Job summary
Trainee Clinical Placements at East London NHS Foundation Trust:
DANCE MOVEMENT PSYCHOTHERAPY
This is an exciting time to apply for clinical training placements starting in September 2025 at East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) inart therapy/art psychotherapy, dramatherapy, dance movement therapy and music therapy. Each academic year we provide approx. 30 arts therapies trainees with clinical placements through a centralised trainee recruitment programme.
Over 70 arts therapists work across ELFT NHS in East London and Bedfordshire, in a wide range of acute and community services across the lifespan.ELFT NHS is committed to supporting the development of arts therapies to increase the choice and access our service users have to evidence-based therapies. Through our Trust Strategy we are widening the use of arts therapists' skills, including supporting staff well-being and partnership working with external partners and co-production initiatives with experts through experience.
Trainees will receiveexcellent opportunities to participate in service development and Quality Improvement projects and innovative recovery-focused practice in the arts therapies. Support and clinical supervision from skilled arts therapists will be provided throughout your placement. Most placements are 2-day per week (essential for Forensics), and there is only limited availability of 1-day per week placements.
Main duties of the job
To undertake clinical work as requested and approved by the clinical supervisor and placement manager To attend all local training and induction as required by the clinical supervisor and/or local service manager To attend at placement as agreed with the clinical supervisor / service manager, and to ensure the placement and the HEI are informed as soon as possible of any absences To observe Trust policy at all times during the placement, and to seek guidance on policy issues where necessary To be able to engage fully with the opportunities offered at placement as they pertain to discipline specific practice and to wider multi-disciplinary / professional experience To attend weekly clinical supervision with their ELFT supervisor, and to be able to make use of the supervisory relationship, education and guidance as offered by the clinical supervisor and/or by other professionals involved in the placement provision To ensure that all actions on placement are transparent and accountable, and that there is appropriate disclosure / sharing of relevant information pertinent to any aspect of the placement To demonstrate personal maturity and insight in managing all aspects of the placement experience, including the stressors and psychological impact of the work on the trainee To seek guidance from the clinical supervisor, the service manager, or other appropriate ELFT and HEI staff on any matter of concern
About us
Our vision at ELFT is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving thequality of life for all we serve.Our values are: "We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive" - we are looking for enthusiastictrainees who live and breathe our values!
Any further questions can be directed toSheila.Grandison@nhs.net- Training & Development Lead, Arts Therapies, East London NHS Foundation Trust, or elft.placements@nhs.net to contact a Resourcing Officer regarding your online application.
Please kindly refer to the job description and person specification attached to this vacancy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The following criteria are required within your application to ensure an interview:
Essential:
- Enrolled on an Arts Therapies Training Course
- Moving into Year 2 or 3 (full or part time study) in September 2025
- Experience of team working
- Previous experience of providing care to vulnerable client groups
- Awareness of risk management
Desirable:
- Previous experience of mental health-related placement or work (please note this is essential for Forensics placements).
Information on how you meet these criteria can be included in your onlineapplication including within your personal statement section. Please also include details of your arts therapies placements to date and any preference of clinical setting and client group in your NHS placement.
Please note:
- 2 Referee contact details are required for your application to progress -one of which should be your course lead or tutor
- All applications should be discussed and agreed with your course lead/tutor
- All applications must be made online
- Closingdate for all online applications: Tuesday 11th March, 2025
- Interviews will be held throughout April/May via online video conferencing options
Job description
Job responsibilities
The following criteria are required within your application to ensure an interview:
Essential:
- Enrolled on an Arts Therapies Training Course
- Moving into Year 2 or 3 (full or part time study) in September 2025
- Experience of team working
- Previous experience of providing care to vulnerable client groups
- Awareness of risk management
Desirable:
- Previous experience of mental health-related placement or work (please note this is essential for Forensics placements).
Information on how you meet these criteria can be included in your onlineapplication including within your personal statement section. Please also include details of your arts therapies placements to date and any preference of clinical setting and client group in your NHS placement.
Please note:
- 2 Referee contact details are required for your application to progress -one of which should be your course lead or tutor
- All applications should be discussed and agreed with your course lead/tutor
- All applications must be made online
- Closingdate for all online applications: Tuesday 11th March, 2025
- Interviews will be held throughout April/May via online video conferencing options
Person Specification
Training & Development Lead, Arts Therapies
Essential
- Enrolled on an accredited Arts Therapies training course, recognized by the HCPC (or ADMP in the case of Dance Movement trainees)
Desirable
- In second year (or above) of arts therapies training course (Final year students ONLY for Forensics placements)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people who have experienced a range of mental health problems/trauma, within health, social services, education, voluntary sector
- And/or experience as part of training
Desirable
- Completion of one clinical training placement
- Awareness of severe and enduring mental health conditions
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Experience of working with people who have experienced a range of mental health problems/trauma, within health, social services, education, voluntary sector
- Ability to benefit from the clinical opportunities available, including those beyond discipline specific practice
- Good interpersonal skills with service users and colleagues
- Ability to reflect on & critically appraise own performance and to use the clinical supervision process, including accepting guidance and/or instruction where appropriate.
- Good written and oral communication skills appropriate to circumstance.
- Good written and oral knowledge of and communication and expression in the English language.
- Ability to work in a way that minimizes risks to health, safety & security of self, other professionals, service users, & members of the public.
- Basic IT and word processing skills
Desirable
- Evidence of further study in the field of mental health and treatment modalities
- Knowledge of the evidence base for the arts therapies and for different treatment modalities in mental health
- Developed skills in record keeping, report writing, liaison and communication.
- Experience of multi-disciplinary working
Other
Essential
- Commitment to recognise and incorporate learning regarding diversity and equality issues in clinical practice.
Desirable
- Member of a professional association
Person Specification
Training & Development Lead, Arts Therapies
Essential
- Enrolled on an accredited Arts Therapies training course, recognized by the HCPC (or ADMP in the case of Dance Movement trainees)
Desirable
- In second year (or above) of arts therapies training course (Final year students ONLY for Forensics placements)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people who have experienced a range of mental health problems/trauma, within health, social services, education, voluntary sector
- And/or experience as part of training
Desirable
- Completion of one clinical training placement
- Awareness of severe and enduring mental health conditions
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Experience of working with people who have experienced a range of mental health problems/trauma, within health, social services, education, voluntary sector
- Ability to benefit from the clinical opportunities available, including those beyond discipline specific practice
- Good interpersonal skills with service users and colleagues
- Ability to reflect on & critically appraise own performance and to use the clinical supervision process, including accepting guidance and/or instruction where appropriate.
- Good written and oral communication skills appropriate to circumstance.
- Good written and oral knowledge of and communication and expression in the English language.
- Ability to work in a way that minimizes risks to health, safety & security of self, other professionals, service users, & members of the public.
- Basic IT and word processing skills
Desirable
- Evidence of further study in the field of mental health and treatment modalities
- Knowledge of the evidence base for the arts therapies and for different treatment modalities in mental health
- Developed skills in record keeping, report writing, liaison and communication.
- Experience of multi-disciplinary working
Other
Essential
- Commitment to recognise and incorporate learning regarding diversity and equality issues in clinical practice.
Desirable
- Member of a professional association
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).
