YJS CAMHS Practitioner | South and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated CAMHS practitioner to work within the YJS (Youth Justice) CAMHS service as a secondment from April until December 31st 2026. This is an excellent learning and developmental opportunity with a chance to work in a small specialist team that is supported by an experienced MDT. Caseloads remain small, allowing time to work with complex needs.

There is ample opportunity for direct work with young people (enhancing clinical risk and CAMHS assessment skills and practicing a range of therapeutic interventions).

The YJS CAMHS team is located in the Civic Centre less than 5 minutes from the Brixton Underground and Train station (zone
2). The team is co-located with the Youth Justice Service, but work in a hybrid model with young people seen at the Youth Justice offices in Brixton or Lambeth CAMHS sites at St John s Angell Town or Black Prince Road. There is also opportunity for some remote working during the week.

The successful candidate will be clinically confident in carrying out mental health and risk assessments and contribute to developing multi-agency risk management plans. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be committed to providing a high standard quality of care. They will have responsibility for a caseload providing a range of clinical interventions. They will work closely with other members of the multi-disciplinary alongside partner agencies (YJS officers, education, health, social care and police).

They will be a valued member of the YJS CAMHS team offering clinical input in the multidisciplinary team.

YJS CAMHS is a multidisciplinary team that provides specialist mental health treatment to young people who have become engaged with the Youth Justice System and need help. The team comprises of 2 CAMHS Practitioners, 1 HSB Lead, 1 Youth Justice Liaison & Diversion Practitioner and a part-time Consultant Psychiatrist and Team Lead. The Team offers a combination of evidence-based interventions and work closely with the Youth Justice Team.

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King s College London and are part of King s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre.

There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.

By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field.

• To assume responsibility for own case list and case management of children, adolescents and families who are determined to be at low/medium/high risk.
• To make clinical formulation/ tentative diagnosis from a standard CAMH assessment, including risk assessment, on which to recommend a treatment intervention.
• Participate as a multi-disciplinary team member in the setting and reviewing of therapeutic aims, objectives, standards and strategies to provide a high standard of care to clients.
• Deliver interventions for children and young people with a range of complex needs commonly found when working within the youth justice service. As the work is predominantly with young people with emotional behavioural and conduct difficulties then a range of talking therapies and structured interventions and family work have been found to be effective. The treatment interventions provided would be based on NICE guidelines and evidence based practice.
• Use individual, group work, family work, advice and supervision according to the needs of children and young people and have a flexible and innovative approach to packages of care.
• Participate and lead in joint complex assessments with other as required
• Maintain good relationships and clear lines of communication with other professional agencies and departments, providing specialist advice and support where appropriate.
• Work with the team and clients to maintain a safe therapeutic environment. Work to assure the quality of care through achieving high operational standards in…