Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 363-SSLB8172969
- Employer
- East London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Bedford CAMHS
- Town
- Bedford
- Salary
- £49,387 - £56,515 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 16/08/2026 23:59
Employer heading
CAMHS Practitioner - NDT
NHS AfC: Band 7
Job overview
We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Band 7 clinician with specialist knowledge of autism, learning disabilities, and neurodevelopmental conditions to join our Neurodevelopmental Team (NDT).
The successful post-holder will play a key role in delivering high-quality assessments, interventions, consultation, and psychoeducational support to children, young people, and their families. They will also contribute to maintaining a positive and collaborative multidisciplinary team culture.
The Neurodevelopmental Team provides specialist assessments and interventions for children and young people with autism and/or learning disabilities. The service delivers a wide range of training and psychoeducational programmes for parents, carers, schools, professionals, and partner agencies, aiming to promote understanding and improve outcomes for neurodivergent young people.
The post offers excellent opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD), quality improvement initiatives, service innovation, and career progression, including opportunities to undertake more senior responsibilities when appropriate. Staff are encouraged to contribute to service-user participation and improvement projects that help shape and enhance service delivery.
This role would suit a motivated clinician who is committed to delivering neuroaffirming, person-centred care and wants to contribute to the ongoing development of a dynamic and forward-thinking CAMHS service.
Main duties of the job
Provide specialist neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people with autism, learning disabilities, and associated mental health or behavioural difficulties. Undertake risk assessments, develop formulation-based care plans, and deliver evidence-based therapeutic interventions and psychoeducation to young people and their families. Manage and coordinate a caseload, acting as Care Coordinator where required.
Provide specialist consultation, advice, and training to professionals working with neurodevelopmental conditions. Support multidisciplinary colleagues and liaise with health, education, social care, primary care, and partner agencies to ensure coordinated and effective care.
Work collaboratively across CAMHS and multi-agency services, contributing to EHCPs, statutory reviews, joint assessments, and multidisciplinary meetings. Produce high-quality clinical reports, maintain accurate electronic records, and communicate complex and sensitive information effectively.
Promote safeguarding and child protection, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children, young people, families, and staff. Adhere to lone-working and risk management procedures.
Contribute to service development, quality improvement, clinical audit, evaluation, research, and the implementation of evidence-based practice.
Working for our organisation
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Job Purpose
To provide specialist assessment, treatment, consultation, and care coordination for children and young people with autism, learning disabilities, and associated mental health difficulties. The post holder works autonomously within a multidisciplinary CAMHS team, delivering evidence-based interventions and contributing to service development, training, supervision, and quality improvement initiatives.
Clinical Responsibilities
Assessment and Formulation
- Complete comprehensive specialist neurodevelopmental assessments of children and young people presenting with moderate, complex, and severe emotional, behavioural, and mental health difficulties.
- Conduct risk assessments and develop evidence-based formulations to inform intervention planning.
- Identify strengths, needs, risks, and protective factors affecting the child and family.
Therapeutic Intervention
- Deliver specialist therapeutic interventions in line with current evidence-based practice.
- Provide psychoeducation to children, young people, parents, and carers.
- Support families to better understand neurodevelopmental differences and associated mental health needs.
Consultation and Liaison
- Provide consultation and training to health, education, social care, and voluntary sector professionals.
- Act as a specialist resource regarding neurodiversity, autism, learning disabilities, and co-existing mental health conditions.
- Advise professionals on creating management plans for children and young people referred to the Neurodevelopmental Team pathway.
Care Coordination
- Manage a specialist caseload and act as Care Coordinator where required.
- Coordinate assessments, treatment plans, interventions, reviews, and discharge planning.
- Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary team members to ensure effective care delivery.
Multi-Agency Partnership Working
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with health, education, social care, and community services.
- Contribute professional reports for EHCP reviews, LAC reviews, safeguarding processes, and multidisciplinary meetings.
- Attend joint appointments and collaborative case discussions where appropriate.
Documentation and Communication
- Prepare accurate, professional, and confidential clinical reports and correspondence.
- Record all clinical activity and outcomes on RiO and Trust electronic databases.
- Communicate complex clinical information effectively both verbally and in writing to service users, carers, and professionals.
Safeguarding Responsibilities
- Adhere to local and national safeguarding procedures and child protection policies.
- Ensure the welfare and safety of children and young people remain central to all clinical practice.
- Identify and escalate safeguarding concerns appropriately.
- Follow Trust lone-working procedures and maintain personal safety during community visits.
Service Development and Leadership
- Contribute to service improvement projects and transformation initiatives.
- Participate in audit, research, and outcome monitoring activities.
- Support the development of standards, policies, and best practice guidance relating to neurodevelopmental services.
- Participate in multidisciplinary roles such as the Neurodevelopmental Team Clinician of the Day (COD) rota.
Training, Supervision and Professional Development
- Attend regular clinical and managerial supervision.
- Deliver training and consultation programmes to staff and partner agencies.
- Maintain professional registration and comply with relevant professional standards and ethical frameworks.
- Keep knowledge up to date regarding CAMHS policy, legislation, safeguarding, autism, learning disabilities, and evidence-based interventions.
Performance and Governance
- Ensure all documentation and care plans are completed to a high professional standard.
- Monitor and report clinical activity and outcomes.
- Provide service information to support operational management and future service planning.
- Work within Trust governance, quality, risk management, and information governance frameworks
Person specification
Education, Training and Qualification
Essential criteria
- A qualification and professional registration in Nursing, Social Worker or Speech and Language Therapy.
- Nursing:Mental Health Nurse Level 1 (RN3, RNMH, RNLD, RSCN in sub part 1 of the NMC Register) ENB 998 or equivalent
- Social Worker: Recognised Social Worker degree qualification or equivalent Registered with Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC)
- Speech and Language Therapy: Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent Registered Member of Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists
- Occupational Therapy Degree or equivalent
- Registration with Health Professions Council
- Evidence of successful completion of courses relevant to area of highly specialist knowledge and skills
Desirable criteria
- Relevant specialist CAMHS trainings or qualifications
- ADOS/ADI or equivalent training
- Relevant postgraduate training in line with professional discipline
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of providing specialist assessment, psychological formulation of problems and interventions using evidence-based models of care.
- Experience of developing and delivering specialist training programmes and/or supervision of other staff groups.
- Experience of participating in audit, evaluation and research activities.
- Experience of contributing to policy and service development.
- Additional relevant clinical and/or managerial experience.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with a range of CYP in a CAMHS setting
- Experience of working in a core child setting outside of CAMHS
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Able to provide a specialist clinical service, including specialist assessments, formulation and therapy from at least one therapeutic modality such as CBT.
- A willingness to supervise members of other staff groups.
- Able to design and deliver teaching/training programs to a range of staff groups
- Aware of the potential impact of discrimination & disadvantage on mental health.
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience of delivering CBT and/or preverbal therapy
- Previous experience of facilitating group work would be desirable.
- Evidence of well-developed clinical skills and knowledge in CAMHS.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of current national guidelines and policies relating to CAMHS
- Knowledge of workforce development initiatives within CAMHS (e.g. CYP IAPT).
- Knowledge of current national priorities/transformation plan for CAMHS service delivery.
- Knowledge and experience of Child Protection policy and practice.
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of development in inter-agency partnership.
- In depth knowledge of CAMHS issues including assessment and interventions.
- Knowledge of The Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007) and associated legislation.
- Knowledge of the Children's Act and other appropriate legislation.
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
- Commitment to equal opportunities.
- Self-motivated, assertive and flexible.
- Proven qualities in sustaining the mental, emotional and physical demands of specialized therapeutic work with disturbed and distressed children, adolescents and their families/carer networks.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lucy Pedrick
- Job title
- Clinical Team Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01234 893300/01
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