Education Mental Health Practitioner

Make a lasting impact where it counts most. In the lives of children and young people.

As an Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP), you will be at the heart of early intervention, working in schools and colleges to support children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs. Your work will be guided by expert clinical supervision and rooted in evidence-based practice, giving you the tools to help young people build resilience and thrive.

Every day brings variety and purpose. You will deliver one-to-one and group interventions, carry out assessments, and support schools to strengthen their Whole School Approach to mental health. Alongside this, you will work closely with families, school staff and other professionals to co-create effective, personalised support that truly meets each young person’s needs.

You will join an amazing, warm and supportive team that values collaboration, creativity and compassion. This role is where your insight and care can genuinely shape better outcomes for individuals and school communities alike. 

Whether it’s a change in behaviour or just a smile, the small moments make this role incredibly rewarding. 

If this sounds like a role you'd be passionate about - we'd love to see you apply.

We are looking for a motivated professional passionate about supporting the mental health and well-being of children and young people. With a qualification as an Education Mental Health Practitioner you bring a strong foundation to the role.

Some essential criteria for the role include:

• Experience delivering therapeutic interventions like CBT or solution-focused brief therapy to children and families.

• Knowledge of safeguarding, capacity, and consent, including Gillick competence.

• A proven track record of working in educational or healthcare settings with children and young people.

• Strong communication skills for effective collaboration with families, schools, and multi-agency teams.

• The ability to conduct assessments, manage risk, and maintain clear, accurate records.

We’d also appreciate additional strengths that enhance your suitability. Experience working with vulnerable groups, such as looked-after children or those facing emotional or behavioural challenges, is desirable but not a dealbreaker.

Your ability to promote mental health awareness and teach staff within educational settings will show your skill in fostering inclusive environments.

Your commitment to professional growth, paired with our values of respect, integrity, and reliability, ensures you’re ready to make an impact in young people’s lives.

If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you!

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!