Job Summary
Are you ready to use your skills not just to care, but to lead, mentor and shape the future of mental health support in education? We are looking for a Senior Wellbeing Practitioner to join our amazing Mental Health Support Team. In this role, you will work directly with children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs, delivering evidence-based interventions that make a lasting difference. You will support children experiencing a wide range of needs including trauma, OCD, self-harm, disordered eating, emotional-based school avoidance and neurodiversity.
Alongside your clinical work, you will supervise and guide Education Mental Health Practitioners and trainees, supporting their growth and development while empowering them in their roles. You will also play a central part in embedding the Whole School Approach to mental health and wellbeing, working with senior mental health leads and education staff to create positive and supportive school cultures.
This role offers the chance to combine leadership, innovation and direct therapeutic work, making it both challenging and rewarding. You will not only change outcomes for children and families in a positive way but also help shape the future of the service itself.
Responsibilities
Main duties of the job:
* A recognised Education Mental Health Practitioner or Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner qualification
* Experience of working therapeutically with children and young people in education or community settings
* Competence in delivering low intensity interventions for mild to moderate needs
* Experience of clinical supervision or line management
* Strong skills in risk assessment, safeguarding and multi‑agency collaboration
It would be great if you also bring experience of leading projects, mentoring colleagues or delivering training, but what matters most is that you are values‑led, compassionate and resilient.
This is based within CAMHS Single Point of Contact (SPOC) taking and screening new referrals for emotional wellbeing and mental health support for children and young people living in Wakefield. You will also undertake management supervision of Wellbeing Practitioners and work as part of the Compass Rise management team.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential:
* Core professional and/or clinical qualification (e.g. EMHP, CWP, PMHW, nursing with specialism in mental health or learning disability nursing, Occupational Therapy, Social Work) and must be committed to maintaining registration if applicable
* Senior Wellbeing Practitioner, Post Graduate Diploma or willingness to undertake
* Two years post‑qualification experience of working therapeutically with children and young people (e.g. as an EMHP/CYP‑IAPT practitioner)
* Experience of line management and/or delivery of clinical supervision
* Experience of working in a community and/or educational setting
* Effective engagement with CYPF
* Risk assessment and management in the delivery of clinical services (including safeguarding)
Desirable:
* Post Graduate Certificate in Supervision (EMHP supervisor course)
* Evidence of continued professional development
* Management / supervision training
* Therapeutic post‑graduate qualification or equivalent experience ideally in low‑intensity CBT
* Post Graduate qualification in a relevant discipline
* Mentorship qualification
* Experience of leadership within Children and Young People clinical service areas
* Experience of providing mentorship and organising team duties
* Experience of inducting staff members
* Experience of working in a skill mix team
Additional Criteria (Essential):
* Leadership and the ability to delegate and supervise staff
* Recognition and escalation of risk, contributing to control measures
* Planning workload, time management
* Work under pressure and able to manage changing priorities
* Understanding of evidence and statistical data collection, and achieving targets
* IT skills
* Team player and dynamic personality
* Multi‑agency/disciplinary working
* Excellent communication skills and ability to form positive working relationships with a range of stakeholders
* Innovative practice and ability to influence others
* Positive attitude; flexible and adaptable; solution focused; and tenacious
* Strong personal integrity
* Ability to work all year round
* Drive for travel to individual schools (require driving licence and vehicle access; accessibility options available)
* Ongoing commitment to maintain registration in core profession
Desirable (Additional Criteria):
* Ability to analyse, evaluate and rationalise data and enable progressive models of delivery and intervention
About Us
Compass is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. Established over 30 years, Compass is a national charity working across the UK in substance misuse treatment, early interventions for vulnerable young people, school‑aged health programmes and associated prevention and treatment and health promotion initiatives.
All Compass posts are subject to appropriate level DBS checks. We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age, or sexual orientation, and encourage applications from people whose life experiences enrich skills and empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and a truly inclusive workforce. We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments individuals may require in the recruitment process, on commencement, or once in post.
Benefits
* 27 days holiday + bank holidays, rising to 32 days over time (pro rata)
* Life assurance at 2 x basic salary
* Competitive contributory pension scheme
* 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and OH service
* Enhanced sick pay
* Excellent learning & development opportunities and career progression
* Annual performance/salary review
Contact & Application Details
Closing date: 05/10/2025
Date posted: 20 Oct 2025
Pay: £38,205 to £46,707 a year
Contract: Fixed term, 2 years
Working pattern: Full‑time
Reference number: 636-1
Job location: Unit G Sovereign House, Trinity Park, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF2 8EF
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