Job summary
We're offering an exciting opportunity for a compassionate, motivated Therapeutic Support Worker to join the Psychological Skills Service (PSS). This role involves delivering trauma-informed formulation-driven support work and brief psychological interventions.
PSS supports individuals with significant mental health challenges who are able to maintain relative wellbeing without intensive service input. Many may have tried therapies like CBT in the past and found them less helpful than expected.
Our approach is rooted in psychological formulation, guiding tailored interventions based on each person's readiness. We draw on phase-based treatment models for complex trauma (Herman, 1992) and the Neuro-sequential Model (Perry, 2006), ensuring care is delivered in the right order and at the right time. PSS aims to improve access to evidence-based therapies, aligned with clinical guidelines for PTSD and Complex PTSD, while remaining responsive to individual therapeutic needs.
Please note for this role you will be required to travel independently around the county meeting strict time deadlines. You will need to hold a full UK driving licence* and have use of a vehicle. You cannot use public transport for this role as this is not a reliable form of transport and will not allow you to meet service needs. Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.
Main duties of the job
You will be part of a team of Clinical, Counselling Psychologists, CBT Therapists; Occupational Therapist, Clinical Associate Psychologists (CAPs), Assistant Psychologists and Therapeutic Support workers. We also have Social Work, Mental Health Nurse and Clinical Associate Psychologist expertise forming our management team.
As a therapeutic support worker, you will fill an important position offering psychologically and occupationally informed support and psychological skills to a group of people previously described as "not ready" for psychological therapy. In our service rather than exclude we think creatively about what type or level of therapy a person can use. The support work will be based on a psychological, trauma informed formulation that will guide how you work with the service user and help them achieve a variety of things including: physical safety and stability, learn skills to help with symptoms that affect them leaving the house/ interacting with others (including emotional regulation), teaching stabilization strategies, and strengthening important social and emotional resources. Work will be a mixture of face to face and online.
About us
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting andempowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high-calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.
Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.
Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.
For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- Building relationships with the client with a view to promoting compassion and ensuring a sense of safety.
- To support people to make their own choices and identify recovery goals that are important to them, using empowerment skill.
- Empower individuals to reclaim and rebuild their lives through short-term, goal focused interventions.
- Promote meaningful activity and connection by helping service users identify values, reduce avoidance, and overcome emotional and cognitive barriers.
- Teach and model psychological skills, including emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and problem-solving.
- Support sensory regulation through sensory-based strategies and participation in the Coping Through the Senses group.
- Enhance community integration by working within the community, building social connections, and signposting to practical support (e.g., housing, finance, employment).
- Support the facilitation of trauma-focused group therapy by reinforcing skills and adapting materials for accessibility.
- Support stabilisation and safety to prepare individuals for psychological therapy, in line with the Neurosequential Model of brain development and trauma recovery.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- Building relationships with the client with a view to promoting compassion and ensuring a sense of safety.
- To support people to make their own choices and identify recovery goals that are important to them, using empowerment skill.
- Empower individuals to reclaim and rebuild their lives through short-term, goal focused interventions.
- Promote meaningful activity and connection by helping service users identify values, reduce avoidance, and overcome emotional and cognitive barriers.
- Teach and model psychological skills, including emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and problem-solving.
- Support sensory regulation through sensory-based strategies and participation in the Coping Through the Senses group.
- Enhance community integration by working within the community, building social connections, and signposting to practical support (e.g., housing, finance, employment).
- Support the facilitation of trauma-focused group therapy by reinforcing skills and adapting materials for accessibility.
- Support stabilisation and safety to prepare individuals for psychological therapy, in line with the Neurosequential Model of brain development and trauma recovery.
Person Specification
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel independently where required.
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems from a trauma informed perspective.
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to the context of people with mental health problems.
Desirable
- Demonstrate knowledge of CFT/ACT or DBT
- Knowledge of specific issues related to ASD/ADHD, and how this interfaces with Mental Health
skills and abilities
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- Communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding.
- Able assess limits of professional boundaries and capacity and understand when to seek appropriate supervision/advice on practice and whom to refer to ensure best care
Desirable
- Recognise and accommodate sensory impairments during all communications and the use of personal communication aids.
- A desire to develop more skills and understanding in psychological therapy delivery
Experience
Essential
- A minimum of 1-year clinical experience within a Mental Health setting such as inpatient, Mental Health Community Team, Learning Disability or Third sector organisations.
- Clinical experience of working on a one-to-one basis with people with mental health problems
- Experience of supporting service users in problem solving/ grading tasks/ structuring daily routines
Desirable
- Experience of assisting in the delivery of therapeutic groups.
- Experience of working with psychologists or occupational therapists
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent level of knowledge and experience, plus knowledge of specific mental health conditions, forms of therapy acquired through training and experience
- Good general education up to GCSE equivalent
- Willingness to undertake training to meet competency framework
- Evidence of relevant short course and in-service training
Desirable
- Additional training relevant to supporting adults with mental health difficulties
Person Specification
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel independently where required.
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems from a trauma informed perspective.
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to the context of people with mental health problems.
Desirable
- Demonstrate knowledge of CFT/ACT or DBT
- Knowledge of specific issues related to ASD/ADHD, and how this interfaces with Mental Health
skills and abilities
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- Communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding.
- Able assess limits of professional boundaries and capacity and understand when to seek appropriate supervision/advice on practice and whom to refer to ensure best care
Desirable
- Recognise and accommodate sensory impairments during all communications and the use of personal communication aids.
- A desire to develop more skills and understanding in psychological therapy delivery
Experience
Essential
- A minimum of 1-year clinical experience within a Mental Health setting such as inpatient, Mental Health Community Team, Learning Disability or Third sector organisations.
- Clinical experience of working on a one-to-one basis with people with mental health problems
- Experience of supporting service users in problem solving/ grading tasks/ structuring daily routines
Desirable
- Experience of assisting in the delivery of therapeutic groups.
- Experience of working with psychologists or occupational therapists
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent level of knowledge and experience, plus knowledge of specific mental health conditions, forms of therapy acquired through training and experience
- Good general education up to GCSE equivalent
- Willingness to undertake training to meet competency framework
- Evidence of relevant short course and in-service training
Desirable
- Additional training relevant to supporting adults with mental health difficulties
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
