Specialist Mental Health Practitioner - Cfhd

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and

passionate Specialist Mental Health Practitioner to join the Urgent Care

Pathway within Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) during a period of

service development and expansion.

CFHD is an integrated childrens service providing health

and wellbeing support to children, young people and families across Devon. The

Urgent Care Pathway includes Crisis, Assertive Outreach, Learning Disability

and Autism Programme, and Youth Justice service, delivering seven-day support

to children and young people with complex and high-risk mental health needs.

We are seeking a highly skilled clinician with significant

experience of working with children and young people presenting with mental

health difficulties, including risk and crisis presentations. You will provide

expert clinical assessment, formulation and intervention, while also offering

clinical leadership, consultation and support across the wider system.

The post is based in North Devon however the role has

countywide responsibilities and requires travel across Devon. As senior members

of the Urgent Care Pathway, you will work closely with operational, clinical

and medical leaders to support service development, quality improvement, and

the implementation of innovative models of care.

The role includes participation in an extended-hours,

seven-day rota, providing senior clinical leadership and support for complex

decision-making.

Main duties of the job

To provide and receive highly complex and

sensitive information with children, young people, carers and families and

adjust the communication style to meet specific needs and overcome barriers to

understanding.

To form and maintain good working relationships

with others, effectively communicating with supervisees, clinicians,

colleagues, managers and professionals in a multi-disciplinary team and across

a range of agencies.

To form and maintain good supervisory

relationships with others, supporting reflective practice and evidence-based

care.

To receive complex sensitive information

To manage and respond to high levels of

distress, trauma and emotion with empathy, compassion, reassurance, persuasion,

resilience and sensitivity.

To co-ordinate and liaise with other

professionals offering services to children and young people and organise,

chair or attend a range of professional meetings as required.

To be able to lead clinical meetings, empowering

all staff to have a voice and ensuring accurate record keeping of meeting

minutes.

To be able to present complex information in a

range of formats in a professional, clear and organised manner to a range of

audiences.

Work effectively with operational, professional and

clinical leadership colleagues to support clinicians in devising and

implementing evidence-based care to suit the individual needs of children and

young people and their parents/carers.

A full list of duties is available on the job description.

About us

At Children and Family Health Devon, we are dedicated to

improving the physical and mental health of children and young people across

Devon and Torbay. We aim to create an environment where children and young

people can thrive and are committed to reducing health inequalities and

providing specialised support, empowering them to lead healthy, fulfilling

lives.

Our children and

young people say

We would like the

people who work for Children and Family Health Devon to be understanding,

patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make us feel safe and

comfortable. It is important that they use their skills and experience to

listen carefully in a non-patronising and non-judgemental way. When staff are

positive and friendly, they help to create an environment that is informal and

without pressure.

Who we are

We are an alliance of NHS organisations led by Devon

Partnership Trust. We are a group of professionals including psychologists,

psychiatrists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists,

physiotherapists, nurses and many other professions.

Join us in

beautiful Devon

With access to moors, sea and cities, there are plenty of

opportunities to enjoy Devon. Whether you enjoy spending time in the cultural

hub of Exeter, exploring the Jurassic coastline or discovering the world

surfing reserve in North Devon there really is something for everyone.

Details

Date posted

07 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year

pro rata (30 hours)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time,

Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-26-0785

Job locations

Children & Family Health Devon

Springfield Court, Fishleigh Road

Roundswell Business Park

BARNSTAPLE

Devon

EX31 3UD

United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Full

Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person

Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting

information from the role requirements or person specification.

Job responsibilities

Full

Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person

Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting

information from the role requirements or person specification.

Person Specification

Other

Essential

• An Enhanced DBS Check will be required for this role.
• Ability to travel across Devon
• Evidence of personal resilience and aptitude for dealing with challenging, potentially distressing and highly emotional clinical work.
• There will be a requirement to work extended hours which may vary depending on agreed job plan. The Crisis service operates between the hours of 9am and 10pm, 7 days per week.

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by specialist training or equivalent experience to Masters level with a relevant core professional training e.g. Psychological profession, Nursing, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy
• Training in an evidence-based therapeutic approach.
• Professional registration/accreditation with a recognised body, e.g. NMC, HCPC, Social Work England, UKCP, BABCP
• Training in supervision and/or leadership skills or willing to work towards.
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers, including using goal-based care and routine outcome measures in practice.
• Experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team and across agencies
• Experience of working with children and young peoples mental health needs, families and parents/carers, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal abuse
• Experience of undertaking specialist mental health assessment and therapeutic interventions for in the area of childrens mental health, with the ability to work with complex needs and undertake risk assessments
• Experience of safeguarding children and young people and ensuring the safety of children in partnership with other agencies as appropriate.
• Experience that evidences an ability to tend to diversity and work in a way that promotes anti-discriminatory practice
• Experience of initiating, attending and contributing to multi-professional and inter-agency meetings.
• Experience of providing professional teaching and training for other professionals.

Desirable

• Experience in providing effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.

Person Specification

Other

Essential

• An Enhanced DBS Check will be required for this role.
• Ability to travel across Devon
• Evidence of personal resilience and aptitude for dealing with challenging, potentially distressing and highly emotional clinical work.
• There will be a requirement to work extended hours which may vary depending on agreed job plan. The Crisis service operates between the hours of 9am and 10pm, 7 days per week.

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by specialist training or equivalent experience to Masters level with a relevant core professional training e.g. Psychological profession, Nursing, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy
• Training in an evidence-based therapeutic approach.
• Professional registration/accreditation with a recognised body, e.g. NMC, HCPC, Social Work England, UKCP, BABCP
• Training in supervision and/or leadership skills or willing to work towards.
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers, including using goal-based care and routine outcome measures in practice.
• Experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team and across agencies
• Experience of working with children and young peoples mental health needs, families and parents/carers, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal abuse
• Experience of undertaking specialist mental health assessment and therapeutic interventions for in the area of childrens mental health, with the ability to work with complex needs and undertake risk assessments
• Experience of safeguarding children and young people and ensuring the safety of children in partnership with other agencies as appropriate.
• Experience that evidences an ability to tend to diversity and work in a way that promotes anti-discriminatory practice
• Experience of initiating, attending and contributing to multi-professional and inter-agency meetings.
• Experience of providing professional teaching and training for other professionals.

Desirable

• Experience in providing effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

NHS Careers website .

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

NHS Careers website .

Employer details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Children & Family Health Devon

Springfield Court, Fishleigh Road

Roundswell Business Park

BARNSTAPLE

Devon

EX31 3UD

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Children & Family Health Devon

Springfield Court, Fishleigh Road

Roundswell Business Park

BARNSTAPLE

Devon

EX31 3UD

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job responsibilities

Full

Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person

Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting

information from the role requirements or person specification.

Other

Essential

• An Enhanced DBS Check will be required for this role.
• Ability to travel across Devon
• Evidence of personal resilience and aptitude for dealing with challenging, potentially distressing and highly emotional clinical work.
• There will be a requirement to work extended hours which may vary depending on agreed job plan. The Crisis service operates between the hours of 9am and 10pm, 7 days per week.

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by specialist training or equivalent experience to Masters level with a relevant core professional training e.g. Psychological profession, Nursing, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy
• Training in an evidence-based therapeutic approach.
• Professional registration/accreditation with a recognised body, e.g. NMC, HCPC, Social Work England, UKCP, BABCP
• Training in supervision and/or leadership skills or willing to work towards.
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers, including using goal-based care and routine outcome measures in practice.
• Experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team and across agencies
• Experience of working with children and young peoples mental health needs, families and parents/carers, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal abuse
• Experience of undertaking specialist mental health assessment and therapeutic interventions for in the area of childrens mental health, with the ability to work with complex needs and undertake risk assessments
• Experience of safeguarding children and young people and ensuring the safety of children in partnership with other agencies as appropriate.
• Experience that evidences an ability to tend to diversity and work in a way that promotes anti-discriminatory practice
• Experience of initiating, attending and contributing to multi-professional and inter-agency meetings.
• Experience of providing professional teaching and training for other professionals.

Desirable

• Experience in providing effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.