Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner Trainee
NHS AfC: Band 4
Main area Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner Grade NHS AfC: Band 4 Contract 12 months (Fixed Term) Hours Full time – 37.5 hours per week Job ref 294-CAMHS-8388888-AZ
Site Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Town Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Salary £34,186 – £37,389 per annum inclusive of Inner London HCAs Salary period Yearly Closing 29/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 10/11/2026
South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We provide a full range of local mental health services to the Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth London boroughs, as well as specialist forensic mental health services, including specialised services such as national deaf adults and CAMHS inpatients and OCD.
We are committed to providing high quality integrated health and social care for local people with mental health problems in South West London and more specialist mental health services for people throughout the UK. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ however we aim to be ‘outstanding’.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values; being consistent, compassionate, collaborative, respectful and open is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is “making life better together”.
When you join us, you’ll be part of something special – an innovative and rapidly growing organisation that is helping to redefine the Mental Health, education and social care landscape in the UK.
As a Trust, we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
SWLSTG NHS Trust runs a well established MHST and CWP service having been an early implementer of both programmes from 2017. Our supervision and in house training is widely recognised as excellent. The training year is well structured within our Trust, starting with all our new trainees meeting together for in service training days throughout the first term to complement the university training.
We are looking for enthusiastic, collaborative, thoughtful trainees with good schools or mental health experience to join our teams in Sutton, Merton and Wandsworth. You will evidence strong organisational skills, good self-awareness plus an ability to reflect on experiences and learn quickly while on the job. We give our trainees a lot of additional training and support and it’s important to us that our staff feel happy and appreciated. In return, we expect you to work hard; be proactive with school engagement; travel within borough to meet service need and take appropriate responsibility for making the most of your learning opportunities.
These are term time plus 4 weeks positions (0.94wte).
Applicants will need to be ready to start work on Friday 15 th January 2026.
Main duties of the job
CWPs offer guided self-help Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and parenting interventions within primary and secondary schools and across wider community settings.
Each team is led and supervised by an experienced Clinical Psychologist. Trainees are part of a wider, supportive CWP and EMHP network across the Trust with opportunities for peer mentoring and joint training days with other teams.
During the first term, whole group training days are largely held at Springfield Hospital in Tooting but your main ongoing base will be in the schools in the borough in which you will work – either Merton, Sutton or Wandsworth. Please state if you have preference for a particular borough on your application form.
These posts are Agenda for Change Band 4 (plus London weighting) and also fully funded for a one year post graduate diploma through Kings College London University. Upon successful qualification, we work hard to offer trainees permanent band 5 positions wherever possible within the service.
Applicants will require:
- A good degree or a level 5 or 6 qualification plus strong relevant experience
- Experience of working in mental health and / or schools
- Experience of working with children and young people
- Ability to work cohesively within small teams
- Motivation to learn and be challenged
- Ability to use feedback and adapt accordingly
- Excellent organisational skills
- Commitment to using data to assess clinical outcome
Working for our organisation
Unless expressly stated in the job advert this role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. T he Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ – we aspire to ‘outstanding’.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a varietyofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Therapeutic Skills
- Assess and deliver, under supervision, outcome-focused, evidence-based interventions to children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
- Work in partnership to support children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, and their families, in the self‑management of presenting difficulties.
- Work in partnership with children, young people and families in the development of plans for an intervention with associated outcomes.
- Support and empower children, young people and families to make informed choices about the interventions.
- Operate at all times from an inclusive values base that recognises and respects diversity.
- Accept referrals within agreed national and local protocols.
- Undertake accurate assessment of risk to self and others.
- Adhere to the service referral protocols. Under supervision, signpost unsuitable referrals to the relevant service as necessary.
- Through close case management and supervision, elevate cases where the level of need becomes more severe or beyond scope, ensuring adherence to other relevant elements of service delivery.
- Provide a range of information and support for evidence-based psychological treatments. This may include guided self‑help. This work may be face‑to‑face, by telephone or via other media.
- Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the overall number of children and young people contacts offered, and sessions carried out per week, in order to improve timely access and minimise waiting times.
- Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or CYP in treatment, where appropriate.
- Keep coherent records of all activity in line with service protocols and use these records and outcomes to inform decision making. Complete all requirements relating to data collection.
- Assess and integrate issues relating to transitions, education, training and employment into the overall therapeutic process.
- Work within a collaborative approach involving a range of relevant others when indicated.
- Work in collaboration with children, young people and communities to enhance and widen access.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in job applications
If you have used AI to support the preparation of your application, please briefly indicate how it was used within your supporting statement or application form.
We encourage applicants to complete their application and supporting statement in their own words wherever possible. We recognise that AI tools can be helpful in supporting accessibility, and for improving spelling, grammar and structure.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content can become generic and fail to accurately reflect an applicant’s individual experience. Applications that clearly demonstrate your own voice, reflections and experiences are often the most effective and help us better understand your suitability for the role.
Please be aware that information provided in your application and supporting statement may be explored further during the selection process. It is important that all applications accurately represent your own knowledge, skills and experience.
Person specification
Training & Qualifications
- A levels or equivalent
- A first degree graded at Upper Second or above OR • Level 5 qualification PLUS very strong experience working in mental health and / or schools N.B. we will not shortlist anyone without this
- Training in a specific psychological therapy
- Received formal or on-the-job training in risk assessment
Experience
- Experience of working with children and young people with emotional/ mental health difficulties
- Experience of working in mental health or related services AND / OR Experience of working in a school environment
- Worked in a service where there are targets in place that demonstrate outcomes
- Ability to manage own caseload and time
- Has carried out risk assessments within scope of practice
At South West London St Georges Mental Health Trust we are committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Committed Employer, and welcome applications from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We are Members of Stonewall Diversity Champions and Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion.
As part of the Trust’s commitment to Equalities and Diversity, the Trust supports the establishment of Staff Networks groups to promote diversity in the workplace:
- BME (Evolve) Staff Network
- DiverseAbility
- Mental Health Staff Forum
- Women’s Staff Network
- LGBTQIA+
We are committed to supporting the Armed Forces Community and has signed the Armed Forces Covenant.
We provide reasonable adjustments to the interview process for any candidates with a disability.
Please note:
- That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received
- That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3 rd party e-recruitment system
- That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
- That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
- That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
- That your employment is offered subject to successful completion of a Probationary Period depending on your Band (except medical roles)
- That we are a smoke-free Trust
South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including job applications, sponsorship arrangements, or employment offers. The contact details published on our official website are the Trust’s authorised contact channels and should be used for all recruitment communications, job applications, and verification of employment offers.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
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