South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Perinatal Peer Support Worker

The closing date is 15 September 2025

Job summary

This is a brilliant opportunity for an Expert by Experience to join the service and to help develop peer support within Perinatal Services on a fixed term basis for 12 months.

The post holder will contribute their lived experience knowledge and expertise in supporting the organisation to embed peer-led, recovery-focused services.

Perinatal Community Services are a mental health team, offering assessment and treatment to mums (and families) during the perinatal period. The services operate on Monday to Friday 09:00 - 17:00.

It will assist mothers to establish greater control over their lives, help to identify aspects of life that give meaning, hope, value and purpose whilst recognising that an individual's recovery is a distinct and deeply personal process thus improving the mother/infant relationship and parenting confidence.

As part of the Perinatal team the post holder will provide practical, individual/group support to mothers within the service using their own lived experience and role modelling to enhance the therapeutic relationship and enable mothers to achieve their individual recovery goals.

Main duties of the job

This role is to support mothers during the perinatal period working as part of Perinatal Community Services and the Mother & Baby Unit (MBU).

As part of the Perinatal team the post holder will provide practical, individual support to mothers within the service using their own lived experience and role modelling to enhance the therapeutic relationship and enable mothers to achieve their individual recovery goals.

About us

NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organizations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

Date posted

01 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£30,546 to £32,207 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-NUR-7386839-LF

Job locations

Lambeth Perinatal Mental Health Team

Mary Sheridan Centre, Wooden Spoon House, 5 Dugard Way, SE11 4TH

London

SE11 4TH

Job description

Job responsibilities

To act as a role model to service users and their partners and families to inspire hope that recovery is possible.
To act as a role model to service users and their partners and families to inspire hope that recovery is possible.
To work in a way that acknowledges the personal, social, cultural and spiritual strengths of the person.
To assist with group work.
To be aware of, teach others and challenge issues in relation to stigma, low expectations and anti-discriminatory practice as appropriate.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To act as a role model to service users and their partners and families to inspire hope that recovery is possible.
To act as a role model to service users and their partners and families to inspire hope that recovery is possible.
To work in a way that acknowledges the personal, social, cultural and spiritual strengths of the person.
To assist with group work.
To be aware of, teach others and challenge issues in relation to stigma, low expectations and anti-discriminatory practice as appropriate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to GCSE or equivalent level/or evidence of competency specifically in English and Maths.
Lived Experience Training or willingness to complete training

Desirable

Other evidence of relevant training

Experience

Essential

Personal experience of mental health difficulties and recovery
Willing to positively share your own life experiences, with service users and carers and colleagues
Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties (paid or voluntary)

Desirable

Experience of delivering peer support services
Personal experience of perinatal mental health difficulties and recovery

Knowledge / Skills

Essential

To be able to share lived experience in way that is safe and useful
Able to demonstrate an understanding of the Values of Peer Support
Ability to demonstrate empathy, compassion and patience
Ability to demonstrate knowledge of personal recovery and boundaries

Desirable

Good relationship with community centres and community groups
Good relationships with healthcare professionals within trust boundaries
Knowledge of recovery based tools such as Wellbeing and Recovery Action Plans or goal setting

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to GCSE or equivalent level/or evidence of competency specifically in English and Maths.
Lived Experience Training or willingness to complete training

Desirable

Other evidence of relevant training

Experience

Essential

Personal experience of mental health difficulties and recovery
Willing to positively share your own life experiences, with service users and carers and colleagues
Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties (paid or voluntary)

Desirable

Experience of delivering peer support services
Personal experience of perinatal mental health difficulties and recovery

Knowledge / Skills

Essential

To be able to share lived experience in way that is safe and useful
Able to demonstrate an understanding of the Values of Peer Support
Ability to demonstrate empathy, compassion and patience
Ability to demonstrate knowledge of personal recovery and boundaries

Desirable

Good relationship with community centres and community groups
Good relationships with healthcare professionals within trust boundaries
Knowledge of recovery based tools such as Wellbeing and Recovery Action Plans or goal setting

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.

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lambeth Perinatal Mental Health Team

Mary Sheridan Centre, Wooden Spoon House, 5 Dugard Way, SE11 4TH

London

SE11 4TH

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lambeth Perinatal Mental Health Team

Mary Sheridan Centre, Wooden Spoon House, 5 Dugard Way, SE11 4TH

London

SE11 4TH

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)