Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Family and Systemic Psychotherapist

The closing date is 05 October 2025

Job summary

We are excited to be recruiting two part-time Family & Systemic Psychotherapists (Band 7) or Trainee Family & Systemic Psychotherapists (Band 6) to join our Mood, Emotions and Relationships (MERs) pathway within Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD).

We have one vacancy in North Devon (22.5 hours) and one in Exeter and East Devon (30 hours). This is an excellent opportunity to join a supportive multi-disciplinary team providing systemic therapy to children, young people and their families experiencing complex emotional and mental health challenges.

We welcome applications from qualified Family & Systemic Psychotherapists as well as those currently undertaking qualifying training. Trainees will receive protected study time, supervision and support to develop their skills and gradually build a caseload.

You will deliver evidence-based systemic therapy, contribute to assessments, care planning and interventions, and support colleagues to embed family-focused practice. We offer regular systemic supervision, a collaborative team culture, and ongoing professional development.

Main duties of the job

Complete systemic assessments to identify strengths, risks and needs to inform care planning for children and young people referred to MERs (CAMHS).
Provide evidence-based systemic therapy in line with NICE guidance.
Manage a caseload of children and young people with moderate to severe mental health needs, ensuring timely, person-centred interventions (caseload will be supervised and graduated for trainees).
Work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary colleagues and partner agencies.
Contribute to service development and quality improvement.
Maintain clear clinical records in line with professional and organisational standards.

This role is ideal for motivated practitioners or trainees who are passionate about supporting children, young people and families experiencing complex emotional and relational challenges.

About us

Successful applicants will be employed by Devon Partnership Trust (https://jobs.dpt.nhs.uk/locations/working-here )

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) comprises an Alliance of NHS organisations working together to improve health outcomes for children and young people in Devon.

CFHD provides integrated care and treatment for children and young people across physical and mental health. We are working closely with other organisations and providers to ensure we deliver locality and county-wide based integrated access to all of our services, based on the i-Thrive Framework, in response to consultation with our service users and communities.

CFHD works closely with our local universities of Plymouth, Exeter & the Peninsula Medical School where we support students in clinical training placements and in addition support our own staff to undertake post graduate training.

Our integrated care and treatment has been developed and refined in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers.

Our children and young people say

We would like the people who work for Children and Family Health Devon to be understanding, patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make us feel safe and comfortable. It is important that they use their skills and experience to listen carefully in a non-patronising and non-judgemental way. When staff are positive and friendly, they help to create an environment that is informal and without pressure.

Date posted

17 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-25-0571

Job locations

Children & Family Health Devon

Bittern Road

Sowton Industrial Estate

Exeter

EX2 7FW

Integrated Childrens Services

Fishleigh Road

Roundswell Business Park

Barnstaple

Devon

EX31 3UD

Evergreen

Victoria Park Road

Exeter

EX2 4NU

Job description

Job responsibilities

Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Masters level qualification in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy
Active registration with the UKCP as a Systemic and Family Therapist

Desirable

Post qualification specialist therapy / assessment training relevant to children and young people
Post qualification training or proven equivalent experience in supervision

Experience

Essential

Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers, including using goal-based care and routine outcome measures in practice.
Experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team and across agencies
Experience of working systemically with a range of children and young people with complex needs, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal abuse
Experience in providing effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.
Experience of safeguarding children and ensuring their safety in partnership with other agencies as appropriate.
Experience that evidences an ability to attend to diversity and work in a way that promotes anti-discriminatory practice
Experience of initiating, attending and contributing to multi-professional and inter-agency meetings.
Experience of managing and processing emotionally distressing information, seeking support as required

Desirable

Experience of undertaking specialist assessment and evidence-based systemic interventions, with the ability to work with complex needs and undertake risk assessments

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

Ability to travel across Devon and work in a variety of locations, e.g. clinic base, schools, home visits
High level knowledge of clinical presentations in children/young people

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Masters level qualification in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy
Active registration with the UKCP as a Systemic and Family Therapist

Desirable

Post qualification specialist therapy / assessment training relevant to children and young people
Post qualification training or proven equivalent experience in supervision

Experience

Essential

Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers, including using goal-based care and routine outcome measures in practice.
Experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team and across agencies
Experience of working systemically with a range of children and young people with complex needs, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal abuse
Experience in providing effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.
Experience of safeguarding children and ensuring their safety in partnership with other agencies as appropriate.
Experience that evidences an ability to attend to diversity and work in a way that promotes anti-discriminatory practice
Experience of initiating, attending and contributing to multi-professional and inter-agency meetings.
Experience of managing and processing emotionally distressing information, seeking support as required

Desirable

Experience of undertaking specialist assessment and evidence-based systemic interventions, with the ability to work with complex needs and undertake risk assessments

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

Ability to travel across Devon and work in a variety of locations, e.g. clinic base, schools, home visits
High level knowledge of clinical presentations in children/young people

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.