Education Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary
Want to be a part of a team that is on the frontline of Children\'s and Young People's mental health?

If you do then this is an exciting and rewarding role where no two days feel the same. As an Education Mental Health Practitioner, you will work directly with children and young people in schools, helping them to understand their emotions, build resilience and feel more in control of their lives.

You will deliver evidence based support for pupils with mild to moderate mental health needs, using your skills to make a real and lasting impact. Whether you are supporting someone through anxiety, low mood or lifes everyday pressures, your work will help them feel safer, stronger and more connected.

But this role is about more than one to one work. You will also be a key part of each schools wider wellbeing culture. That means advising teachers, supporting families and helping embed a whole school approach to emotional health. You will share your knowledge, build relationships and play a vital role in making mental health support more visible and more effective.

You will be part of a committed, friendly and values driven team. You will receive high quality supervision, ongoing training and space to grow your practice. If you are looking for a role that is hands on, meaningful and full of purpose, this is it.

Join us and become part of a team that champions compassion, resilience, and innovation. Together, well create a brighter, healthier future for our young people.

Main duties of the job
You care about helping young people feel heard, understood and supported. You are calm under pressure, clear in your communication and confident working in busy school environments. Above all, you are someone who brings compassion, curiosity and consistency to the work you do.

You will need:

• A recognised qualification as an Education Mental Health Practitioner
• Experience delivering therapeutic interventions such as CBT or solution focused work
• Knowledge of safeguarding and capacity frameworks, including Gillick competence
• Experience working with children or young people, ideally in an education or health setting
• Confidence managing risk and maintaining clear records
• Strong communication skills, especially when working with families, schools and professionals
• The ability to travel between school sites, with access to a vehicle or suitable alternative

You might also bring experience working with vulnerable groups, such as children in care or those facing emotional and behavioural challenges. You may have delivered group interventions or supported staff learning in schools. But what matters most is your values, your mindset and your commitment to doing the right thing.

If you want a role where you can grow your skills and make real change in young lives, we would love to hear from you!

About us
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

• 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 salary review

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

Closing Date: 12.08.2026

Job responsibilities
Want to be a part of a team that is on the frontline of Children\'s and Young People's mental health?

If you do then this is an exciting and rewarding role where no two days feel the same. As an Education Mental Health Practitioner, you will work directly with children and young people in schools, helping them to understand their emotions, build resilience and feel more in control of their lives.

You will deliver evidence based support for pupils with mild to moderate mental health needs, using your skills to make a real and lasting impact. Whether you are supporting someone through anxiety, low mood or lifes everyday pressures, your work will help them feel safer, stronger and more connected.

But this role is about more than one to one work. You will also be a key part of each schools wider wellbeing culture. That means advising teachers, supporting families and helping embed a whole school approach to emotional health. You will share your knowledge, build relationships and play a vital role in making mental health support more visible and more effective.

You will be part of a committed, friendly and values driven team. You will receive high quality supervision, ongoing training and space to grow your practice. If you are looking for a role that is hands on, meaningful and full of purpose, this is it.

Join us and become part of a team that champions compassion, resilience, and innovation. Together, well create a brighter, healthier future for our young people.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Be a suitably qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner

Desirable

• Teaching qualification
• Youth Mental Health First Aid trained

Experience
Essential

• Knowledge of educational environments
• Knowledge of safeguarding issues
• Knowledge of capacity and consent issues including Gillick competence
• Experience of working with children and young people, their families and others
• Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders
• Experience of working with children and young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties
• Experience of working with anxiety disorders
• Experience of working with affective (mood) disorders
• Experience of the delivery of specific therapeutic interventions to children, young people or their families (e.g. CBT, solution focused brief therapy)

Desirable

• Knowledge of the functional operation of specialist Children and Young Peoples Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing services teams
• Experience of working with children and their families in a healthcare setting
• Experience of working with children and their families in an education setting
• Experience of monitoring and recording outcome measures for childrens emotional wellbeing
• Experience of navigating complex social systems and environments, who may have conflicting priories or agendas
• Experience of working with looked after children
• Experience of working with other vulnerable groups

Additional Criteria
Essential

• Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children
• Ability to carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with families
• Ability to work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness within staff group
• Ability to conduct mental health assessments of children and young people
• Ability to make an assessment of risk and to record and communicate it appropriately
• Ability to take appropriate action to mitigate or manage risk
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Access to own transport or evidence of ability to commute efficiently between community venues.
• Ongoing commitment to maintain registration in core profession
• Willingness to study further if required

Desirable

• Ability to teach others about mental health issues
• Ability to conduct other group therapeutic interventions with children and their families
• Proven commitment to continuous professional development

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.

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