East London NHS Foundation Trust

Arts Therapist (Art,Music, Drama, Dance Movement)

The closing date is 04 January 2026

Job summary

As an HCPC registered Allied Health professional, reporting to the Lead Arts therapist in your directorate, you will develop and provide specialist Arts Therapy to one patient/one ward using your own arts therapy modality (Art, Music, Drama or Dance Movement) within the Forensic Learning Disabilities and Autism (LDA) service.

As part of the ELFT Trust wide Arts Therapies you will work as an integrated and collaborative team member upholding the Trust values, 'We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive' and maintaining a holistic approach to promote effective functioning of the team and patient-centered care of service users.

As part of improving population health, improving access to therapies, preventative engagement and meeting service user needs, this post will be embedded on one of our Specialist Autism Medium Secure Service wards. You will not only deliver trauma informed specialist arts therapy but also support Psychology, OT and the wider MDT with co- produced and collaborative work. Experience of working with forensic and learning disabilities and autism is essential.

Main duties of the job

To plan, provide and develop specialist patient-centered Arts Therapies including assessment, treatment and evaluation of individual and group work using own Arts Therapies modality.
Evaluate work on an ongoing basis with an emphasis on using appropriate service user reported experience and outcome measures to measure and demonstrate effectiveness.
Manage and supervise allocated staff, including trainees
Regularly undertake Quality Improvement, Research and Audit
Provide a range of teaching and training to multi-professional staff, service users and carers as required
Take a designated role in local service leadership and development
Maintain registration with HCPC and relevant professional bodies (eg BAAT,Badth)
Maintain own self-care and ability to practice.

About us

East London Foundation Trust is one of the largest employers nationally of Art, Music Drama and Dance Movement Psychotherapists covering City and Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets , Bedford and Luton and Forensic Directorates both inpatient and wider community services. We are one of the largest providers of arts therapies placements with a commitment to provide bespoke CPD opportunities and training for our arts therapists, opportunities for research and development and partnerships with community arts, the voluntary sector and other NHS Trusts

Date posted

19 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£51,488 to £57,802 a year per annum pro rata Inc HCA

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

363-FOR7657093

Job locations

John Howard Centre

12 Kenworthy road

Homerton London

E9 5TD

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information relating to this vacancy please see attached job description and person specification.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information relating to this vacancy please see attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

Degree in relevant area
MA ( or equivalent) in post title Arts Therapies modality
For Art Therapist/Psychotherapist, Music Therapist and Dramatherapist : registration with HCPC

Desirable

For Dance Movement Psychotherapists registration with UKCP
Membership of Arts Therapies professional Body
Clinical Supervision Training
Further training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area

Experience

Essential

Post qualification experience as an Arts Therapist working with this client group in both group and individual work.
Working with service users with challenging and/or unpredictable behavior.
Clinical supervision of a trainee Arts Therapist
Assessing Service Users and making recommendations to a Multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

Providing Arts Therapy teaching/training to a variety of audiences.
Working as an Arts Therapist in a Multi-Disciplinary team
Providing Arts therapies as part of research or clinical trial

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Developed interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed and maintained.
Ability to adapt and use a range of specialist skills in skills in individual and group based arts therapies assessments and interventions

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

Degree in relevant area
MA ( or equivalent) in post title Arts Therapies modality
For Art Therapist/Psychotherapist, Music Therapist and Dramatherapist : registration with HCPC

Desirable

For Dance Movement Psychotherapists registration with UKCP
Membership of Arts Therapies professional Body
Clinical Supervision Training
Further training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area

Experience

Essential

Post qualification experience as an Arts Therapist working with this client group in both group and individual work.
Working with service users with challenging and/or unpredictable behavior.
Clinical supervision of a trainee Arts Therapist
Assessing Service Users and making recommendations to a Multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

Providing Arts Therapy teaching/training to a variety of audiences.
Working as an Arts Therapist in a Multi-Disciplinary team
Providing Arts therapies as part of research or clinical trial

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Developed interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed and maintained.
Ability to adapt and use a range of specialist skills in skills in individual and group based arts therapies assessments and interventions

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.

UK Registration

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

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Howard Centre

12 Kenworthy road

Homerton London

E9 5TD

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Howard Centre

12 Kenworthy road

Homerton London

E9 5TD

Employer's website

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