Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP)

Successful candidates will be employed by East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust who deliver MHST services across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

During the training year you will need to attend 64 University days, mostly in person at UEA.

Successful candidates will be employed on a full time one year training contract at Agenda for Change (AfC) Band 4. Once passing UEA requirements, service requirements and probationary period, a permanent AfC Band 5 EMHP contract will be offered.

Applicants must demonstrate in their application the ability to work at degree level or have an equivalent level of relevant experience, with a record of previous learning or formal study in child development, wellbeing, psychology, mental health or education.

Experience of working with children and young people and an understanding of the educational system in England is highly desirable. Applicants must be able to demonstrate they can balance the conflicting demands of academic study and clinical work.

You must hold a valid driver's license and have access to a vehicle as regular travel is required to multiple schools.

Positions will be available in the Huntingdon, Fenland and East Cambridge area.

We encourage you to watch these two short videos which give an insight into the role.

https: //vimeo.com/1025188355/1f4f81358c

https: //vimeo.com/1025187857/26f100bb55

If we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 28 August 2026

The MHSTs are part of the EEC NHS Trust and sit within the Getting Advice and Getting HelpiThrive model. The iThrive model provides an integrated approach to the delivery of person-centred and needs-led services for children, young people, and families.

The MHSTs work with education settings to provide early intervention for mild to moderate mental health difficulties on a one-to-one and group basis. They provide support to staff in schools and colleges on their Whole School and College Approach (WSCA) to mental health as well as to other professionals in other services.

Job Overview To allow the postholder, under supervision and with support, to develop knowledge and practice skills in:

Delivering evidence-based intervention for children and young people in education settings with mild to moderate mental health difficulties

Helping children and young people within these settings who present with more severe problems to access more specialist services

Supporting and facilitating staff in education settings to identify and where appropriate man-age issues related to mental health and wellbeing

Working with and within education environments to provide better access to specialist mental health services

To evidence development of skills along with associated knowledge to evidence progression towards an academic qualification and practical application

Main Duties & Responsibilities Therapeutic assessment and intervention

Be educationally supervised, supported and reviewed to provide assessments and deliver outcome focused, evidence-based interventions in educational settings for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties

Developing skills in supporting children and young people experiencing mild to moderatemental health difficulties and supporting their parents/carers, families and educators in the self-management of presenting difficulties

Show evidence in a variety of forms that at all times assessment and intervention is provided from an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects diversity

Discuss with supervisors and agree to accept appropriate referrals for children and youngpeople in educational settings, according to agreed local and national referral routes, process-es and procedures

Under supervision, undertake accurate assessments of risk to self, others and from others

Learn, understand, rationalise and adhere to the protocols within the educational service to which the postholder is attached

Engage along with more senior staff in the signposting of referrals for children and youngpeople with more complex needs to the relevant service

To engage in robust managerial and clinical supervision to work safely within the scope of their practice

Gain and practice a range of skills to enable delivery of interventions related to provision of in-formation and support for evidence based psychological treatments, primarily guided self-help

Practice, evidence, reflect on and demonstrate an ability to contribute to the management of ones own caseload in conjunction with the requirements of the team

Keep coherent records of all training and clinical 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

Show evidence of working within a collaborative approach, involving a range of relevant others when indicated. Specifically, work in collaboration with teachers and other educational staff, parents, children, young people and the wider community to enhance and broaden access to mental health services

Contribute to the development of individual or group clinical materials or training materials and go on to develop further such materials as falls within own competence

Training and Supervision Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post including practical,academic and practice-based assessments

As well as attendance at UEA for training, you will also be required to fulfil private study re-quirements to enhance learning and prepare assignments for examination, for at least one day a week. Expectation will be that you will be required to study outside of contracted work hours

Apply academic learning from UEA directly into practice

Receive practice tutoring in relation to UEA course work to meet the required standards

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.

There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.

If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.

Please be aware that East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust will never ask applicants to pay fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including job applications, sponsorship arrangements, or employment offers. All recruitment communications and job applications should only be made through our official careers website and published contact details.

If you receive a suspicious job offer or recruitment-related communication, do not make any payments, share personal information, or provide identity documents. We encourage you to report the matter to your local police or relevant law enforcement agency. Any concerns relating to potential recruitment fraud should also be reported to our Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS) as soon as possible.

Qualifications & Training

Skills & Knowledge

Experience