Please note that this position is being offered on a Fixed Term Contract basis until the 31st March 2022 and while based from County Hall in Chelmsford you will cover North and Mid Essex specifically and be required to work Countywide as needed.

Job Purpose

The Mental Health Coordinator will ensure an easy access and direct mental health service for children and young people, who are suffering emotional and mental health difficulties and for their families and carers.

With an accredited professional qualification and evidence of excellent practice, participation in casework, recording and assessment. Strong partnership working is essential for this role as it will operate in a multi-agency environment.

D-BIT Emotional Wellbeing Team

The D-BIT Emotional wellbeing team is a new countywide demonstration project which will look to provide targeted Solution Focused intervention to young people aged 8-17 who are experiencing emerging or known emotional wellbeing challenges, where they are not receiving a service from EWMHS as they do not meet criteria or do not engage.

The project will run for one year from April 2021 to April 2022 as a demonstration project. The team will consist of a Team Manager, a Practice Supervisor, three social workers and two senior support workers and will have a base in County Hall, Chelmsford, initially, and then work from quadrants. This will be alongside the described roles (See Generic Job Profile and below) of 2 Mental Health Coordinators (MHC) aligned to the team.

The second phase of the project (approx. three quarters the way through the year) will involve delivering training to the wider organisation on the learning from the project work and methods of working with young people with emotional wellbeing difficulties.

Service/Functional Accountabilities

• Provide a specialist social work mental health assessment and treatment service for children, young people, their families and carers, using a range of therapeutic options.
• Assess children's and young people's suitability for services and take part in their planning and review processes.
• Work collaboratively with C&F colleagues to offer advice, support and consultation, in their work with children within the quadrant.
• Deliver advice, support and consultation in respect of social work issues, perspectives and frameworks, to other professionals.
• Initiate and support new and innovative ways of working, projects and groups to engage children, young people and their families in partnership with C&F colleagues, other front line professionals and third sector partners.
• Raise knowledge and awareness of children and young people's mental health issues and preventative strategies across C&F colleagues.
• Responsible for maintaining up to date records of activity on case files, produce reports, attend court and give verbal presentations as required. Actively participate in case discussions, Strategy Meetings, Legal Case Discussions, Child Protection conferences and Statutory Reviews (as applicable).
• Build strong working relationships across the Council, members of other statutory and organisations and voluntary agencies.

Specific Service/Functional Accountabilities to D-BIT expectations

D-BIT MHCs will have a combined workload of clinical work and work with staff and colleagues linked to training and development

D-BIT MHCs will support referrals from D-BIT and C&FS colleagues to emotional wellbeing and mental health services so that children and young people receive the services that they need in a timely manner

D-BIT MHCs will undertake clinical mentoring of staff as required to broaden their knowledge base and direct skills around mental health

Supervision

D-BIT MHC's will be managed and receive reflective supervision from the Team Manager of the Emotional Wellbeing Team on a monthly basis. MHC's will receive clinical supervision from the psychologist in the D-BIT service. Whilst psychologists are continuing to be recruited, clinical supervision is provided by an external clinician or by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist. Every three months the MHC, their supervising Team Manager and Clinical Psychologist meet as per the Guidance around the Management of Mental Health Co-ordinators.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Possesses an accredited degree or diploma level, professional qualification in at least one of the following: youth and community, social work, mental health nursing, occupational therapy, special educational needs and teaching, or probation.
• Evidence of significant continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area, delivering assurance around practice and participation in casework, recording and supervision with current membership of Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) if appropriate.
• Significant experience of working in a recognised model of therapeutic intervention with children and families.
• Evidence of direct engagement with young people, with successful delivery of 1-1 and indirect interventions.
• Significant experience of building strong partnerships, which are collaborative and influential in their nature and engender delivery.
• Deep knowledge and understanding of vulnerability and safeguarding protocols.
• Experience of developing and delivering bespoke training and consultancy.
• Evidence of being a catalyst for change, early in young peoples' lives.

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.