Job Description

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Do you have experience of working with children and young people and want to move into a rewarding career in mental health?


East Sussex County Council (ESCC) is recruiting a Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Senior Mental Health Practitioner (SMHP) to join our existing Mental Health Support Team (MHST) in Hastings.


The MHST teams deliver evidence-based interventions based on the Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic (CBT) approach in schools. We work directly with children and young people aged 7-17 with mild to moderate mental health issues, and their parents and carers. We also work with schools to develop or enhance their whole-school approach to emotional health and wellbeing and mental health. As a Senior Mental Health Practitioner (SMHP), you will be working as part of a dynamic integrated mental health team. This approach requires creativity, flexibility, and adaptability, and above all a passion for working with children and young people in Special Schools. You will receive clinical supervision to support your interventions and have the opportunity to develop your practice.


The SEND Senior Mental Health Practitioner has a varied role to cover the core functions of the service. The role will focus on supporting the complex needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their parents/carers in all the MHST schools with particular focus on special schools within MHSTs. Initially this will involve working with the MHST schools to help identify the needs of pupils, their parents/carers and school staff to effectively support pupils and to develop suitable mental health provision that is responsive to need. The postholder will provide guidance to MHST staff around the needs of children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers and teachers. The role will be working alongside community partners and developing relationships between the MHST and educational settings.


We are looking for candidates who have:

A core professional qualification relevant to mental health e.g., CBT, Counselling, Play Therapy, Nursing with specialism in mental health or learning disability nursing, Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Educational Psychology. Evidence of continued professional development. A qualification in leadership or supervision, or a willingness to commence if successful. Registration with a relevant Professional body. A full driving licence.

Our office base is in Hastings.


You may wish to draw on any relevant work/life experience, education or personal interests.


Interviews will take place in-person at County Hall, Lewes on Monday 09 May 2025.


The team is always committed to the development of our staff, and is a lovely place to work.


We offer a diverse range of benefits to help and support you during your employment. More information can be found on our benefits page.


Please contact Lucy Hill (Service Manager: Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing) by emailing MHST.Info@eastsussex.gov.uk for any questions about the post or if you wish to arrange an informal discussion.

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