Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Overview

1. To allow the postholder, under supervision and with support, to develop knowledge and practice skills in;
2. Delivering evidence-based intervention for children and young people in education setting with mild to moderate mental health difficulties
3. Helping children and young people within these settings who present with more severe prob-lems to rapidly access more specialist services
4. Supporting and facilitating staff in education settings to identify and where appropriate manage issues related to mental health and wellbeing
5. Working with and within education environments to afford better access to specialist mental health services
6. To evidence development of those skills with associated knowledge acquisition to record and evidence progression towards an academic award and demonstrable practical ability

Main Duties

Therapeutic assessment and intervention

1. Be educationally supervised, supported and assessed to assess and deliver outcome focused, evidence-based interventions in educational settings for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
2. Developing skills in supporting children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, their parents/carers, families and educators in the self-management of presenting difficulties.
3. Developing and practicing evidence-based skills under supervisory support of working in partnership with children, young people, their families and educators in the development of plans for the specific intervention and agreeing outcomes.
4. Developing and learning the skills required in order to enable children and young people in education, and where appropriate parents/carers to collaborate and coproduce their own agreed plan of care.
5. 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.
6. Discuss with supervisors and agree to accept appropriate referrals for children and young people in educational settings, according to agreed local and national referral routes, processes and procedures.
7. Under supervision, undertake accurate assessments of risk to self and others.
8. Learn, understand, rationalise and adhere to the protocols within the educational service to which the postholder is attached.
9. Engage along with more senior staff in the signposting of referrals for children and young people with more complex needs to the relevant service.
10. Engage in robust managerial and clinical supervision, identifying the scope of practice of the in-dividual postholder within the role, and working safely within that scope.
11. Gain and practice a range of interventions related to provision of information and support for ev-idence based psychological treatments, primarily guided self-help.
12. Practice, evidence, reflect on and demonstrate an ability to manage one’s own caseload in con-junction with the requirements of the team.
13. Attend multi-disciplinary and multi-agency meetings relating to referrals of children and young people in treatment, where appropriate, both for personal educational benefit in discussion with supervisors, or to provide direct assistance.
14. 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.
15. Complete all requirements relating to data collection.
16. 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.
17. 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 degree of competence.

Training and Supervision

1. Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post including practical, academic and practice-based assessments.
2. As well as attendance at the University for training, fulfil private study requirements to enhance learning and prepare assignments for examination, for at least one day a week.
3. Apply learning from the training program directly to practice through the course.
4. Receive practice tutoring from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards.
5. Prepare and present case load information to supervisors within the service on an agreed and scheduled basis, in order to ensure safe practice and the governance obligations of the trainee, supervisor and service are delivered.
6. Respond to and evidence the implementation of improved practice because of supervisor feedback.
7. Engage in and respond to personal development supervision to improve competences and practice.
8. Be involved in the evaluation of the course
9. Disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and supervisory discussions.

Professional

1. Ensure the maintenance of standards of own professional practice according to both the postholder’s employer and the Higher Education Institution in which they are enrolled.
2. Ensure appropriate adherence to any new recommendations or guidelines set by the relevant departments.
3. Ensure that confidentiality is always protected.
4. Ensure that any risks or issues related to the safety and wellbeing of anyone the postholder comes into contact within the course of their professional duties are communicated and shared with appropriate parties in order to maintain individual safety and the public interest.
5. Ensure clear objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with supervisor and senior colleagues on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
6. Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.
7. Keep all records up to date in relation to Continuous Professional Development and the requirements of the post and ensure personal development plans maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
8. Attend relevant educational opportunities in line with identified professional objectives

Communication 

Effective communication on complex issues to a wide range of audiences, including senior management level and children, young people and families, both verbal and written communication

Research & Development Activity

1. To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
2. Participate in clinical and other audits as required.

Clinical and Practice Governance

1. Work collaboratively with other agencies in the health and social care system to ensure regular case reviews to ensure effective progress through the care pathway.
2. Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient / family / staff / records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act/Data Regulations.
3. To be accountable to the Clinical Team Lead for the direct delivery of an effective MHST service across Cambridgeshire & Peterborough.
4. Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.
5. The post holder must participate in clinical and safeguarding audits as required.
6. The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.
7. Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported, faxed or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies.
8. The post holder must adhere to the Trust risk assessment and risk management processes.
9. Ensure that any risks or issues related to the safety and wellbeing of anyone the postholder encounters, in the course of their professional duties are communicated and shared with appropriate parties in order to maintain individual safety and the public interest.
10. The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures.
11. Keep up to date with your Continuing Professional Development (CPD), participate in your annual appraisal and respond to clearly identified and agreed objectives, reviewed on a regular basis with line manager.
12. Participate in clinical and management supervision as per Trust policy.
13. Ensure appropriate recording of meetings, supervision and maintenance of clinical records.
14. Keep all records up to date in relation to Continuous Professional Development and the requirements of the post and ensure personal development plans maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
15. Provide patients and their families /carers with information on standards they should expect from the team.
16. Participate in clinical supervision on a regular basis.