Specialist Mental Health Practitioner (PAIR) - CFHD

Job description

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunityto join the newly established Parent Infant Relationship (PAIR) Team at aformative stage of its development. We are looking for an experienced andenthusiastic practitioner with a passion for infant mental health, attachmentand early relationships who is keen to help shape and grow this innovativespecialist service within the MERS Pathway.

The PAIR Team has been developedto strengthen support for babies, parents and carers during the earliest yearsof life, recognising the vital role that early relationships play in shapingemotional wellbeing, development and lifelong outcomes.

This maternity cover post offersthe opportunity to work within a developing specialist service alongsidepassionate colleagues who are committed to improving outcomes for babies andfamilies across Devon. As the service continues to grow and embed, the successfulapplicant will have the opportunity to contribute to service development andhelp shape the future direction of the PAIR offer.

We are particularly interestedin applicants who already have experience working within infant mental health,attachment-focused services, parent-infant relationship work, early yearsmental health or related areas of practice.

Interview date - 25th September 2026

Main duties of the job

Provide specialist assessmentand intervention where there are concerns regarding the parent-infantrelationship.

Work collaboratively withcolleagues across CFHD and partner agencies, including Health Visiting,Perinatal Mental Health Services, Family Hubs, Midwifery Services andChildren's Services.

Deliver evidence-based andevidence-informed interventions that promote infant emotional wellbeing andstrengthen parent-infant relationships.

Provide consultation, trainingand support to professionals working with infants and families.

Participate inmultidisciplinary discussion, formulation and care planning.

Contribute to safeguardingprocesses and multi-agency working where required.

Support the ongoingdevelopment and evaluation of the PAIR service.

Why Join the PAIR Team?

This is a unique opportunity tojoin a newly launched specialist team at an exciting stage of its development.The PAIR Team is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-informed carethat recognises the importance of early relationships in shaping lifelongoutcomes.

You will be part of a supportivemultidisciplinary team with opportunities for ongoing learning, supervision,innovation and service development. Most importantly, you will help make ameaningful difference to babies, parents and families at the earliest stage oflife, when intervention can have the greatest impact.

About us

At Children and Family Health Devon, we are dedicated toimproving the physical and mental health of children and young people acrossDevon and Torbay. We aim to create an environment where children and youngpeople can thrive and are committed to reducing health inequalities andproviding specialised support, empowering them to lead healthy, fulfillinglives.

Our children andyoung people say

We would like thepeople who work for Children and Family Health Devon to be understanding,patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make us feel safe andcomfortable. It is important that they use their skills and experience tolisten carefully in a non-patronising and non-judgemental way. When staff arepositive and friendly, they help to create an environment that is informal andwithout pressure.

Who we are

We are an alliance of NHS organisations led by DevonPartnership Trust. We are a group of professionals including psychologists,psychiatrists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists,physiotherapists, nurses and many other professions.

Join us inbeautiful Devon

With access to moors, sea and cities, there are plenty ofopportunities to enjoy Devon. Whether you enjoy spending time in the culturalhub of Exeter, exploring the Jurassic coastline or discovering the worldsurfing reserve in North Devon there really is something for everyone.

Job description

Job responsibilities

FullVacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/PersonSpecification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supportinginformation from the role requirements or person specification.

Job description
Job responsibilities

FullVacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/PersonSpecification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supportinginformation from the role requirements or person specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by
• specialist training or equivalent experience to masters level WITH a relevant core professional training (e.g. Nursing, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, etc) and relevant professional registration.
• Training in an evidence-based therapeutic approach.
• Evidence of relevant CPD.

Desirable

• Training in supervision and/or leadership skills.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers, including using goal-based care and routine outcome measures in practice.
• Experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team and across agencies.
• Experience of working with children and young peoples with Autism and/or a Learning Disability, families and parents/carers, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal abuse.
• Experience of undertaking specialist mental health and/or behavioural assessment and therapeutic interventions for in the area of childrens mental health, with the ability to work with complex needs and undertake risk assessments.
• Experience of safeguarding infants and ensuring the safety of children in partnership with other agencies as appropriate.
• Experience that evidences an ability to tend to diversity and work in a way that promotes anti-discriminatory practice.
• Experience of initiating, attending and contributing to multi-professional and inter-agency meetings.

Desirable

• Experience in providing effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.
• Experience of providing professional teaching and training for other professionals.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

• Understanding of relevant legislation pertaining to child mental health and learning disability.
• High level knowledge of mental health presentations in and children/young people and knowledge of the theory and practice of short term and long term, evidence-based, clinical interventions in the field of perinatal and infant mental health and who may also present with a Learning Disability.
• Knowledge of child development.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to children and adolescents and safeguarding procedures and policies.
• Knowledge of NHS, Social Care and Education structures, national policies and frameworks, evidence based practice including NICE guidelines.
• Knowledge of risk management and ability to monitor and assess risk and act accordingly to ensure safety.

Additional requirement

Essential

• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle is required for this role.

Person Specification
Qualifications

Essential

• Professional knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by
• specialist training or equivalent experience to masters level WITH a relevant core professional training (e.g. Nursing, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, etc) and relevant professional registration.
• Training in an evidence-based therapeutic approach.
• Evidence of relevant CPD.

Desirable

• Training in supervision and/or leadership skills.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers, including using goal-based care and routine outcome measures in practice.
• Experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team and across agencies.
• Experience of working with children and young peoples with Autism and/or a Learning Disability, families and parents/carers, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal abuse.
• Experience of undertaking specialist mental health and/or behavioural assessment and therapeutic interventions for in the area of childrens mental health, with the ability to work with complex needs and undertake risk assessments.
• Experience of safeguarding infants and ensuring the safety of children in partnership with other agencies as appropriate.
• Experience that evidences an ability to tend to diversity and work in a way that promotes anti-discriminatory practice.
• Experience of initiating, attending and contributing to multi-professional and inter-agency meetings.

Desirable

• Experience in providing effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.
• Experience of providing professional teaching and training for other professionals.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

• Understanding of relevant legislation pertaining to child mental health and learning disability.
• High level knowledge of mental health presentations in and children/young people and knowledge of the theory and practice of short term and long term, evidence-based, clinical interventions in the field of perinatal and infant mental health and who may also present with a Learning Disability.
• Knowledge of child development.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to children and adolescents and safeguarding procedures and policies.
• Knowledge of NHS, Social Care and Education structures, national policies and frameworks, evidence based practice including NICE guidelines.
• Knowledge of risk management and ability to monitor and assess risk and act accordingly to ensure safety.

Additional requirement

Essential

• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle is required for this role.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. .
UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. .
UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Employer details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Address

CFHD

Evergreen

Victoria Park Road

EXETER

EX2 4NU

United Kingdom

Employer's website