Practitioner jobs in East of england

We're looking for someone who is passionate about creating safe spaces for young people and volunteers. Join Girlguiding as a senior safeguarding practitioner and play a key role in delivering high-quality safeguarding practice across the organisation. You’ll manage complex cases, oversee triage of new concerns, and provide expert advice on investigations and appeals.

You'll work closely with volunteers and staff, ensuring timelines and effective responses to safeguarding concerns while driving improvements. From developing safeguarding related policies and procedures to supporting strategic projects, your expertise will help us ensure safeguarding is our first priority and at the heart of everything we do.

We’re looking for someone with strong case management experience, excellent communication and decision-making skills, and a thorough understanding of safeguarding legislation, guidance and best practice. Experience of case management, line management support and team development and working with stakeholders at all levels is essential.

About Girlguiding

Girlguiding is the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls. We’re over 300,000 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers, who come together to laugh, learn, explore and have adventures, in communities across the UK and virtually. We're almost 80,000 volunteers who make guiding happen by giving time, talent and enthusiasm. Girls can do anything. We’re a powerful collective voice – with girls, led by girls – changing the world for the better.

Girlguiding values the differences that a diverse workforce brings and is committed to inclusivity, and to employing and supporting a diverse workforce. We are proud to work with a number of organisations who support us to create and maintain a culture that celebrates diversity and champions inclusion in the workplace. While Girlguiding’s young members may be women only, our staff team is mixed gender. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

Girlguiding operates a hybrid working arrangement where office based staff are required to attend the office on average two days a week, or 40% of working time across the year. Location allowance is payable to those who work in accordance with out hybrid working model. We’re committed though to supporting our staff to achieve a good work-life balance and offer flexible working options wherever we reasonably can. All staff are required to carry out our online health and safety training and complete a DSE risk assessment to ensure we can provide the support you require. 

We strive to ensure our recruitment processes are accessible to everyone. If you would like to receive any information in a different way or would like support in helping you to apply, please get in touch with us.

Responsible to: Youth Services Manager

Hours: Full time 37 hours (Job share considered)

Salary: £27,500

Based: Hybrid (Bedford + one day per week in Q:alliance Head Office, Milton Keynes)

Contract: Fixed term for 2 years, with possibility of extension (subject to funding)

Closing Date: 18th February 2026 at 23:59

Interview Date: Tuesday 3rd March

Context

Q:alliance provides support, information, and representation for LGBTQ+ young people in Bedford, drawing on our wider experience delivering established services across Milton Keynes for the last 50 years.

We have detailed knowledge of the issues and challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals and organisations locally, and it is our goal to create more safe spaces and resources to ensure the LGBTQ+ community in Bedford is visible, well represented, and supported.

Scope

This is a newly created role within our Bedford services, delivering Q:alliance’s established youth support model developed in Milton Keynes and shaping pathways and support that respond to local need in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire.

You will manage a one-to-one caseload of support for LGBTQ+ young people, while building relationships with schools and developing a collaborative schools’ network informed by young people’s insights. You will also develop and deliver LGBTQ+ inclusion training for teachers, education staff, and youth workers. This work will contribute to safe, affirming environments that strengthen resilience, wellbeing, and mental health.

You will work closely with the Youth Services Manager and youth teams across our service areas, building on existing Q:alliance provision in Bedford, where a dedicated youth team already leads on LGBTQ+ youth group delivery.

The role includes outreach across Bedfordshire’s urban and rural communities, supporting young people who may experience increased isolation due to limited access to LGBTQ+-affirming spaces.

You will work collaboratively with the Youth Services Manager to agree outreach and engagement targets, contributing to effective monitoring and reporting systems to ensure robust evidence of impact.

What you’ll bring to the team

This role is a key opportunity for Q:alliance to grow our work in Bedford, build local relationships, and better understand and respond to the needs of LGBTQ+ young people across the area. You will play a central role in shaping a new service, reaching young people who may not yet be connected to support, and helping both staff and the board of trustees develop a strong, place-based understanding of LGBTQ+ youth experiences in Bedford.

You will act as a first point of contact for schools, colleges, and youth settings in Bedford, building trusted relationships and establishing a collaborative network of school and college leads. You will share insights gathered through this work with the wider Q:alliance team, helping to strengthen our responses to local need and inform the development and sustainability of services, including future funding.

You will help ensure continuity of support between schools, our support spaces and Q:alliance’s wider youth service provision.

Main Responsibilities

· Networking – Support teachers, education staff and youth workers to access resources, implement inclusive learning environments and provide support for LGBTQ+ young people in their settings. Develop a network of school representatives to provide peer-support on shifting needs, priorities, and situations in a local and national context.

· Data capture and intelligence - Support Q;alliance’s commitment to sustaining a contemporary data and monitoring mechanism, guaranteeing we can deliver thorough evaluations of our services and competent feedback to our funders and stakeholders on the efficacy of our work. Analyse local intelligence directly from LGBTQ+ youth communities and use this to co-produce plans with young people to ensure our youth services are engaging and meeting needs.

· Support, information and empowerment – develop and implement resources for 1:1 education and resilience work with LGBTQ+ young people, provide support and advocacy for young people, ensuring effective signposting to relevant services and collaboration with parents, guardians, teachers and education staff where appropriate.

· Innovation – work with the Youth Services Manager, school representatives and young people to innovate a schools accreditation system that will acknowledge and cultivate schools’ competence to provide safe spaces and support for LGBTQ+ young people.

· Stakeholder and community engagement – Forge and support enduring relationships with key partners, strengthening our commitment to building an alliance of cross-sector compassionate advocates for the LGBTQ+ community in its diverse forms.

· Education – Plan, develop and deliver positive and engaging classroom workshops and school assemblies to a wide range of young people, ensuring key messages are inclusive of diverse perspectives, including those from black and minoritized communities.

· Training - Develop and deliver training for teachers, education staff and youth workers with the aim of improving the wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth communities and the capacity of those with the power to assist in this endeavour.

Skills and Experience

Expertise

· Experience working with and supporting young people

· Experience of developing and sustaining a network

· Ability to deliver innovative education and training packages, delivery, and evaluation

· Knowledge of the challenges affecting young LGBTQ+ people

· Knowledge of issues affecting young people’s mental health and the skills required to build resilience

· Excellent planning, organisation and administrative skills

· Expertise in safeguarding young people, ensuring welfare of all by following policy and procedures in relation to recognising, recording, and responding to safeguarding concerns and liaising with the Designated Safeguarding Lead

· Ability to observe strict confidentiality at all times with respect to matters concerning young people and the schools, colleges and youth settings in which you support through your role in the developing network

· Capable to respond to a young person in crisis, signposting to appropriate resources and support.

Communication

· A high standard of written English, including an ability to write thorough reports, make referrals to partner agencies, maintain outreach files, and record minutes of forum meetings

· An engaging and charismatic public speaking style with the ability to adapt delivery style dependent on context and audience

· Ability to adopt a positive constructive language style when talking to young people 1:1

· Confidence to communicate with relatives, guardians, social workers and related professionals or advocates of young people

· Knowledge of social media and a recognition of the role it plays in young people’s lives

Behaviours

· Skills in forming constructive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels

· Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of professional boundaries when working with young people and the importance of consistency

· Passionate about equality, the rights of LGBTQ+ people and neurodiversity.

· Evident desire to improve service delivery using co-production initiatives with young people

· An ability to listen with empathy and act compassionately

· Competence to work on own initiative and demonstrate innovation and creative problem solving

· Model conduct essential for successful teams, such as reliability, honesty and courage

Desirable

· Qualifications in youth work, teaching or mental health support

· LGBTQ+ lived experience

Other

· Full driving license and use of own vehicle

· Ability to work flexibly, with occasional evening and weekend working

· Commitment to further personal development and training

· Please note: Enhanced DBS is required for this role

The LGBTQ+ Youth Outreach Practitioner will have responsibility for the following documents.

· Contact Evaluation forms/data capture

· Monthly Outreach Report

· Resource library pertaining to our work with young people

· Network minutes (schools forum)

Apply via our website and complete an application form

Permanent contract

Sessional Hours

Location: London Borough of Newham

Salary: £15.49 Per hour (sessional rate)

Hours: 0 Hour contract, sessional hours, working flexibly

Please note the number of hours for this position cannot be defined in advance therefore these hours will be arranged as and when required. Likely hours are afternoons/evenings and some weekend work available.

The Children's Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We run local services that support children when they are at their most vulnerable and in desperate need of help. We're there for children, every step of the way.

The Children's Society are investing in a new young people's wellbeing hub in the London Borough of Newham. This is an exciting and unique opportunity to shape a service as part of The Children's Society's mission to reverse the decline of children's wellbeing by 2030.

We believe support should be provided at the earliest possible opportunity, before young people reach crisis point. The service will be set up as a hub, with opportunities to expand to other delivery sites (spokes) and will be designed so that young people do not need an appointment to access support.

The service will work with young people holistically, offering a combination of information, advice, signposting, targeted activities, and therapeutic interventions that respond to young people's individual needs, so that they can regain and maintain their wellbeing.

As part of a service design process, we've been working collaboratively with professionals, young people, communities, and others in Newham to develop solutions that respond directly to children's needs.

KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

In order to be successful in this role, you must have:

-Excellent understanding of the emotional health and wellbeing needs of children and young people in the local community, informed by current research and evidence bases.

-Experience of working in a trauma-informed and inclusive way. Including working holistically to see, support and respond to young people's 'whole selves'.

-Knowledge and experience of delivering brief interventions / therapeutic interventions (e.g. Solution Focused Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy).

INFO ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S SOCIETY

The Children's Society runs over 100 local services that help thousands of young people who desperately need our support, and we campaign to get laws and policies changed to make children's lives happier and safer.

Every day we're changing the lives of children in this country for the better - and with your help, tomorrow we can be there for even more.

The Children's Society is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our services.

Therefore, candidates applying for work in our Youth Impact domain will be required to complete an “Employment history_template” document prior to interview. The fully completed document should be loaded by the candidate at the point of uploading your CV.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 4th February 2026.

Interviews dates TBC

IN1

Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner - Children’s Home - Croydon

Location: Children's Homes, Croydon.

Contract Type: Permanent/ Part time/15 hours a week.

Salary: Equivalent of £ 40,000 per annum for full-time (40 hours per week). Part-time role of 15 hours per week will be paid pro rata at £ 15,000 per annum.

Specific Hours: Flexible (Mondays to Fridays).

Looking for fantastic career progression, excellent training and therapeutic support? Join our committed and professional team and make a difference to young people living in residential care, where no two days are the same!

About Us

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher's is a leading charity for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK & Isle of Man.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities.

St Christopher’s Academy

At St Christopher`s we can provide more than just a care job. We can offer you a career where you can develop your skills and knowledge while making a difference to young people’s lives.

When you join St Christopher’s, we will set you up in your career with a tailored development plan. Whether you want to move across to a different service, become a Manager or just explore further your current role, we will support you to map out your career trajectory and help you achieve your professional ambitions. 

We are proud that 84% of all our Team Leaders, Deputies and Managers are internal promotions.

About the role

As a Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner, you will play a key role in supporting and guiding our staff teams to deliver high-quality, person-centred behaviour support for the children in our care. You will carry out functional assessments, develop tailored PBS plans, and deliver both direct and indirect interventions to ensure each child’s individual needs are met. In addition, you will provide advice, coaching, and training to staff and carers, working collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to promote consistent, safe, and effective support.

Applicants should have

• A higher-level qualification (university degree) in a relevant field such as Psychology, or a Health and Social Care vocational qualification.
• Do you have a recognised qualification/training in Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), or be willing to undertake this training.
• Strong knowledge of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) theory and its practical application.
• An understanding of current best practices and guidelines for managing challenging behaviour, including approaches that promote restraint reduction.
• A basic understanding of safeguarding regulations and procedures.
• Previous experience supporting children and young people to reach their full potential.
• Proven experience working with children with learning disabilities, autism, and complex behavioural needs.
• Experience implementing physical interventions appropriately and safely and using PBS in practice.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with experience of working within multidisciplinary teams.
• The ability to respond professionally and effectively to challenging behaviour.
• A genuine commitment to supporting children and young people, with the ability to build trusting relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Strong teamwork skills, flexibility, creativity, enthusiasm, and energy to inspire and encourage young people to achieve their goals.
• Flexibility to work outside office hours where applicable.
• A commitment to undertaking mandatory training (via e-learning or in-person courses) and to ongoing continuous professional development.
• Willingness to attend regular supervision.

What you should expect from us

• Competitive Salary.
• A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.
• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.
• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.
• Discretionary funded training programs.
• Employee awards based on performance and length of service.
• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s, we are fully committed to safeguarding all children and young people in our care. As part of the recruitment process, you will be required to complete an online application form so we can gather the information needed to meet legislative, best practice, and vetting requirements. Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; however, if this is not the case, St Christopher’s will carry out a DBS check prior to your start date.

Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria outlined in the Person Specification. CVs will not be accepted.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview at our Head Office in Putney, SW London.

Please note:

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
• This post carries a minimum age requirement of 21 for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation settings, in line with the Equality Act’s occupational requirement provisions.
• It is illegal to apply for any role involving work with children or young people under 18 if you are barred from working with children.
• All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be required to complete a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form, which must be returned before an interview can be scheduled.

Practitioner Psychologist

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

Job Title: Practitioner Psychologist

Location: Based in Croydon. Unfortunately this service does not have step free access.

Salary: £60,000 (Full Time Equivalent) Equivalent 8A NHS Banding

Shift Pattern: 22.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday working between 09:00 - 17:00, although some flexibility may be required at times with service needs. Working days can be agreed upon next stages of the interview process. 

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced Registered Practitioner Psychologist with a background in clinical psychology to join our team in Croydon.

The service offers a psychologically informed environment across four sites, providing low to high support forensic mental health services to our residents with forensic mental health needs, complex conditions, and dual diagnosis.

In this role, you will drive the delivery of evidence based psychological assessments and interventions aimed at the rehabilitation and reintegration of our residents into the communities. This is a creative, evolving, and impactful role which works closely with our Group Psychological Lead and wider teams to provide support to staff and at times residents to support in providing a streamlined and psychologically informed service.

Key Responsibilities Include: 

• Provide advice, guidance, and support to the team with supporting our residents to overcome personal challenges and create a supportive environment
• Advise and streamline best practices, and enhance the overall skills and expertise of the team to deliver high quality care and support
• Provide clinical supervision to the team
• Provide highly specialised psychological assessments for our residents with mental health and complex needs
• Exercise full clinical responsibility for residents psychological care as a care coordinator within a multidisciplinary team
• Formulate and implement plans for various therapy routes and management of assessing mental health conditions based upon appropriate conceptual frameworks and evidence-based practices

About You

We're looking for someone who is a self-starter, able to proactively encourage, take leadership and ownership for creating a psychologically informed environment. You will be able to communicate highly complex and sensitive information effectively within the organisation and with external partners, collaborating with external stakeholders regularly in a multidisciplinary approach. You will be able to utilise your own expertise and support in empowering the wider team to enhance their skills to deliver a service which is supportive, safe, and in line with best practice for the organisation and external regulatory bodies. 

• HCPC Registration is essential
• Post-graduate doctoral level training as a Registered Practitioner Psychologist including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
• Previous experience working as a qualified clinical and/or forensic psychologist, including working with people with complex backgrounds/needs and a good understanding of the sector we run our services in
• Ability to teach, train, consult, and deliver clinical supervision
• Understanding of criminology, psychology, and behavioural patterns, and how they link to different behaviours and engagement
• Ability to understand and apply safeguarding protocols as they arise
• Ability and willingness to show flexibility in working patterns, responding to the needs of the service and residents
• Alignment with our values of Ambition, Empowerment, Inclusivity, and Transparency

Please refer to the JDPS attached for more details on the vacancy and our requirements/key criteria.

What we Offer

• 25 days (Full time equivalent) annual leave, increasing with the length of service
• Employer Pension Contribution
• Eligibility to register with Blue Light Discount Card
• Access to discounted tickets for music events, shows, sports and more
• Reflective Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing at work
• Training and Development, including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
• Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Annual Staff Awards
• EDI Ambassador programme

About Social Interest Group (SIG)

SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings, probation settings, and hospitals. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, Kent and Liverpool. Our goal is to transform lives through empowering change. 

We believe good care and support improves lives with the vision to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. Join us on our mission to empower independence through trauma-informed solutions and dynamic partnerships that keep people out of prison, out of hospital, and off the streets.
Want to know how we work? Watch our short Theory of Change video to see how we support people towards a brighter future: Theory of Change Further details can be found on our website here: Theory of Change - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group. 

Additional Information

Please note that this job advert may close early due to screening applications on an ongoing basis. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.

Please note that as part of our process, we complete an enhanced DBS check, some roles may require further vetting. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us on the details below. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship, please ensure you have full right to work in the UK prior to applying to our positions. 

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Community Engagement Officer to play a pivotal role in our Haringey HVCS Service.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

This role involves working within a multidisciplinary NHS team to support adults with moderate to severe mental illness by holding a caseload of service users and serving as their key contact throughout care planning, progress monitoring, and discharge, using the RiO system. The post-holder collaborates with individuals to develop person-centred recovery plans focused on social goals and community integration, building therapeutic relationships through trauma-informed, strength-based approaches. They support access to local resources, appointments, wellbeing activities, and peer or psychoeducational groups, while promoting recovery-focused, jargon-free communication and advocating for co-production and integrated care. Liaising with statutory and voluntary organisations ensures smooth service navigation and warm handovers, while active participation in clinical meetings and community events helps represent both Hestia and the Community Mental Health Team. The role also requires accurate documentation of all support activity, adherence to safeguarding and health and safety procedures, and engagement in supervision, training, and continuous professional development.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

The ideal candidate will hold an NVQ Level 4 in Care or possess at least two years' experience working in a mental health setting, with a strong understanding of mental health issues, recovery principles, and co-production. They will have a solid grasp of care planning, risk assessment, recovery tools, and relevant legislation such as the Mental Health Act. The role requires excellent communication and relationship-building skills, alongside the ability to facilitate groups effectively. Candidates must be confident using IT systems, including electronic case management tools, and be able to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment. A commitment to person-centred, trauma-informed practice is essential, as is resilience, adaptability, and the ability to maintain professional boundaries. Desirable attributes include lived experience of mental illness or secondary care services, peer support training, familiarity with local resources, and skills in training, mentoring, report writing, presentations, or multilingual communication.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Community Engagement Practitioner to play a pivotal role in our Enfield VCS service.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary NHS team alongside clinicians, social workers, and community partners to support adults with moderate to severe mental illness. Holding a caseload of service users, you will act as their key contact, contributing to care planning, monitoring progress, and supporting safe discharge using the RiO clinical records system. Together with service users, you will develop person-centred recovery plans focused on social goals and community integration, building strong therapeutic relationships through trauma-informed and strength-based approaches. You will help individuals access local resources, attend appointments, and engage in wellbeing activities, peer support, and psychoeducational groups. Collaboration is central to the role, as you will liaise with statutory and voluntary organisations, attend clinical meetings and community events, and advocate for recovery-focused, jargon-free communication. You will ensure accurate documentation, uphold safeguarding and health & safety standards, and actively participate in supervision, training, and professional development.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

Here's what the team will be looking for

We are looking for someone with NVQ Level 4 in Care (or equivalent) or at least two years' experience in a mental health setting. You will bring a strong understanding of mental health issues, recovery, and co-production principles, alongside experience of working collaboratively with professionals, services, and communities. Knowledge of care planning, risk assessment, recovery tools, and the Mental Health Act is essential, as are excellent communication, relationship-building, and group facilitation skills. You should be confident using IT systems, resilient and adaptable, able to work independently or as part of a team, and committed to person-centred, trauma-informed practice.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Community Engagement Practitioner to play a pivotal role in our Haringey Volunteer Community Service in Haringey.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

This role involves working within a multidisciplinary NHS team to support adults with moderate to severe mental illness by holding a caseload of service users and serving as their key contact throughout care planning, progress monitoring, and discharge, using the RiO system. The post-holder collaborates with individuals to develop person-centred recovery plans focused on social goals and community integration, building therapeutic relationships through trauma-informed, strength-based approaches. They support access to local resources, appointments, wellbeing activities, and peer or psychoeducational groups, while promoting recovery-focused, jargon-free communication and advocating for co-production and integrated care. Liaising with statutory and voluntary organisations ensures smooth service navigation and warm handovers, while active participation in clinical meetings and community events helps represent both Hestia and the Community Mental Health Team. The role also requires accurate documentation of all support activity, adherence to safeguarding and health and safety procedures, and engagement in supervision, training, and continuous professional development.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

The ideal candidate will hold an NVQ Level 4 in Care or possess at least two years' experience working in a mental health setting, with a strong understanding of mental health issues, recovery principles, and co-production. They will have a solid grasp of care planning, risk assessment, recovery tools, and relevant legislation such as the Mental Health Act. The role requires excellent communication and relationship-building skills, alongside the ability to facilitate groups effectively. Candidates must be confident using IT systems, including electronic case management tools, and be able to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment. A commitment to person-centred, trauma-informed practice is essential, as is resilience, adaptability, and the ability to maintain professional boundaries. Desirable attributes include lived experience of mental illness or secondary care services, peer support training, familiarity with local resources, and skills in training, mentoring, report writing, presentations, or multilingual communication.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

Job Title – Senior Practitioner - Intercountry Assessment Team

Contract - Permanent

Hours -35 hours per week

Salary - £42,000 per annum (currently under review)

Location – Coram Campus, with home working

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

About CoramIAC

CoramIAC is a Voluntary Adoption Agency which specialises in Intercountry Adoptions.

CoramIAC have been working with families adopting from across the world for over 26 years. CoramIAC is a charity, not-for-profit and an accredited, legally registered adoption agency. We run outstanding services to support children and families affected by adoption. With the majority of our adopters being from the global majority, adopting from countries where they have connections. We have a diverse staff team. We have had four consecutive outstanding judgements from Ofsted.

About the role

We are currently advertising a senior practitioner within our Assessment team.

The role of the Assessment Senior Practitioner is to provide Coram IAC’s Intercountry assessment and support services in accordance with adoption guidance and regulations. To help coordinate intercountry adoption assessments, quality assuring and overseeing the work of sessional social workers.

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing Date: Monday 26th January 2026

Interview Date: Tuesday 3rd February 2026

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.