Job Description

The Mental Health Support Team are currently recruiting for 2 Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHP/EWP/CWP) to work with our Richmond schools.
Main duties of the job
Mental Health Support Teams in Schools (MHSTs) are an exciting development, located in schools and AFC offices. We provide a whole school approach to mental health; including individual and group work with students and parents, staff training and consultation and policy and ethos advice.

• The team is part of the broader Emotional Health Service (EHS) and links closely with AFCs other education and social care teams.
• Our service covers Richmond and Kingston boroughs. We have a strong sense of team and collaboration to support children and young peoples emotional wellbeing to achieve positive outcomes.
• The MHST is a dynamic service of Counselling & Educational Psychologists, CBT Therapists, Dramatherapists, Dance & Movement Psychotherapists, Music Therapists, Art Therapists, Systemic Practitioners, Counsellors, Education Wellbeing Practitioners (EWPs) and Child Wellbeing Practitioners (CWPs).
• The post holder will also be part of a team of clinicians who can provide access to clinical supervision, peer supervision, line management

About us
Achieving for Children is a Community Interest Company that has a public sector ethos, combined with the freedom to innovate enabling us to do things differently. As a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by three local authorities (Windsor & Maidenhead, Kingston and Richmond), we offer the freedoms of a social enterprise with the employment benefits of local government.
We are responsible for the entire range of children's education, health and social care services in all three boroughs. We use a Signs of Safety practice model and approach which ensures the voice of the child is at the heart of everything we do. There's never been a better time to join AfC, we are growing our workforce, implementing new flexible working arrangements and have increased our virtual wellbeing offer.
Details
Date posted
15 December 2025
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
38,256 to 40,182 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
B0458-15DEC25-2208
Job locations
44 York Street
Twickenham
TW1 3BZ
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will work as part of the Emotional Health Service, specifically in the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) which was originally known as the Trailblazers Programme. There are 2 posts available and they will be based in either the borough of Kingston or Richmond. Posts will be based at the Cluster Lead School and AfC premises.
The MHST works within a cluster of primary and secondary schools with a combined total population of up to 9,500 pupils in each cluster. MHSTs work jointly with schools and cluster leads to implement a whole school approach to mental health across the cluster, informed by the needs outlined in the cluster action plan. Job description
Job responsibilities
You will work as part of the Emotional Health Service, specifically in the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) which was originally known as the Trailblazers Programme. There are 2 posts available and they will be based in either the borough of Kingston or Richmond. Posts will be based at the Cluster Lead School and AfC premises.
The MHST works within a cluster of primary and secondary schools with a combined total population of up to 9,500 pupils in each cluster. MHSTs work jointly with schools and cluster leads to implement a whole school approach to mental health across the cluster, informed by the needs outlined in the cluster action plan.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties including anxiety disorders and affective (mood) disorders.
• Experience of the delivery of specific therapeutic interventions to children, young people or their families (e.g. guided self-help and time-limited therapy).
• Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders.
• Experience of a range of assessment tools and frameworks to evaluate progress and outcomes for children and young people.
• Ability to carry out mental health assessments of children and young people and carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children and with families.
• Ability to conduct group parenting programmes.
• Ability to work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness within the staff group.
• Ability to make an assessment of risk, to record and communicate it appropriately and take appropriate action to mitigate or manage risk.
• Have the ability to recognise your own professional limitations and gaps and to use clinical supervision and regular CPD to overcome limitations and close knowledge gaps.

Qualifications
Essential

• Successful completion of the HEE commissioned 1yr Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) course or Child Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) course

Personal attributes
Essential

• A passion for Achieving for Childrens vision, mission and values (trust, empower. respect) to support children and young people to live safe, happy, healthy and successful lives.
• Able to use a range of digital hardware or software to support your work effectively i.e. microsoft or Google software.
• Strong organisational abilities including: time management, creative-thinking, problem-solving and multitasking.
• Able to work flexibly and independently with limited management oversight.
• Personal determination, drive, energy and ambition to achieve challenging objectives, celebrate success and deliver excellent outcomes for children using a strength based approach.
• Commitment to resource-sharing and collaborative working within Achieving for Children and across organisational boundaries in the best interests of children and families.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills that are open, honest, persuasive and pragmatic, including excellent negotiation and influencing skills.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties including anxiety disorders and affective (mood) disorders.
• Experience of the delivery of specific therapeutic interventions to children, young people or their families (e.g. guided self-help and time-limited therapy).
• Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders.
• Experience of a range of assessment tools and frameworks to evaluate progress and outcomes for children and young people.
• Ability to carry out mental health assessments of children and young people and carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children and with families.
• Ability to conduct group parenting programmes.
• Ability to work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness within the staff group.
• Ability to make an assessment of risk, to record and communicate it appropriately and take appropriate action to mitigate or manage risk.
• Have the ability to recognise your own professional limitations and gaps and to use clinical supervision and regular CPD to overcome limitations and close knowledge gaps.

Qualifications
Essential

• Successful completion of the HEE commissioned 1yr Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) course or Child Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) course

Personal attributes
Essential

• A passion for Achieving for Childrens vision, mission and values (trust, empower. respect) to support children and young people to live safe, happy, healthy and successful lives.
• Able to use a range of digital hardware or software to support your work effectively i.e. microsoft or Google software.
• Strong organisational abilities including: time management, creative-thinking, problem-solving and multitasking.
• Able to work flexibly and independently with limited management oversight.
• Personal determination, drive, energy and ambition to achieve challenging objectives, celebrate success and deliver excellent outcomes for children using a strength based approach.
• Commitment to resource-sharing and collaborative working within Achieving for Children and across organisational boundaries in the best interests of children and families.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills that are open, honest, persuasive and pragmatic, including excellent negotiation and influencing skills.

Skills Required