Mental Health Practitioner

Empowering young minds and changing futures.

You`re someone who cares deeply about making a difference…not just for today, but for a young person`s entire future.

You bring a blend of clinical expertise, compassion, and creativity, ready to meet children and young people where they are and help them move forward with confidence.

You`ll need to be a qualified Mental Health Practitioner, confident in using therapeutic interventions like CBT or solution-focused techniques, and experienced in working with children, young people and families, especially those facing emotional or behavioural challenges.

But it`s not just about what you know, it`s how you connect. You`re a natural collaborator, able to build trusted relationships with schools, families and multi-agency partners, and you understand the power of early support in educational settings. Safeguarding, risk management and communication come naturally to you, not as tick boxes, but as vital tools for building trust and safety.

You`re reflective, adaptable and committed to learning, with the drive to grow professionally and the values to guide others through difficult moments with hope and respect.

If you`re excited by the chance to work in an amazing supportive, forward-thinking team and to use your skills to help children and young people thrive - we`d love to hear from you.

We are looking for a compassionate, motivated, and skilled professional to join us as an Mental Health Practitioner. You`ll be passionate about improving mental health outcomes for children and young people, thrive in collaborative environments, and be ready to make a real difference in educational settings. 

Essential Criteria

• Hold a relevant qualification such as EMHP, CYP IAPT, Registered Social Worker, or Registered Mental Health Nurse.
• Proven ability to deliver 1:1 therapeutic interventions with children, families, and groups, including parenting programs.
• Experience conducting mental health assessments, evaluating risks, and taking appropriate action.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, educational environments, and capacity and consent issues, including Gillick competence.
• Experience supporting children with social, emotional, or behavioural difficulties, anxiety, and mood disorders.
• Exceptional communication, organisational skills, and a self-motivated, team-focused approach.

Additional qualifications like a teaching degree, Youth Mental Health First Aid training, or an advanced degree are welcomed but not essential. Experience in healthcare or education settings, working with looked-after children or vulnerable groups, and monitoring outcomes would further enhance your application. Familiarity with delivering group interventions and navigating complex social systems is also beneficial.

If this sounds like you. We`d love to see your application.

Compass is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. Established for over 30 years, Compass is a national charity which works in communities across the UK providing services spanning substance misuse treatment and rehabilitation, early interventions for vulnerable young people, school-aged health programmes and associated prevention as well as treatment and health promotion initiatives.

All Compass posts are subject to appropriate level DBS checks.

We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age, or sexual orientation, and encourage applications from people who have experiences in life which enrich skills and empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and developing a truly inclusive and representative workforce.

We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments individuals may require in the recruitment process, on commencement, or once in post.

Benefits

We offer a range of benefits including:

• 27 days holiday + bank holidays, rising to 32 days over time (pro rata)
• Life assurance at 2 x basic salary
• Competitive contributory pension scheme
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and OH service
• Enhanced sick pay
• Excellent learning & development opportunities and career progression
• Annual performance/salary review

Help us to make a positive change to the lives of children and young people!