Mental Health Clinician - Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health

• Waiora CBD, 87 Alexandra Street, Hamilton
• Fulltime, permanent – 80 hours per fortnight (Monday to Friday during office hours)
• This engaging opportunity enables you to utilize your knowledge and skills to positively impact the health outcomes of children and young people experiencing significant mental health challenges

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

You will be working with a well-established, supportive child and adolescent mental health team that consists of mental health clinicians with a wider range of experiences and backgrounds. You will have the opportunity to develop professionally through a thorough induction period and a range of learning opportunities. 

Key responsibilities:

• Deliver core clinical activities such as a mental health assessment, including risk to self or others, treatment planning and recovery-orientated therapeutic interventions (individual / group) that are culturally relevant to our service users and their families/ whanau.
• Deliver discipline specific interventions.
• Provide whanau inclusive care
• Work in collaboration with other members of the specialist team and professionals from other health and social care backgrounds to ensure that service users receive seamless, high quality mental health care.

To view the position description for Social Worker click here, Registered Nurse click here or Occupational Therapist click here.

About the Team

We are a community-based secondary mental health service offering specialist assessments and therapeutic support for infants, children, and adolescents facing serious mental health challenges. As a service, we have a strong emphasis on family/ whanau involvement in the young person’s recovery journey.

The team provides services Monday to Friday during office hours. With service users/ tangata whaiora based both locally and rurally, this role also provides an exciting opportunity to work closely with the communities in which people live.

Our clinicians work within a multi-disciplinary team to get the best outcomes and apply evidence-base practices in an individual or group setting.

About Hamilton

Hamilton, where Waikato Hospital is situated, is a vibrant city nestled alongside the scenic Waikato River, offering a perfect mix of nature and culture. Explore the stunning Hamilton Gardens, home to themed gardens from Italy to Asia, or visit the Waikato Museum to delve into the region's rich history. The city also boasts the Hamilton Zoo, where you can walk through an aviary filled with native birds. Hamilton is a lively hub, with a variety of cafes, restaurants, and bars, along with events like rugby, cricket, and the famous National Agricultural Fieldays and Balloons over Waikato festival. With its vibrant atmosphere and proximity to outdoor adventures, Hamilton is an ideal place to live and work.

For more information on living and working in Waikato click here

About you

Suitable candidates will have:

• A current Annual Practicing Certificate - Social worker, Occupational Therapist or Registered Nurse.
• A full, NZ driver’s licence with no limitations.
• At least 2 years post registration experience.
• An understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi and cultural competencies required in the service.
• Expertise in Mental State Examination and Risk Assessment.
• Excellent written, verbal, and nonverbal communication skills.
• Excellent problem solving and communication skills.
• Previous experience working with children/ adolescents.
• Previous experience using therapeutic interventions with children/ adolescents.
• The ability to remain calm, person-centered and patient with well-developed de-escalation skills.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To apply please click “Apply online” or apply via our Waikato Careers website by clicking here.

All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal before 11:59 pm on 26 January 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Heidi Steyn or Lily de Bruin on +64 7 839 8886

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.