Job Description

Passionate about the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people? Suffolk Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is based within education settings, ensuring children and young people receive faster access to earlier mental health support. We are excited to be recruiting two Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHP) as part of our expanding service.
As a Trainee EMHP you will work under supervision as part of a dynamic mental health team in a creative environment. You will need to be adaptable and have a passion for working with children and young people in education settings. During the training year, post-holders will, under supervision, develop knowledge and practice skills to employ a range of evidence-based interventions for common mental health problems via direct individual and group support for children, young people and their parents, as well as whole school/college approaches, in line with the university expectations.
Vacancies are in our West Suffolk MHST, based in Bury St Edmunds. We have additional vacancies in the East Suffolk team, based in Ipswich, please see the relevant advert for details.
Main duties of the job
Trainee EMHPs will:
o Work alongside a team of mental health professionals delivering a wide range of evidence-informed interventions, under supervision
o Develop and practice evidence-based skills under supervision to work directly with children, young people and families.
o Develop and practice evidence-based skills under supervision to carry out holistic and child-centered mental health assessments, including risk assessments.
Trainee EMHPs are required to:
o Demonstrate the ability to work at degree level, with a proven record of previous learning or formal study in child development, wellbeing or mental health
o Attend the EMHP training course, 100% attendance at teaching is expected.
Trainee EMHPs will have experience of:
o Working with children, young people and their families
o Working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders
o Working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties
About us
Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.
Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.
Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.
Details
Date posted
09 September 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 4
Salary
27,485 to 30,162 a year pa/pro rata
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
24 months
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
246-WSU7445596
Job locations
Bury St Edmunds
West Suffolk
IP33 2QZ
Job description
Job responsibilities
Being a Trainee EMHP will be challenging at times, particularly working and studying concurrently, but will also be immensely rewarding and provide opportunities to make a genuine difference to the lives of others. You will join a caring, creative and hard-working environment.
Posts are subject to 2-year fixed term contracts; the first 12 months will be on a training contract at Band 4. On successful completion of training, EMHPs will be employed for a further 12 months (with potential for longer) at Band 5. Training involves attending teaching at the University of East Anglia (UEA), virtually and in person, placement and study days. Some non-teaching weeks are spread throughout the year. Successful candidates will be expected to travel to UEA in Norwich in the first year, but the position will be based in Bury St Edmunds
Please note that you would need to be available to start in the post from the 5th January to ensure you do not miss any of the course.
Interviews are anticipated to take place at the end of September and beginning of October.
For further details regarding the role, please see attached job description and person specification. Job description
Job responsibilities
Being a Trainee EMHP will be challenging at times, particularly working and studying concurrently, but will also be immensely rewarding and provide opportunities to make a genuine difference to the lives of others. You will join a caring, creative and hard-working environment.
Posts are subject to 2-year fixed term contracts; the first 12 months will be on a training contract at Band 4. On successful completion of training, EMHPs will be employed for a further 12 months (with potential for longer) at Band 5. Training involves attending teaching at the University of East Anglia (UEA), virtually and in person, placement and study days. Some non-teaching weeks are spread throughout the year. Successful candidates will be expected to travel to UEA in Norwich in the first year, but the position will be based in Bury St Edmunds
Please note that you would need to be available to start in the post from the 5th January to ensure you do not miss any of the course.
Interviews are anticipated to take place at the end of September and beginning of October.
For further details regarding the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• It is desirable that the applicant will have previous experience of working with children and young people

Desirable

• Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties

Qualifications
Essential

• Ability to study at degree level
• Good solid basic literacy and numeracy qualifications at a minimum of level 2

Skills
Essential

• Ability to study as a self-motivated learner who can formulate their own progress towards learning objectives and negotiate pathways to achievement with supervisory teams

Desirable

• Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with families

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of children and young people gained through academic study in child development, child wellbeing or mental health

Desirable

• Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• It is desirable that the applicant will have previous experience of working with children and young people

Desirable

• Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties

Qualifications
Essential

• Ability to study at degree level
• Good solid basic literacy and numeracy qualifications at a minimum of level 2

Skills
Essential

• Ability to study as a self-motivated learner who can formulate their own progress towards learning objectives and negotiate pathways to achievement with supervisory teams

Desirable

• Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with families

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of children and young people gained through academic study in child development, child wellbeing or mental health

Desirable

• Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence

Skills Required