Support for Study Mental Health Advisor

at  Kings College London

Job id: 106888. Salary: £44,105 - £51.485 including London Weighting Allowance.
Posted: 06 February 2025. Closing date: 16 February 2025.
Business unit: Students & Education. Department: Student Conduct & Appeals.
Contact details: Emilia Kondratowicz. Emilia.Kondratowicz@kcl.ac.uk
Location: Waterloo Campus. Category: Professional & Support Services.
About us
The Support for Study (SfS) Team at King’s leads on the University’s process where there are concerns for students’ health and wellbeing which are impacting on their ability to engage with their studies. SfS is part of the Student Conduct and Appeals, which sits within Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS).
The role is for a mental health specialist to assist colleagues in understanding the needs of students who are referred to the University’s ‘Support for Study’ pathway.
The primary purpose of the role is to attend meetings, speak with students about any current mental health issues, relevant history and their current or planned support, and make as to potential avenues for additional support (both internally and externally), and any concerns around risks to the safety of a student, or others, as a result of current unwellness.
SSWS are part of the Students & Education Directorate, a collection of wide-ranging professional services in place to support King’s students and their education. As a directorate we manage the student lifecycle from application to graduation and beyond, to ensure a coherent and seamless student experience and effective administrative processes, working closely with King’s faculties to do so.
About the role
Support for Study Mental Health Specialist
King’s College London is seeking a compassionate and experienced mental health professional to join our dedicated Support for Study (SFS) team. In this vital role, you will provide expert clinical guidance and support to students experiencing mental health challenges that may be impacting their ability to study.
This is a full time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered an indefinite contract.
Key Responsibilities:
To undertake informal assessments of students referred to SfS, in order to ascertain the nature of their presenting problems and how best to ensure the meeting format and structure meets their needs.
To attend SfS meetings as the mental health representative on the staff panel, to advise on considerations regarding mental health, including how to mitigate risk in planning outcomes and to help determine the most appropriate course of action for students in line with SFS and KCL Safeguarding policies
To attend regular weekly meetings, both with SfS and University colleagues more widely where SfS cases are referred and discussed, and to work closely with King’s Counselling and Mental Health Service to ensure students receive appropriate follow-up support.
Engage with students in one-on-one meetings to provide guidance and support on SFS decisions, with compassion and empathy.
To support Faculty Designated Safeguarding Officers or other colleagues in Stage 2 meetings with students where there are emerging or moderate mental health concerns impacting on their studies.
Within the bounds of confidentiality, to liaise as appropriate with academic and non-academic staff regarding individual students and to liaise as appropriate with external professionals and institutions for example, GPs, psychiatric or other mental health services, specialist services e.g. Eating Disorder Clinics.
The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.
About you
To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:
Essential criteria

Qualifications & Training

• Relevant work experience and/or education: We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. Relevant work experience might include work in Student (Further or Higher Education) Counselling Services, the NHS or with Third Sector Mental Health Providers.
• Relevant educational experience will include a clinical mental health training leading to accreditation with a professional registering body such as UMHAN, NMC, BPS, BACP, HCPC, UKCP or BABCP

Skills & Experience

• Experience of undertaking mental health and risk assessment and management, including standardized assessment protocols and relevant clinical outcome measures, and the confidence to make dynamic decisions and support plans.
• Experience of working with neurodiverse individuals experiencing mental health difficulties to consider support needs and safety planning.
• Experience of attending case conferences or other multi-disciplinary discussions for individuals presenting with a wide range of mental health difficulties.
• Experience of referring cases into NHS and voluntary sector bodies and working closely with such services on complex cases.
• Confidence with managing sensitive personal data in line with GDPR regulations.
• Excellent IT and administration skills, including administrative self-sufficiency (e.g. diary management, letter writing, etc.)

Knowledge

• You will possess specialist knowledge of issues relating to student mental health, including the assessment and management of risk, mental health assessment, crisis management and external referral of cases where appropriate.

Desirable criteria

Qualifications & Training

• Post-qualification training in specific mental health conditions or interventions

Skills & Experience

• Experience of working in a HE institution.
• Experience of triage and treatment planning for individual cases
• Experience of delivering training, workshops and presentations

Knowledge

• Expert knowledge of the mental health issues and support needs of students and/or young adults.
• Knowledge of legislation relating to mental health.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description
Further information
We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.
We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King’s.
We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.
To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.
We are not able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK

Please refer the Job description for details