Education mental health practitioner — Lauren Stack

Lauren used experience from her PGCE to help her secure a job as an education mental health practitioner and now loves supporting children and young people with their wellbeing

What degree did you study?

I completed an English degree at Coventry University in 2015 followed by a PGCE at Birmingham City University in 2016/17. I then completed the EMHP Postgraduate Diploma in 2022/23.

How did you get your job?

I found my job with Birmingham Women's and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust on the NHS jobs website. The interview consisted of a panel with my employer and the university. I was asked some competency based and scenario based questions particular to the role, around working in schools, working with children/young people and mental health.

What's a typical working day like?

A typical day consists of delivering one to one cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions for children and young people. When I am not delivering one to one sessions, we deliver whole school approach sessions which can include whole class workshops on various mental health topics, assemblies, parent groups and education staff training.

I also attend meetings with my team, including supervision where I get to discuss my caseload and how best we can support the children/young people with their wellbeing.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

My favourite part of the job is getting to work with children and young people to support them with their wellbeing and provide them with the skills and knowledge to become their own therapist.

I also really enjoy delivering whole school approach sessions and seeing the impact that this can have on the school environment for not just the young people but the education staff and parents too.

It has also been great to work with people from many different mental health/therapeutic backgrounds and to be able to learn from them throughout my role.

What are the challenges?

Managing a caseload of young people and the admin that comes with it can be challenging. But as long as you are organised and can assure you allocate enough time to complete each task, it is definitely manageable.

Working remotely in this role can also be a challenge as it means you mainly work independently. You therefore need to make sure you can ask for help with a phone call or email to your colleagues and supervisors.

In what way is your degree relevant?

I think that my PGCE has been the most helpful as I have been able to apply my experience of working with children and young people and also knowledge of working within a school environment. I think it has also helped with the whole school approach as I have experience of being a class teacher so can have another perspective.

How has your role developed and what are your career ambitions?

I have recently qualified and am now a Band 5 and so my caseload has increased, which means I get to see more young people and also develop further as a practitioner. I would like to progress to a senior practitioner role to be able to support young people further and also other EMHPs.

What advice can you give to others wanting to get into this job?

• Make sure you showcase your people and communication skills as well as passion for working with children and young people.
• Don't be disheartened if you feel that you don't have specific mental health experience. Having experience of working with young people within schools is also important and you will learn so much about CBT at university.
• Get really good at reflecting. Being able to reflect on your practice, identify your strengths and how you can improve will help massively throughout your training and beyond.

Find out more

• Read all about being an education mental health practitioner.
• Take a look at the teaching and education sector.