Lewisham CAMHS INTAKE Senior Practitioner
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South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.
We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.
We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.
The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.
As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
Lewisham CAMHS Intake team is one of the front door services designed to support children and young people during the assessment stage of their involvement with CAMHS to provide initial CAMHS assessment to children, young people and families that live in the London borough of Lewisham.
Existing pressures exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic have led to long waits for Lewisham Children and Young People. In response our service has developed a new Model that aspires to delivering a service, where "waits" for assessment and treatment are no longer than necessary. This supported by our "Keeping in Touch" programme that is designed to support families whilst they are waiting.
As a Senior CAMHS Practitioner you will be part of a multidisciplinary team that operates a 9 to 5 service Monday to Friday. You will undertake assessment for children and young people referred to CAMHS up to the age of 18. You will contribute and support with assessment, formulation and Pathway allocation as well as providing evidence-based interventions for young people aged 17 ½.
Main duties of the job
To provide a specialist triage, assessment and evidenced based intervention to children and/or young people and their families/carers at point of referral into the service.
To undertake and co-ordinate CAMHS assessments assimilating and interpreting complex information from a variety of sources.
To care co-ordinate and manage treatment delivery to young people, including developing, reviewing and adapting interventions.
To communicate assessment and treatment information to young people their families and to other professionals.
To undertake proactive risk management and safety planning in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team.
To work as an autonomous professional within the relevant professional registering body guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including referral decisions, treatment and discharge decisions with support of clinical supervisor.
To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate.
To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
Are committed to raising awareness of mental health issues in children and young people, and are active in decreasing stigma around mental ill-health
Demonstrate that they are accountable by adopting the rigorous monitoring of the clinical outcomes of the service
Working for our organisation
The Kaleidoscope Centre is a modern multi-organisation child health centre within which some CAMHS Teams are based. The Intake Team is based within Kaleidoscope but also meets young people and families in the nearby A&E Department of University Hospital Lewisham.
The Intake Team is multidisciplinary with nursing, therapeutic and medical staff, and is a part of the Lewisham CAMHS Service. There are opportunities for initial and specialist assessments and short term interventions with older adolescents.
There are great transport links to Kaleidoscope and a wide range of shopping and eateries nearby.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical and Client Care
- To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for children and young people in Lewisham CAMHS Intake team including evidence-based individual and/or family and/or group Tier 3 level interventions using psychological, psychodynamic, behavioural and functional performance approaches
- To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred children and young people when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans for children and young people in your care and work under the supervision of senior clinicians and closely with consultant psychiatrists to manage these situations effectively.
- To be a member of a number of internal and external professional networks to ensure that care plans for individual children and services across agencies are coordinated efficiently and effectively.
- To provide specialist psychosocial assessments, formulations and interventions for young people referred to Intake team.
- Support and empower children, young people and families to make informed choices about the intervention.
- To support children and young people experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties and their families in the self-management of presenting difficulties whilst they are waiting for assessment.
- To work in partnership with families to provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
- To develop and help deliver workshops, groups for children and young people especially the 17 plus 6 months and above.
Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To participate as a multi-disciplinary team member in the setting and reviewing of therapeutic aims, objectives, standards and strategies to provide a high standard of care to children, young people and their families.
- To contribute to the effective working of the team or service and to a psychologically informed framework for the service.
- To contribute to the team or service's delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.
- To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.
- To advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients.
- To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with CAMHS CYP in order to develop and review care plans.
- To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
- Contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
- To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for children and young people in Lewisham CAMHS Intake team including evidence-based individual and/or family and/or group Tier 3 level interventions using psychological, psychodynamic, behavioural and functional performance approaches
- To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred children and young people when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans for children and young people in your care and work under the supervision of senior clinicians and closely with consultant psychiatrists to manage these situations effectively
- To maintain and ensure good professional standards and attitudes towards the care and treatment of children, young people and their families.
- To link with other statutory and voluntary agencies and professionals as well as other CAMHS Teams for referrals and joint work. Maintain good relationships and clear lines of communication within the boundaries of confidentiality, with other professional agencies and departments, providing specialist advice and support where appropriate.
- To contribute to the effective functioning of the team and service through attendance at relevant meetings, taking responsibilities within the service as appropriate and negotiated with the line manager.
Person specification
Qualification & Registration
Essential criteria
- Core professional training in Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Systemic Psychotherapist or equivalent child mental health profession
- Relevant professional registration with appropriate body. All applicants will require a professional training with professional registration with one of the following statutory bodies: the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC), Social Work England (SWE), Health and Care Professional's Council (HCPC), Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP), The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
Desirable criteria
- Mentorship Training/ Supervision Training and regular updates.
- Additional, recognised therapeutic qualification
- Other relevant professional development.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of assessment, treatment and risk management of children, young people and families with a range of presenting problems of a complex nature
- Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience
- Experience of providing specialist assessments and evidence based interventions with individuals and groups presenting with a range of needs.
- Experience of facilitating groups for children, young people and / or their families.
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in CAMHS.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the treatment of young people with mental health difficulties and broader issues e.g. developmental issues, cultural factors that may be relevant to treatment
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
- To select and administer a broad range of assessment tools and frameworks to evaluate outcomes and progress of children and families.
- To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
- Knowledge of the standardized assessments and evidence based treatments relevant to mental health and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Desirable criteria
- Liaison with internal and external organisations
Abilities
Essential criteria
- Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner with appropriate level of clinical and managerial supervision.
- Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
- Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:
- Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
- Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
- We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity
Please note:
- That all applications for this post will need to be made online
- That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
- That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
- That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
- That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
- That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
- That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
- That we are a smoke-free Trust
SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion , Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe'
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
- Intake JD & PS (PDF, 576.5KB)
- SLaM Staff Benefits (PDF, 1.1MB)
- Happy to Talk Flexible Working (PDF, 680.1KB)