Posted on: 30 September 2026
(EMHP) roles across West Yorkshire. The roles offer paid work in a Mental Health Support Team (MHST), alongside a fully funded postgraduate diploma.
Trainee EMHPs work with parents, carers and support staff to help create an environment where pupils feel understood, emotionally safe and more confident in managing anxiety, stress and low mood.
As part of the role, EMHPs provide one-to-one support using low-intensity, evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), deliver group sessions and help children and young people understand and manage their emotions using trauma informed and strengths-based approaches.
Trainee EMHP roles are offered as full-time, one-year fixed-term posts at NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) Band 4, with progression to a qualified EMHP role on NHS AfC Band 5 on successful completion of the programme.
Sonya Robertshaw, Workforce Project Lead at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: "Trainee Educational Mental Health Practitioners play a vital role in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in schools and colleges across West Yorkshire. The programme combines learning with practical experience, giving trainees the opportunity to support children and young people when they need it most while building a rewarding career.”
"We want our workforce to reflect the diverse communities of West Yorkshire and strongly encourage applications from men, people from ethnically diverse backgrounds, and individuals with a range of life experiences and perspectives. Bringing together different voices and experiences strengthens our teams and helps us provide the best possible care for the children, young people and families we support”
To find out more about Educational Mental Health Practitioner training and opportunities in West Yorkshire, visit the Educational Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) training page.
Mental Health Support Teams were first set up in England in 2018/19. They work in schools and colleges to give children and young people early support with their mental health and wellbeing. NHS England reported that 714 teams were open in May 2025. The national plan is for MHSTs to cover all schools in England by 2029/30.