Trainee Educational Mental Health Practitioner

Job Description

Contract Type: Fixed Term (12 months)

Working Hours: 37 hours a week

Worker Type: Hybrid Worker

Salary: Starting Salary is £29,542 (Level one) rising to £32,046 (Level four) per annum (pro-rata for part-time)

Location: Southglade Access Centre, Southglade Road, Bestwood, Nottingham, NG5 5GU

Are you passionate about improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people?

Nottingham City Council's Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) are delighted to be recruiting five Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) to join our established and supportive service.

This is an exciting opportunity to earn whilst you train, gaining a nationally recognised Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma whilst developing the skills and experience needed to make a lasting difference to children, young people and their families.

As a Trainee EMHP, you will learn to deliver evidence-based, low intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) interventions for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health challenges that could include anxiety, low mood and behavioural presentations. You will also work alongside schools to promote whole-school approaches to emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Nottingham City MHST is a well-established service supporting over 80 primary, secondary schools and specialist education provisions across the city. We work collaboratively with education, health and wider children's services to improve outcomes for children and young people and pride ourselves on being a supportive, forward thinking team that values learning, development and staff wellbeing.

Joining Nottingham City MHST means becoming part of a supportive, ambitious and innovative service that is committed to improving the mental health of children and young people across the city.

We are passionate about developing our staff through excellent supervision, high-quality training and opportunities for ongoing professional development. Our aim is not simply to support you through your training year, but to help you build a rewarding and long-term career within children's mental health services.

If you are enthusiastic about working with children and young people, enjoy learning and want to make a real difference in schools and communities across Nottingham, we would love to hear from you.

• You can read more about the different benefits offered to colleagues working for Nottingham City Council here.

About the Role

As a Trainee EMHP you will:

• Deliver evidence-based guided self-help interventions using Low Intensity CBT approaches.
• Undertake assessments with children, young people and families under clinical supervision.
• Support children, young people and parents through structured interventions.
• Deliver psychoeducation, workshops and therapeutic groups within schools.
• Promote positive mental health through consultation and whole-school approaches.
• Work closely with school staff and partner agencies.
• Receive regular clinical supervision and reflective practice.
• Study towards the Graduate Diploma (Level 6) or Postgraduate Diploma (Level 7) in Education Mental Health Practice at the University of Derby, depending on your previous qualifications and the University's assessment of your eligibility.

About the training

This role combines employment with intensive academic study.

Successful applicants will commence employment in December 2026.

The programme is delivered by the University of Derby, with the course due to commence on Tuesday 19 January 2027. Successful applicants must be available to attend the compulsory programme induction on this date and complete online enrolment beforehand.

The programme includes:

• Face-to-face and online teaching.
• Clinical practice within the MHST.
• Written assignments.
• Case studies.
• Presentations.
• Observed role plays.
• Reflective practice.
• Competency assessments.

Teaching is intensive during the first few months of the programme (approximately four full days per week) before reducing as clinical practice increases.

This is a demanding but highly rewarding programme requiring commitment, resilience and excellent organisational skills. Successful trainees should expect to undertake independent study outside of normal working hours.

About you

We are looking for people who:

• Are passionate about improving children's mental health and wellbeing.
• Have experience of working with children, young people and/or families.
• Can develop positive therapeutic relationships.
• Are organised and able to manage competing priorities.
• Demonstrate empathy, creativity and curiosity.
• Are reflective and able to learn from supervision and feedback.
• Can work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Are comfortable assessing and managing risk with appropriate support.
• Can apply learning and theory to practice.
• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Are motivated to successfully complete an intensive training programme.

Essential requirements

Applicants should be able to demonstrate:

• The ability to study successfully at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
• Qualifications or academic credit at a minimum of Level 5, equivalent to a Higher National Diploma or the second year of a standard undergraduate degree, for entry onto the Graduate Diploma (Level 6).
• For entry onto the Postgraduate Diploma (Level 7), a bachelor's degree at 2:2 or above in a relevant academic subject, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.
• A minimum of one year's experience in a relevant role working with children and young people.
• A broad understanding of mental health issues and the UK's educational systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to form positive helping relationships with children and young people.
• The ability to travel regularly to the University of Derby.
• Commitment to completing the full training programme.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider applicants with a Level 4 qualification accompanied by substantial relevant experience for entry onto the Graduate Diploma. Qualifications will be reviewed before interview to confirm eligibility.

University attendance

Attendance at the University of Derby is a mandatory requirement of the programme.

Please note:

• Successful candidates will be required to travel regularly to the University of Derby throughout the course.
• Nottingham City Council does not fund overnight accommodation or hotel stays associated with university attendance.
• Reasonable travel expenses to and from the University of Derby will be reimbursed in accordance with Nottingham City Council travel policies.

Applicants should therefore ensure they are able to meet the travel requirements of the programme.

Future opportunities

This is a training post designed to develop the next generation of Education Mental Health Practitioners.

Our ambition is to build and retain a highly skilled workforce of qualified EMHPs within Nottingham City MHST. Subject to service need, funding and successful completion of the training programme, trainees will be encouraged to apply for substantive qualified EMHP vacancies within our service.

Please note that appointment to a qualified EMHP role is not automatic. Successful trainees will be required to participate in a competitive recruitment process following qualification.

Recruitment process

The selection process may include:

• Interview.
• Scenario-based questions.
• Role play.
• Presentation.
• Written exercise.
• Young person involvement.

We are looking not only for academic ability, but also interpersonal skills, resilience, reflective practice and a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people.

Important recruitment information

Due to the short timescales associated with the University intake, this recruitment process will move quickly, and pre-employment checks will begin immediately following conditional offers.

To avoid unnecessary delays, applicants are strongly encouraged to:

• Speak to their referees before applying so they are aware that a reference request may be received at short notice.
• Ensure referees are available to respond promptly. The University requires one clinical and one academic reference, which must be approved by the programme team before a formal offer to study is made.
• Pay particular attention if using a school-based referee, as school holidays and reduced staffing may affect their availability.
• Locate official certificates confirming their highest qualification and confirm at interview whether these are available. If a certificate is missing, request a replacement from the previous education provider as soon as possible.

The University requires official qualification certificates before the programme begins. HEAR reports are not accepted in place of certificates, and transcripts are accepted only where the qualification was not completed. Additional qualification certificates may also be requested.

Successful candidates will need to submit their University of Derby application immediately after being offered the role, ideally within 48 hours, to allow time for admissions checks and any outstanding documentation.

All trainees must also complete the University of Derby's own DBS process before the programme starts, in addition to the employment checks required for this post. The University does not use the DBS Update Service or rely on an existing NHS DBS check. Instructions will be provided after acceptance of the University offer. Clinical hours cannot count towards the programme until the University receives notification of a clear DBS. Applicants who have lived outside the UK may also be required to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct.

Delays in receiving satisfactory references, qualification evidence or other required checks may affect our ability to confirm a place on the January 2027 training programme.

• This post is covered by the statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) (English Language Requirement for public sector workers) and therefore the ability to speak fluent English is an essential requirement for the role.
• A DBS enhanced check for a regulated activity is required for this post.

You can find the job description for this post here.

At Nottingham City Council we believe that work is what you do, not where you do it. We offer different working arrangements, depending on the role, including hybrid working. Further information on Worker Types and what these mean in terms of how and where you work can be found on the additional information for applicants page.

For informal enquiries please contact the MHST Leadership team at mhst.managers@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

Closing Date: 1st November 2026

Please note there may be occasions where we close the advert before the closing date and we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Interviews will be held: within 10 days of the closing date

If you have any technical issues when completing your application, please contact our Employee Service Centre: https://emss.org.uk/support

By applying to this job, you agree to our Terms & Conditions.

About us

Thank you for your interest in working for Nottingham City Council. As one of the largest employers in Nottingham we offer a wide range of roles across a range of services. In return for your skill, drive and commitment to serving the people of Nottingham, we can help you to develop an exciting and rewarding career, with access to the following benefits.

In addition to working within a great team and a competitive salary you will have access to:

• 26 days annual leave (rising to 33 days after 5 years’ service) + bank holidays with the ability to buy additional leave annually
• Access to a generous, defined benefit pension scheme offering 17.9%
• Smart Working – to support your work life balance
• Health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres, cinema, shopping and much more!

Nottingham City Council is committed to recruiting a talented workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We are a fair, inclusive and Disability Confident Employer, welcoming applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and abilities. We recruit for diversity and value difference.

If you are a disabled candidate and wish to be considered under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this within your application. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and employment journey.

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from serving personnel, veterans, reservists and military families.

We particularly want to hear from you if you are from Minority Ethnic communities, identify within the LGBTQ+ community, or are disabled. These groups are currently underrepresented in our workforce, and we are committed to better reflecting the communities we serve.

We are supportive of flexible working arrangements wherever possible and encourage candidates to discuss this with us during the recruitment process.