the minimum training standards required by the University to undertake CWP training
Skills/Knowledge/Experience
Essential
5. Trainee EMHP: Ability to learn in a variety of settings and using a variety of learning methods
6. Trainee EMHP: Computer literate
7. Trainee EMHP: Ability to study as a self-motivated learner who can formulate their own progress towards learning objectives and negotiate pathways to achievement with supervisory teams
8. Trainee EMHP: Knowledge of the educational system in England
9. Trainee EMHP: Knowledge of children and young people gained through academic study in child development, child wellbeing or mental health
10. Trainee CWP: Some experience of people using services in psychological, mental health and/or social care settings. This may include, for example, personal experience or supporting a family member to access services
11. Trainee CWP: Experience of communicating sensitive information
12. Trainee CWP: Experience of work interacting with the public
13. Trainee CWP: Demonstrates an awareness of children and young people's mental health and how it may present
14. Trainee CWP: Computer literate
15. Trainee CWP: Good verbal and written communication skills, including telephone skills
16. Trainee CWP: Able to interact with others in a compassionate manner
Desirable
17. Trainee EMHP: ECDL or equivalent IT qualification
18. Trainee CWP: Experience of working in mental health or related services
19. Trainee CWP: Worked in a service where agreed targets in place to demonstrating outcomes
20. Trainee CWP: Ability to manage own caseload
21. Trainee CWP: Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues relating to children and young people and the impact it can have on mental health
22. Trainee CWP: Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidencebased psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
23. Trainee CWP: Received training (either formal of through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice