Job Description

We are excited to be recruiting a fixed-term Band 7 Specialist Mental Health Practitioner to strengthen our countywide Duty offer within Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD).
This one-year pilot post offers an excellent opportunity for experienced mental health professionals to take on a clinical leadership role within our Duty system. As a senior member of the team, you will play a critical role in supporting locality mental health teams, holding oversight of urgent and unallocated concerns, and leading on clinical risk management and decision-making.
The post is countywide and will support children and young people experiencing emotional distress, relational difficulties, and emerging or ongoing mental health needs. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, external agencies, and families to ensure that children and young people receive timely, safe, and effective mental health support. Elements of the role can be undertaken remotely, and we welcome flexible working arrangements.
As a Duty SMHP, you will be responsible for triaging incoming contacts, supporting clinical decision-making for complex cases, and offering advice and guidance to both internal and external professionals. You will also provide supervision and support to junior colleagues and play a key part in developing and shaping this evolving service.
Main duties of the job

• Lead the clinical triage of urgent referrals and queries
• Undertake and support comprehensive mental health risk assessments
• Provide senior clinical input and oversight for unallocated or high-risk presentations
• Offer consultation, advice and support to junior staff and external professionals
• Contribute to service development and provide reflective feedback on process and system improvements
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation in accordance with professional and service standards
• Model compassionate leadership, promoting inclusive and anti-discriminatory practice

Supervise junior clinicians, supporting their development and ensuring safe, evidence-based care
We Offer:

• High-quality clinical supervision and ongoing professional development opportunities
• A collaborative and supportive multidisciplinary environment
• A leadership role in an innovative and responsive pilot service with potential for long-term impact

If you are a highly skilled and compassionate mental health professional with strong assessment and leadership skills, and are looking to play a senior role in shaping an essential service within CFHD, we would love to hear from you.
About us
Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) comprises an Alliance of NHS organisations working together to improve health outcomes for children and young people in Devon.
CFHD provides integrated care and treatment for children and young people across physical and mental health which are provided by Torbay and South Devon Foundation Trust and Devon Partnership Trust. We are working closely with other organisations and providers to ensure we deliver locality and county-wide based integrated access to all of our services.
CFHD works closely with our local universities of Plymouth, Exeter & the Peninsula Medical School where we support students in clinical training placements and in addition support our own staff to undertake post graduate training.
Our integrated care and treatment has been developed and refined in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers.
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.
Our vision is to be a successful, vibrant, partnership that benefits the communities we serve.
Details
Date posted
04 July 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 7
Salary
47,810 to 54,710 a year
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
1 years
Working pattern
Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number
C9369-25-0516
Job locations
Evergreen
Victoria Park Road
Exeter
EX2 4NU
Integrated Childrens Services
Fishleigh Road
Roundswell Business Park
Barnstaple
Devon
EX31 3UD
Lescaze Offices
Shinner's Bridge
Dartington
Totnes
TQ9 6JE
South Devon Healthcare
187 Newton Road
Torquay
TQ2 7BA
Job description
Job responsibilities
Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached /Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification Job description
Job responsibilities
Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached /Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification
Person Specification
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 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

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

Person Specification
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 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

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