10 Practitioner jobs in East of England

About the role

This is a training and development role within the Children and Young People's Psychological Trainings programme (CYP-PT), for a practitioner training to deliver specialist, evidence-based psychological interventions to autistic children and young people and children and young people with a learning disability. The post holder will be based within Croydon Drop In's (CDI) ‘A for Autism’ service, delivering early intervention in community based settings and schools, while undertaking the CYP-PT Therapy Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) – Autism Spectrum Conditions and Learning Disabilities (ASC/LD) pathway – at University College London (UCL), delivered in partnership with the Anna Freud Centre. The post holder will develop and deliver adapted, evidence-based assessment and interventions for autistic children and young people and children and young people with a learning disability who are experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, working in partnership with children, young people, their families, schools and educational settings. The training and service experience will equip the post holder with the necessary knowledge, attitude and capabilities to deliver high-quality, adapted clinical practice and to operate within an inclusive, values-driven service. The post holder will attend all UCL-based teaching and Onsite Protected Learning Time required by the education provider, as specified within the agreed national curriculum, and apply their developing specialist clinical skills in the service for the remaining days of the week, including carrying a clinical caseload.

About the role

This is a training and development role within the Children and Young People's Psychological Trainings programme (CYP-PT), for a practitioner training to deliver evidence-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to children and young people. The post holder will be based within Croydon Drop In's (CDI) Community Counselling Service, delivering early intervention in community-based settings, while undertaking the CYP-PT Therapy Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) pathway – at King's College London (KCL). The post holder will develop and deliver evidence-based CBT assessment and interventions for children and young people experiencing common mental health difficulties such as anxiety, low mood and depression, working in partnership with children, young people, their families, schools and community settings. The training and service experience will equip the post holder with the necessary knowledge, attitude and capabilities to deliver high-quality, evidence-based clinical practice and to operate within an inclusive, values-driven service. The post holder will attend all KCL-based teaching and Onsite Protected Learning Time required by the education provider, as specified within the agreed national curriculum, and apply their developing CBT clinical skills in the service for the remaining days of the week, including carrying a clinical caseload.

About the role

This is a training and development role within the Children and Young People's Psychological Trainings programme (CYP-PT), for a practitioner training to deliver evidence-based, low-intensity interventions and guided self-help to children and young people. The post holder will be based within Croydon Drop In's (CDI) Community Counselling Service, delivering early intervention in community-based settings, while undertaking the Child Wellbeing Practice Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) at King's College London (KCL). The post holder will develop and deliver evidence-based, low-intensity interventions and guided self-help for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties such as anxiety and low mood, working in partnership with children, young people, their families, schools and community settings. The training and service experience will equip the post holder with the necessary knowledge, attitude and capabilities to deliver high-quality, evidence-based clinical practice and to operate within an inclusive, values-driven service. The post holder will attend all KCL-based teaching and Onsite Protected Learning Time required by the education provider, as specified within the agreed national curriculum, and apply their developing low-intensity clinical skills in the service for the remaining days of the week, including carrying a clinical caseload.

About the role

This is a training role within the Children and Young People's Psychological Trainings programme (CYP-PT). The post holder will be based within Croydon Drop In's (CDI) Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) service, delivering early intervention in schools and educational settings, while undertaking the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Mental Health Practice at King's College London (KCL). Under supervision, the post holder will deliver high-quality, brief, outcome-focused, evidence-based interventions and guided self-help to children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties within educational settings. The training and service experience will equip the post holder with the necessary knowledge, attitude and capabilities to practise effectively as an Education Mental Health Practitioner and to operate within an inclusive, values-driven service. The post holder will attend all KCL-based teaching and Onsite Protected Learning Time required by the education provider, as specified within the agreed national curriculum and apply their developing clinical skills in the service for the remaining days of the week, carrying a clinical caseload.

About the role

This is a training role within the Children and Young People's Psychological Trainings programme (CYP-PT). The post holder will work within CDI's Community Counselling Service, which is focussed on outreach to the community, while undertaking the Postgraduate Diploma in CYP-PT Therapies (Systemic Family Practice) at King's College London (KCL). Under supervision, the post holder will deliver high-quality, brief, outcome-focused, evidence-based systemic family interventions to children, young people and their families experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties within the community. The training and service experience will equip the post holder with the necessary knowledge, attitude and capabilities to practise systemic family interventions effectively and to operate within an inclusive, values-driven service. The post holder will attend all KCL-based teaching and Onsite Protected Learning Time required by the education provider, as specified within the agreed national curriculum and apply their developing systemic practice skills in the service for the remaining days of the week, including carrying a clinical caseload.

Anna Freud is seeking a Wellbeing Practitioner to join our world-leading mental health charity for children, young people and their families. Our mission is to close the gap in wellbeing and mental health by advancing, translating, delivering, and sharing the best science and practice with everyone who impacts the lives of children, young people and their families. More information about Anna Freud is available on our website.

Please note: there is a mandatory training period (1-10 December 2026), therefore the start date is 1 December 2026, which is non-negotiable.

Our EDI commitment

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and being an equal opportunities employer, whereby equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are core to our recruitment practices. All candidates who meet the job criteria will be considered for employment, regardless of ethnic origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic background, caring responsibilities and care experience.

We ask candidates to share their diversity dimensions with us to help us identify, tackle and prevent bias across the employee lifecycle. We believe a diverse workforce enhances our ability to support mental health and wellbeing, allowing us to better meet the needs of the children, young people and families we serve.

As a Disability Confident employer, disabled candidates meeting our criteria are guaranteed an interview. Applications are submitted anonymously and assessed using a fair evaluation process based on the criteria set out in our job profiles.

What we offer

We offer a range of staff benefits, including wellbeing offers such as free counselling through our Employee Assistance Programme. We are proud to have staff-led Diversity Networks offering unique opportunities for learning, connection and impact.

MindWorks is a research programme designed as a randomised controlled trial to test a specialist intervention for young people at risk of school exclusion due to challenging behaviour. Grounded in CBT and systemic approaches and underpinned by a strong anti-racist framework, the programme recognises the impact of structural inequality and works closely with schools, families and communities, with young people recruited directly through education settings.

Please note: the role is known internally as Practitioner.

What you’ll do

You will deliver a structured, short-term intervention (typically over eight weeks) to young people and their parent or carer, combining therapeutic work with collaboration across the wider school network, including trusted adults. The role is outreach-based, primarily taking place in schools, family homes and community settings. It involves providing direct clinical support, working systemically with families and education staff, and contributing to a wider research trial while applying evidence-based, trauma-informed and mentalisation approaches.

What you’ll bring

Essential requirements:

🧠 Proven therapeutic experience in supporting young people in community and education settings, working systemically with families and other key adults.

🎓 Relevant qualifications and expertise: training in psychology or a related mental health field, with the ability to deliver evidence-based interventions for children and young people.

🌍 Cultural competence and inclusion: ability to work effectively across diverse cultural contexts, applying inclusive, anti-discriminatory practices within clinical work.

🤝 Strong communication and collaboration: skilled at building relationships, communicating complex ideas clearly, and working with multiple stakeholders while using supervision effectively.

📊 Organisation, safeguarding, and research commitment: capable of managing workload across settings, maintaining accurate records, applying safeguarding standards, and engaging fully with research trial requirements.

Key details

Hours: full-time, 35 hours per week.

Salary: £32,136 FTE per annum, plus 6% contributory pension scheme.

Location: community sites, schools and colleges, and Anna Freud (4-8 Rodney Street, London N1 9JH). Face to face delivery predominantly. Ability to travel is essential and travel expenses will be paid. The schools taking part in the Mindworks trial for the first term (September – December 2026) are based in Dagenham, Borehamwood, Tilbury and Bedfordshire. You will be allocated to a school in one of these areas for the term and must be willing to commute there daily. From January 2027, school recruitment will be focused on the London / Greater London area.

Contract type: starting on 1 December 2026, fixed-term until end of July 2028.

Next steps

Closing date for applications: midday (12pm), Wednesday 30 September 2026. Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply promptly and to keep an eye on our future vacancies for more opportunities.

Notification of interview: shortlisted applicants will be notified no later than Friday 02 October 2026. During shortlisting, applicants are anonymously assessed using the criteria visible in the Job Profile. Please note: due to the high volume of applications received, we will not be able to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Interviews: will be held remotely on Wednesday 7 October 2026

How to apply: click 'apply now' to submit your application online. We are unable to accept CVs and kindly request no contact from agencies.

Questions?

Please email Recruitment with any job enquiries, or if you require assistance or experience difficulties when applying. Please note that successful candidate(s) will be asked to evidence their Right to Work in the UK post-job offer – we do not hold a sponsor license therefore we are unable to provide Visa sponsorship.

We’re currently recruiting for one full-timeTrainee Children Wellbeing Practitioners (CWP)to work directly with young people within our mental health services. For this post you need to have a Undergraduate degree, second class or above, in a mental health of child development related subject OR any subject with further training or experience in a relevant field. We are also looking for someone with an open and flexible attitude; excellent engagement skills and a passion for working with children and young people around mental health. 

Responsibilities include offering a CBT based self-guided mental health interventions to young people and their families including individual, parent-led and group-based support; workshops; crisis support; mental health themed activities. 

This post is based on-site and may require flexibility to work across different service areas and interventions. Some evening and/or weekend work may be necessary to meet the needs of young people. 

This is a training position where the post holder will undertake training at Kings College London alongside working in service for Off The Record. Applicants will need to be ready to start work in early January 2027 and posts cannot be offered to candidates unless they can guarantee this start date. 

Shortlisted candidates will also need to submit an application form to KCL for a place on the Postgraduate Diploma in Child Wellbeing Practice (CWP). Please see links below.

The full Job Description and Person Specification are attached. 

Applying for the Posts 

To be considered for the position, the Application Form needs to be completed and return via email to the email address on the application form by Sunday 20th September 2026.   Please have in mind we do not accept applications form oversees residents. 

We understand some candidates may want to use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we also want to learn more about the authentic you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences wherever possible. In the spirit of transparency - we also ask that you indicate if you have used AI in your application.

Decisions about who to invite for interview will be based on how well someone demonstrates that they meet the person specification for the specific post, so please make sure you complete the application form fully and accurately, giving evidence of how you meet each point in the person specification and indicating your relevant knowledge, skills and experience. Please note that CVs will not be considered. 

Email applicants will receive a confirmation of receipt and shortlisted candidates will be contacted as soon as possible after the closing date. 

We’re currently recruiting 4 full-time Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHP) to work directly with young people in our Croydon Mental Health Support Team (MHST). For this post you need to have an Undergraduate degree, second class or above, in a mental health of child development related subject (e.g., Psychology, Education, Childhood development, Social Work etc), OR any subject with further training or experience in a relevant field (e.g., Teaching/TA; Learning Support; HCA; Youth Work; etc). We are also looking for people with an open and flexible attitude; excellent engagement skills and a passion for working with children and young people around mental health. 

Responsibilities include offering CBT based, self-guided mental health interventions to primary and secondary aged children and young people and their families. This involves individual and group-based support directly with young people, parent-led support, and supporting schools to implement a whole school approach to emotional wellbeing. The posts have scope and opportunity for developing new initiatives and ways of working to support young people’s mental health across South London. 

All posts are based on-site (office/school) and may require flexibility to work across different service areas and interventions. Some evening and/or weekend work may be necessary to meet the needs of young people. 

This is a training position where the post holder will undertake training at Kings College London alongside working in service for Off The Record. Applicants will need to be ready to start work in early January 2027 and posts cannot be offered to candidates unless they can guarantee this start date. 

Shortlisted candidates will also need to submit an application form to KCL for a place on the Postgraduate Diploma in Child Wellbeing Practice (CWP). Please see links below. 

The full Job Description and Person Specification are attached. 

Applying for the Posts 

To be considered for the position, the Application Form need to be completed and return via email to email address on the application by the end of Sunday 20th September 2026.  Please have in mind we do not accept applications form oversees residents. 

We understand some candidates may want to use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we also want to learn more about the authentic you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences wherever possible. In the spirit of transparency - we also ask that you indicate if you have used AI in your application.

Decisions about who to invite for interview will be based on how well someone demonstrates that they meet the person specification for the specific post, so please make sure you complete the application form fully and accurately, giving evidence of how you meet each point in the person specification and indicating your relevant knowledge, skills and experience. Please note that CVs will not be considered. 

Email applicants will receive a confirmation of receipt and shortlisted candidates will be contacted as soon as possible after the closing date. 

Children & Young People’s Practitioners, Children’s Home
Hours: Full-Time (36 hrs p/wk) or Part-Time (24 hrs p/wk)
Salary: £26,400 plus £1,500 in bonuses, rising to £29,000 pa + benefits FTE, pro rata for Part Time
Location: A Children home in London, SW8 (Zone 2)

Could you make a BIG difference to a young person’s life?

We’re looking for people with energy, warmth, ambition, and personality who want more than just a job.

At Young Futures, you’ll have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with young people in care, help them develop confidence and independence, and support them to achieve things they may not yet believe are possible.

We invest in you, too

We’re passionate about learning and professional development. As soon as practicable, we’ll enrol you onto a relevant Diploma programme and give you the time, support and incentives to succeed and progress your career.

Could this be you?

We’re particularly interested in people who bring:

• Experience with young people – perhaps through mentoring, coaching, teaching, youth work, or a similar role.
• Warmth, kindness, and humour – the qualities that help genuine relationships grow.
• Strong values and a real commitment to inclusion and opportunity.
• Good judgement – including the ability to recognise risk and respond confidently and appropriately.
• Ambition and curiosity – with a desire to learn, develop and become exceptional at what you do.

A role with variety and purpose

You’ll play an active role in supporting each young person’s health, education, relationships, independence, and everyday life.

You’ll also have the chance to lead a specialist area of work, bringing your own strengths and interests to the home — for example sport, culture, and the arts (SCAs).

Working hours are daytime shifts, scheduled between 8am and 9pm, giving you the opportunity to be present for the parts of the day that matter most — from morning routines and education through to activities, appointments and evening support.

This is an important, hands-on role where your ideas, energy and relationships can have a lasting impact.

Please note that only women are eligible to apply for the Residential Practitioner position at our all-female unit, under Section 7(2) (b) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. 

Timescales

Applications submissions: ASAP and before 7pm Wednesday 16th September
Interviews: 1st Round online on Teams from Friday 18th September
Start date: October 2026

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

No agencies please.