CAMHS Senior Clinical Social Worker

Job summary

West London CAMHS (WL CAMHS) provides specialist mental health services for children and young people experiencing a wide range of emotional, behavioural, psychological, and neurodevelopmental difficulties. The service delivers comprehensive assessments, risk management, and evidence-based interventions tailored to individual and family needs. Care is delivered within a multidisciplinary team approach, working closely with colleagues across CAMHS, including clinicians, therapists, nurses, and psychologists, as well as partner agencies in health, education, and social care. Regular supervision, consultation, and joint working ensure safe, coordinated, and high-quality care. WL CAMHS works collaboratively with families, carers, and schools to provide person-centred support that promotes recovery, resilience, and improved wellbeing. The service also contributes to consultation, training, service development, and quality improvement, supporting the ongoing development of evidence-based practice and clinical standards.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide advanced mental health support and treatment for children and young people, undertaking comprehensive assessments, including risk assessments and the development of risk management plans. They will deliver specialist interventions for young people presenting with acute, complex, long-standing, and/or severe mental health difficulties.The post holder will work in partnership with children, young people, their families, carers, and significant others. They will also liaise with statutory and voluntary agencies to develop effective multi-agency networks that ensure coordinated, appropriate, and timely support for young people and their families.

The post holder will provide accessible, high-quality care that is sensitive to cultural, ethnic, religious, contextual, family, and developmental needs. They will promote mental health, wellbeing, resilience, and personal and family growth through collaborative goal-setting and person-centred practice.

The post holder will utilise appropriate evidence-based treatment approaches and resources to support positive outcomes for children and young people. They will also offer specialist advice and consultation to professionals across a range of agencies, including primary care, social care, and education, and provide support, clinical supervision, and teaching to staff and students.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential
-Qualification in Social Work with additional therapeutic qualifications and supplemented with other specialist training and short courses.
-Registration with Social Work England.
-Evidence of accredited courses in child and adolescent mental health practice.
-First or higher degree in appropriate subject area or equivalent post registration training and experience

Desirable
-Qualifications/ training in specialist skills e.g. systemic therapies, CBT, Family Intervention. Evidence based group work e.g. DBT

Experience

Essential
-Demonstrable experience of assessment and working therapeutically with children, adolescents and their families within a CAMH setting.
-Demonstrable experience of assessment and working therapeutically with children, adolescents and their families within a community mental health setting.
-Experience of working in a number of ways i.e. assertive outreach, clinic based settings, home, school or other appropriate environments
-Experience of using therapeutic skills, such as CBT, Solution Focused Therapy, Family Work
-Experience of interagency and multidisciplinary working
-Experience of assessing risk and formulating safe and effective risk management plans
-Clinical Supervision / Reflective Practice
-Experience of teaching other professionals
-Experience of management of child protection emergencies
-Experience of therapeutic work with children and families where abuse or neglect has occurred

Desirable
-Experience of audit and/or research
-Experience of contributing to and implementing new service developments

Knowledge

Essential
-Advanced CAMH Social Work knowledge of and application of evidence-based social work practice
-Knowledge of legislation relevant to the Children's Act 2004, Mental Health Act 1983 & Safeguarding Guidelines
-A sound working knowledge and application of relevant professional code, i.e. professional Code of Practice - SWE, BASW
-Knowledge of the legal issues relating to consent and capacity in children and young people.
-An awareness and understanding of the issues facing, children, adolescents and their families
-Knowledge of the various assessment tools used in CAMHS
-Knowledge of the Care Programme Approach