L&D Partner / Mental Health Specialist Childrens

We are recruiting for an experienced Mental Health Specialist Trainer / Learning and Development Partner to join a growing children's service supporting residential and educational settings across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, with occasional travel to Yorkshire.

This is a home-based role with regular travel and overnight stays as required.

Salary: £45,000-£50,000 depending on experience and qualificationsHours: Full-time, 40 hours per week

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified mental health professional with experience in children's services to play a key role in developing and delivering high-quality training programmes across residential and educational services.

You will support staff teams working with children and young people with complex mental health, trauma-related, emotional, and behavioural needs. The role focuses on strengthening workforce confidence, competence, and therapeutic practice through engaging, evidence-based learning and development.

Working closely with operational leaders and multidisciplinary teams, you will identify emerging training needs and design both core and bespoke learning interventions to support safe, trauma-informed, and psychologically informed care.

Key Responsibilities

Deliver specialist training across children's residential and educational servicesDesign and develop engaging learning programmes aligned to legislation and best practiceSupport staff working with trauma, anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, attachment difficulties, and self-injurious behaviourPromote trauma-informed and relationship-based approachesDeliver workshops and bespoke interventions tailored to service needsSupport and upskill Learning and Development colleagues in specialist mental health practiceMaintain accurate training records and evaluationsEnsure training content remains current, evidence-based, and compliantBuild positive relationships with managers, operational teams, and multidisciplinary professionalsProvide guidance and support relating to mental health and complex presentations in children and young people

Training topics may include:

Safeguarding ChildrenTrauma-Informed PracticeMental Health AwarenessNeurodiversityPACEEmotional WellbeingAnxiety and DepressionSelf-Injurious BehaviourPositive Behaviour SupportMedication AwarenessEmergency First AidChild Sexual Exploitation and Missing from HomeLigature Awareness

About You

We are looking for a confident and experienced trainer with a strong background in children's mental health and trauma-informed practice.

Essential requirements:

Professional qualification in a mental health-related field such as Mental Health Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, or similarMinimum 3 years' experience within children's residential services, mental health services, education, or related settingsExperience supporting children and young people with complex mental health and behavioural needsStrong understanding of trauma-informed care and therapeutic practiceExperience delivering specialist training programmesExcellent communication and relationship-building skillsStrong IT, literacy, and organisational skillsFull UK driving licence and access to a vehicleAbility to travel regularly across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, with occasional travel to Yorkshire

Desirable:

Training or teaching qualificationPrevious experience within Learning and Development or staff training roles

What's on Offer

Opportunity to influence and improve practice across children's servicesSupportive and collaborative working environmentCareer development and ongoing professional learningMeaningful role supporting positive outcomes for children and young people

To apply or find out more, please get in touch for a confidential discussion.