Education Mental Health Practice PGDip (EMHP)

Please note: Recruitment for 2024 has now concluded. This page is in the process of being updated for 2025

About the Course

The Educational Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) is a professional role and an exciting opportunity to deliver evidence-based early interventions for children and young people and parents/carers in educational settings. It is a full time, year-long employment training programme on completion of which, trainees will qualify as an EMHP, one of the key roles in Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs). 

This programme is part of the national Children and Young People’s Mental Health (CYP-MH) transformation programme, a shared initiative between the Department for Education and Health Education England that supports the government’s priority to increase access of mental health and well-being support for children and young people.

The training is accessed through employment within an existing NHS, Local Authority or Voluntary Sector mental health service working within CAMHS. The course will follow a blended learning approach with some teaching online and some face-to-face in small groups, including workshops and seminars.

The training will be delivered as part of lectures, seminars, and skills sessions; allowing EMHPs to put the skills they have learnt into practice as part of role plays and group discussions. Over the course of the year the training will focus on:

1. Fundamental Skills: CYP Mental Health Settings: Context and Values
2. Fundamental Skills: Assessment and Engagement
3. Evidence Based Interventions: Theory and Skills
4. Working, engaging, and assessing in educational settings
5. Common problems and processes in educational settings
6. Interventions for emerging mental health difficulties in educational settings

If you would like further information about the EMHP programme at King’s, please refer to our course brochure:

KCL EMHP Wave 10 Jan 2024 - Programme Brochure.pdf

For more information about CYP-MH courses at KCL, please contact cyp-mh@kcl.ac.uk.

For information about the EMHP programme based at UCL (Anna Freud Centre), please visit the AFC website.

How to apply

The EMHP programme is not a standalone CYP MH training course. The programme requires potential candidates to apply for both the University led training course and the role within a  participating mental health service.

Service application process

We expect services to begin advertising from mid-late August 2023. This is often through sites such as jobs.nhs.uk and healthjobsuk.com so we recommend setting up automatic job searches/notifications with the following terms:

• ‘Education Mental Health Practitioner’
• EMHP

KCL application process

It is essential that you read the information below carefully prior to completing the application.

• Please be sure to complete all the sections of the form with all relevant information (all questions with a red asterisk next to them are mandatory and you will not be able to submit without answering these).
• You must submit a completed application form – we cannot process any incomplete applications.

To apply: click on the following link to apply to KCL online: https://apply.kcl.ac.uk/ (Please use either Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser. The application portal is not optimised for Internet Explorer).

For information on how to apply to KCL online, please refer to the application guidance:

KCL EMHP Wave 10 Jan 2024 - KCL Application Guidance.pdf

When to apply

The KCL application portal will open on the 31st of July 2023. The deadline for applications is Monday 20th November 2023.

Services will begin advertising in roles between Aug/Sep 2023 and Nov/Dec 2023. Teaching for the EMHP course will start on Monday 22nd January 2024.

Entry requirements

• Qualifications: Normally, a minimum of a second-class Bachelor’s degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in a relevant academic 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; Counselling, etc)*

*Applicants who do not fulfil the academic criteria are encouraged to apply and may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further queries.

• Experience: Evidence of prior experience working with children and young people is preferred.
• English Language requirements: Capability to complete academic work at postgraduate diploma level, including IELTS or equivalent to the appropriate level for students with English as a foreign language (BAND D). https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/entry-requirements/english-language.aspx
• Motivation to undertake the course.

Recruitment updates

Please find below a list of trainee roles currently being advertised by available services. Please note: this list is updated when roles become available.

Service	Recruiting for:	Application deadline:	Recruitment link:
Kent & Medway	CWP and EMHP	Closed	Closed
 SLaM Lewisham	EMHP	Closed	Closed
NELFT Redbridge	EMHP	Closed	Closed
Southwark Groundwork	EMHP	Closed	Closed
Croydon MHST	EMHP	Closed	Closed
Haringey	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Islington	EMHP	TBC	TBC
City & Hackney	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Waltham Forest	EMHP	Closed	Closed
Newham	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Barking and Dagenham	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Croydon Drop In	Closed	Closed	Closed
Merton	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Sutton	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Kingston	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Richmond	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Brent	EMHP	Closed	Closed
Harrow	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Hillingdon	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Hammersmith & Fulham	EMHP	Closed	Closed
Hounslow	EMHP	TBC	TBC
Bromley Y	EMHP	TBC	TBC

FAQs and mailing list

If you would like to receive further updates on the application process and deadlines, please subscribe to our mailing list below.

[EMHP Mailing List]

I don’t meet the academic requirements, can I still apply?

While candidates are advised that they must meet the entrance criteria we do often receive applications that do not meet this and will always discuss and review these on a case by case basis with the course team and site. We can’t confirm for certain at this stage whether your application would be deemed eligible but would encourage you to apply, please do include as much detail and evidence RE qualifications and work experience as you can in your application.

Should I apply to KCL or sites first?

As there is sometimes a cap on applications received on NHS Jobs, we would recommend applying for the sites first, in order to avoid any disappointment should an advert be taken down early. Our KCL application portal for the January 2024 intake will open on 31st July 2023 remain open until 23.59 on 20th November 2023. However, please note that a KCL application should be submitted in tandem with an application to a site or trust - the site/trust shortlisting process involves cross-checking the NHS Jobs application against the university application. Applicants will not be invited to interview unless both applications have been checked.

How is the programme funded/How much will I get paid?

Training and university teaching is funded by Health Education England. Successfully appointed EMHP students will be paid at rate equivalent to the NHS Agenda for Change Band 4 for the duration of their training.

Is the site/Trust vacancy I am appointed to permanent/guaranteed?

Unfortunately, we are unable to confirm if the post held during training is ongoing or guaranteed once the course is complete - this varies depending on the site. We would advise that students contact the site or trust directly for further information.