Job summary
The Family and Systemic Psychotherapist will be employed by a multidisciplinary Therapeutic Hub, which is a service within Sutton Childrens Services that provides consultations, assessments and therapeutic interventions to the children and families open to social care. Much of the substantive day-to-day work of this role will however be based on-site at the Sutton Tuition and Reintegration Service (STARS). 80% (4 days) of the post-holders working week and workload would be spent supporting STARS, and 20% (1 day) would be spent supporting the work of the Therapeutic Hub.
Main duties of the job
The Family and Systemic Psychotherapist will offer time-limited therapeutic interventions to improve the mental health, emotional wellbeing and educational outcomes of children and young people. There will be opportunities for family interventions to address any family issues that may be contributing to, or being influenced by, the presenting challenges. The ultimate aim of the postholder is to achieve better outcomes for children by supporting their reintegration to school, helping to improve their mental health, and by increasing the stability of the family unit.
This post offers an exciting opportunity for an individual to contribute to the development of this role within both environments. The postholder will also be expected to support service development through sharing knowledge, delivering training and group supervision, and providing high quality casework support.
About us
The Therapeutic Hub is part of the Targeted Early Help and Integrated Support Service. We are an innovative multi-disciplinary team staffed by experienced and qualified practitioners, and the team benefits from the expertise of professionals from mental health, speech and language, education and social care. We work together to offer therapeutic support to children and young people open to Childrens Services who have emerging or complex mental health or behavioural needs. This includes young people who are accommodated in residential or foster care. The range of work with children and families is varied, dynamic and constantly developing in response to changes in the fields of developmental trauma, attachment and neuro-development. The Therapeutic Hub supports the embedding of Sutton's practice models by promoting a restorative and trauma informed approach in our work, not only with children and families but also the systems surrounding them.
STARS is a medical pupil referral unit for children and young people, 5-16yrs, with complex medical needs, who reside in the London Borough of Sutton. STARS provides education and a 12-week intervention for pupils who are unable to attend their mainstream school. Based at The Drapers Centre, STARS is an Ofsted Outstanding education environment who work closely with schools to ensure continuity of education, and to achieve the overall goal of nurturing children and young people back into mainstream school.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Term-time only (39 weeks per year) as per LB Sutton school term scheduling.
36 Hours per week.
1 Year Fixed Term (with the potential to extend, subject to review).
Grade 9 - Salary Range £47,532 - £55,620 (£57,663 unconsolidated maximum)
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
1. Possess substantial post qualification experience in a clinical role working with
2. vulnerable children/families.
3. Ability to work within relevant mechanisms of clinical governance and the ability to maintain high clinical standards when exposed to highly emotive material or behaviours that challenge.
4. Knowledge of factors affecting the emotional wellbeing of vulnerable children,trauma-informed practice and a full and comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of mental health, including good working knowledge of relevant legislation and of current national guidelines and policies related to mental health support, and child protection.
5. Experienced in multi-disciplinary working and undertaking assessments of
6. therapeutic need and using these to aid planning in a multidisciplinary context, including the analysis of complex information and the ability to make sound professional judgements in cases of high risk/complexity.
7. Experienced in delivering a range of therapeutic interventions to support children, young people and families.
8. Experience of service development or of a leadership role.
9. A good understanding of the principles and benefits of supervision and previous
10. experience in facilitating group supervision.
11. Confident working autonomously and ability to work under pressure, use initiative
12. and prioritise workload.
13. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels with a friendly and approachable nature, including delivering training/workshops to professionals
14. Ability to keep accurate, detailed, timely records, where all interventions are
15. documented clearly on the relevant database.
16. Responsibility for own continued professional development, and the ability to
17. advocate with the relevant service lead for areas where further training and
18. upskilling would benefit your overall role.
Qualifications
Essential
19. Professional qualification in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy with appropriate
20. accreditation.
21. Current registration with a relevant professional body.
22. Possess substantial post qualification experience in a clinical role working with
23. vulnerable children/families.