Job summary
- Main area
- Paediatrics
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Fixed term: 11 months (secondment cover to 31-03-2027)
- Hours
- Part time - 22.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 309-UCLH-7686
- Employer
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- UCLH
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £56,276 - £63,176 per annum inclusive of HCAS, pro-rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 21/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Specialist CAMHS Practitioner
NHS AfC: Band 7
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Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity for a mental health clinician with specialist therapeutic training and experience, an interest in trauma and multi-disciplinary working, to join the CAMHS team at The Lighthouse.
The post is open to qualified (including newly qualified) and professionally registered clinicians from a range of professional backgrounds; including (but not limited to) Clinical Psychology, Family & Systemic Psychotherapy, Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy, Nursing, and Occupational Therapy.
The post holder will be supported throughout their induction and professional development. Regular clinical supervision in your discipline will be provided. The post holder will be supported to identify key areas for development in a collaborative and nuanced way, with specific CPD available depending on your professional discipline and role; including reflective group practice, specialist training in trauma-focused approaches (including EMDR) and psychology-led Video Recorded Interviews.
The Lighthouse is part of the international PROMISE network of Barnahus services, with unique opportunities for the post holder for national and international visits and engagements with peer services.
Main duties of the job
The post holder must be a good team worker and be able to lead in areas of clinical practice and development; will be responsible for working independently and managing a caseload of clients, ensuring safe and effective clinical practices.
The post holder will provide community-based care for children, adolescents and families through the provision of multi-disciplinary assessments of need, individual therapeutic interventions and group-based interventions. In addition to direct therapeutic work, the post holder will be available to consult to young people’s wider caring networks and be available to staff for support and training.
The post holder will participate in audit and contribute to policy and service development and research within the area served by Lighthouse and related services, nationally and internationally, supporting children who have experienced sexual abuse.
Working for our organisation
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.
We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:
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University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
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National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
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Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
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University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
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Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
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University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
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The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
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University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street
We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women’s health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.
We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
The Lighthouse Model
The Lighthouse is the first UK Child House, a multi-professional, child-centred and trauma-informed service for CYP who have experienced child sexual abuse and a national leader in the field. The Lighthouse provides a holistic assessment and medical support, therapeutic interventions, social work and ChISVA. This child-centred concept has had proven success abroad, in particular Iceland, where there is evidence of increased convictions and improved health and well-being of the child/young person.
After a successful pilot, funded by the Home Office, NHS England, Mayor’s office for Police and crime (MOPAC) and Department for Education from 2018 - 2022, the Lighthouse secured statutory funding from April 2022. NHS England commission the service which is provided by UCLH in partnership with NSPCC and Metropolitan Police Service. CYP who live in the five boroughs in North Central London: Camden, Islington, Enfield, Haringey and Barnet can be referred or can self-refer to the service.
The Lighthouse Team
The service is jointly managed by the Lighthouse Operational Manager and the Clinical Lead. The Lighthouse service includes a CAMHS team of therapists (including Clinical Psychologists, Child Psychotherapists, Psychiatrist, CAMHS practitioners, Lived Experience Consultant); a Health team (of Paediatricians, Clinical Nurse Specialist for sexual health, Play Specialist); and a Case Management Team (of Child and Family Practitioners and ChISVAs), with access to ‘Letting the Future In’ practitioners (NSPCC) in the Lighthouse.
Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*
*In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England – for the second year in a row.
UCLH top trust to work at in England – for the second year running! University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Once again, UCLH has received the highest score of all general acute and acute/community NHS trusts in England for staff that would recommend us as a place to work.
Person specification
Knowledge and Qualifications: For Psychological Therapies colleagues:
Essential criteria
- o Doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS.
- o Relevant HCPC registration Or Doctoral level training in Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy at ACP recognised training school o Or Family Therapy training (masters level) and UKCP registration Or equivalent psychological therapies qualification and professional registration.
Knowledge and Qualifications: For Nurse/OT and Social work colleagues:
Essential criteria
- Relevant NMC/HCPC registration
- CYP IAPT Dip in CBT/SFP/IPT-A and/or relevant post-graduate study in child and adolescent mental health and/or training in specialist therapy relevant to supporting children therapeutically following sexual abuse.
Knowledge and Qualifications: for all candidates
Essential criteria
- Specialist training in subject/skills relevant to Child & and Adolescent Mental Health (0-18 years)
- Registration with relevant Professional body
Experience
Essential criteria
- • Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings. Some experience of working with clients with severe and enduring mental health problems
- • Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- • Experience of working with children and young people with mental health difficulties.
- • Post registration experience in a setting where children’s mental health is the primary focus.
- • Experience of working with children and young people who have experienced abuse and neglect.
- • Experience of supporting parents, carers and families through individual, family and/or group-based interventions.
- • Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
Skills and Abilities AND Communication
Essential criteria
- Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care plans to meet the needs of clients, based on clinical assessment and formulation.
- Ability to work to standards for quality and Lighthouse policies and procedures.
- Ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team and demonstrate awareness of MDT functioning.
- Ability to maintain and manage own caseload and work autonomously within the specialist area
- Knowledge of relevant psychological theory and evidence-based practice
- Willingness and ability to develop specialist knowledge of clinical aspects of child & adolescent mental health.
- Culturally competent practice knowledge and skills
- Ability to recognise own limits & seek support re supervision as appropriate.
- To have developed computer skills to enable input of relevant data and typing of summaries and reports etc
- The ability to supervise, teach and develop the skills of students and junior staff as appropriate
- Ability to analyse risk and respond appropriately, seeking support as necessary
- • Excellent written & verbal communication skills.
- • Good interpersonal skills & demonstrable ability to work with others.
- • Experience with delivering training and presentations to a range of audiences
Values
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate ability to meet Trust Values of safety, kindness, teamwork and improving
Personal and People Development
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable ability to work under pressure and respond to emergency situations as appropriate
- The ability to engage and work with clients in differing environments in line with the needs of the service
- A flexible approach to client intervention and to be able to work flexibly to meet client needs and as part of an MDT
- Understanding of policy and wider context for children and young people affected by sexual abuse.
- Knowledge of recent legislation affecting the NHS/Social Care and Education
- Ability to demonstrate working knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983 & the Children Act 2004
- Reliable, courteous and collaborative approach
Responsibilities towards promoting Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
- Demonstratable understanding of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and/or Knowledge of the NHS obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duties
- Understanding of equality of opportunity & related policies & procedures.
- Commitment to anti-racist practice.
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
- Tom Griggs
- Job title
- Operations Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
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