Principal Psychotherapist, Psychologist or Psychological Therapist

Job responsibilities

The Parenting Well with Psychosis Project is a 3-year partnership which has been funded by the Maudsley Charitys Living Well with Psychosis Programme. The charity funds initiatives and research to improve the treatment and support the recovery of people affected by psychosis. The Charity also has a focus on work that supports families and carers and addresses inequalities in the experiences of racialised communities with mental health services. Social deprivation, discrimination and racial trauma are all linked to an increased likelihood of developing a psychotic illness. In southeast London, rates of psychosis are up to two times higher than the UK national average, some of the highest rates in Europe with Black men and women disproportionately affected both in prevalence and in their experience of mental health services and treatment. The Lead role is a 3-year fixed term contract. The lead will develop, co-ordinate and ensure the systematic provision of the culturally sensitive Parenting Well with Psychosis project. This includes responsibility for leadership, strategy, supervision, finance and clinical governance. The Lead will also be able to work clinically within the Helping Families Team and within the partnership holding a small caseload, depending on previous experience and clinical interest. The team will be an example of the Trust Think Family Strategy in practice where integrated care and partnership working are fundamental to whole family assessment, intervention and change. The program emphasizes diversity and inclusion, promoting access to parenting resources for marginalized communities. The Lead will commit to ensuring families from local Black communities, who are disproportionately affected by a diagnosis of psychosis, are invited to contribute to the design, delivery, evaluation as well as be in receipt of the programme as part of their care plan. Create and co-lead the Steering Group alongside service users, peer supporters, community members, community organisations, and Trust leads. We have a clear set of principles and values that guide the way we create partnerships and how we engage respectfully and honestly with families and professionals. Develop and deliver Think Family professional training focusing on empowering practitioners to consider the needs of children and young people impacted by parental mental illness. Coordinate delivery and supervise Being a Parent-Enjoying Family Life parenting groups, an evidence-based, 10-week parenting group intervention for parents dealing with mental health difficulties co-delivered by peer supporters and clinicians. The intervention will empower parents by building family resilience, supporting them to mentalise their experiences of being a parent and increasing their confidence in parenting their children. To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment. Lead on the evaluation of the project alongside peer supporters and service users. To undertake service evaluation, audit, research and policy development. To ensure that systems are in place and working effectively for the clinical and professional supervision and support of other psychologists and multi-disciplinary colleagues within the Parenting Well team Clinical responsibility for child and adult safeguarding and clinical risk management of families being supported by the project.

Qualifications

Essential

• To have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work and occupational therapy OR to have equivalent relevant experience and demonstrable competence to work in the mental health field in the NHS. (A/I)
• Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration. (A/I)
• Completed training course in clinical supervision and/or accredited to supervised qualified psychological practitioners in relevant discipline. (A/I/R)
• Registered with professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/ACP/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP-UK. (A/I)

Desirable

• Post-qualification training in areas relevant to Parenting and /or Psychosis
• Management qualification, management training course completion or line management experience

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in parental mental health or areas that align with parental mental health (A/I)
• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in parental mental health or areas that align with parental mental health (A/I)
• Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. (A/I)

Desirable

• The Trust encourages and welcomes applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges. We see this as valuable and recognise the positive impact this experience can have on the work we do. (A/I)
• Experience of group delivery
• Experience of working alongside and championing colleagues with lived experience
• Post-qualification experience of specialist assessment and intervention for adults with Psychosis; Mood disorders; Personality Disorders and/or parents with neurodivergence

Knowledge

Essential

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of adults, children and young people, and families impacted by mental health challenges (A/I/R)
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities. (A/I/R)
• To deliver psychological/psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences. (A/I/R)

Desirable

• Advanced understanding of the Family Partnership model, Helping families Programme, and Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities evidence-base and models.
• Advanced understanding of Early intervention Psychosis evidence-base and models.

Skills

Essential

• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information. (A/I/R)
• Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups. (A/I/R)
• Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups and sensitively managing, a number of people's needs simultaneously within the context of therapeutic work/consultation. (A/I/R)
• Advanced skills in professional supervision; including skills for offering live supervision of multi-disciplinary colleagues. (A/I/R)

Desirable

• Project Leadership including recruitment, budget management, project management, reporting, dissemination (A/I)
• To adapt evidence-based models to improve service provision and service user acceptability (A/I)
• To value and be able to work in partnership with peer supporter and people with lived experience. (A/I)

Abilities

Essential

• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles. (A/I/R)
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate. (A/I/R)
• Ability to manage highly complex situations involving multiple difficulties, and competing/conflicting views about those difficulties; and to help create contexts that develop systemic engagement, and harness the strengths and abilities of those involved in order to work towards solutions (A/I/R)

Desirable

• Ability to understand and work with marginalised communities and families who have experienced significant levels of grief and trauma, including loss of a family member. (A/I)
• Ability to working Partnership with families, colleagues and multi-agency professionals. (A/I)

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).