Mental Health Lead

We are looking for a Mental Health Lead to oversee the whole academy's approach towards mental health and wellbeing.

This will include the way in which it is reflected in the design of behaviour policies, curriculum and pastoral support, how staff are supported with their own wellbeing and how students and parents are engaged. You will also forge effective links with NHS mental health services. 

About Us

In terms of the school more broadly, Harris Battersea achieved progress results that placed the school within the top 1% nationally for the fifth year running. With a Progress 8 score of 0.96, students achieve more than one grade higher than they would in an average school. Such progress, alongside the best A-level results in Wandsworth, reflect the exceptional dedication with which everyone in the academy has applied themselves.

People who choose to work with children are choosing a demanding career and it is our aim to make sure that staff are as well supported as they can be. We have a zero tolerance approach to anything that interrupts the learning in a classroom and our central team that deals with both behaviour and homework detentions does so to make sure that our staff are as free as possible to do the three things that matter most: mark, plan and teach.

Any position in education is inevitably laden with values and ideals and we are a school built on a shared ownership of these. We wish to give our students the very best start that we can in life and, through hard work and determination, we hope that our values and ideals take shape as something recognisable in the futures that we help build.

Main Areas of Responsibility

• To act as a co-ordinator of the mental health provision across the Academy.
• To support the identification of students at risk of, or showing signs of, mental ill health by triaging, assessment, therapeutic support, safeguarding support as well as developing Individual Action Plans and signposting to appropriate organisations internally and externally.
• To work alongside the Academy’s Safeguarding Team, SENCO, Counsellors and other members of staff in co-ordinating support for students who present with mental health difficulties.
• To keep up to date knowledge of the local mental health services and working with clear links into students’ mental health services to refer students to NHS services where it is appropriate and by maintaining a triage and referral process for mental health support and monitor referrals to outside agencies.
• To produce reports and analysis aimed to highlight key areas for review and contribute to the development of the service.
• To develop and manage effective working relationships with Progress Managers and Academic Coaches to ensure the service operates in line with student needs.
• To develop and deliver resources on mental health for our induction process of both students and staff. This includes providing information and support to new students and staff.
• To keep staff up to date with initiatives and understanding of how to support mental health, through briefings, team meetings or written communications.
• To create and maintain a high quality and comprehensive range of information for students, such as self-help materials, on-line resources and a range of tutorials based on mental health that students will access through various portals.
• To create marketing and promotional material such as posters, leaflets, information cards and booklets to increase awareness and understanding of student mental health which need to be tailored to suit various social media platforms.
• To make working links with relevant external agencies and represent the Academy at external forums relevant to the area of work.
• To be actively involved in service development by developing a student mental health policy as well as developing guidelines for staff and students on how to support and manage mental health difficulties.
• To ensure policies and practices are adhered to in supporting students requests for assignment deadline extensions, considerations for exam arrangements, mitigating circumstances applications.
• To attend relevant conferences and workshops to keep up to date with knowledge, skills and understanding of student mental health in the region.
• To establish and maintain a database of sources of referral and professional contacts.
• To organise and promote effective mental health, resilience and wellbeing to staff across the Academy. This could include 1:1 consultations with staff, bespoke training for departments and organising access to external training providers. Also, by supporting staff in contact with students with mental health needs to help raise awareness and give staff the confidence to work with students.
• To organise and promote effective mental health, resilience and wellbeing to students across the College. This could include bespoke awareness sessions for students, information sessions at whole college events and early intervention planning with vulnerable groups of students.

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualification in Mental Health Support, ideally to Level 5 or above
• Understanding of relevant legislation and good practice within the realm of Mental Health Support Services.
• To have an understanding of safeguarding in any setting.
• Ideally, safeguarding training with a focus on mental health, and a first aid qualification
• Experience of working with young people
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act and other legislative framework relevant to education and support
• Extensive recent experience as a qualified Support Worker, Nurse or Mentor
• Relating knowledge of a range of therapies and interventions that promote improved mental wellbeing to support individual students

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level to senior leadership.

We look for talented individuals who share our vision for creating exceptional places of learning, and are committed to ensuring that every child in London has access to the best possible education.

In addition to the opportunities for career progression, training and development, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Before applying, please review our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.