Job summary
PALMS (Positive behaviour, Autism, Learning disability, Mental health Service) is evolving and we want to welcome additional clinicians to be part of our vibrant multidisciplinary team which includes Clinical Psychologists, Positive Behaviour Analysts, Systemic Therapists, Learning Disability Nurses, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Practitioners, Speech and Language Therapists and Outreach Workers.
With the continued evolution of PALMS we are seeking to appoint an additional Outreach Worker who is a motivated and forward thinking clinician and leader who can work flexibly and is committed to supporting CYP and their families across Hertfordshire and the full PALMS' team
The PALMS team is well regarded, friendly, cohesive and proactive with excellent outcomes. We value feedback and empower all team members to contribute to the continuous development of the service and their own professional development and welcome innovation and change.
*Proposed interview date: 30-Jul-2025*
Main duties of the job
The ideal candidate will be:
o Dedicated to supporting CYP with an intellectual disability and/or are autistic and their families.o Passionate about and have a desire to contribute to change in a vibrant NHS teamo Collaborative in their approach to work with families, networks, and other serviceso Able to work both in a team environment and autonomouslyo Able to maintain a high degree of professionalism when working in settings where there is a highly emotive atmosphere.o Flexible in their approach and have resilience under pressure
About us
PALMS works across Hertfordshire providing a specialist multi-disciplinary approach. PALMS is one of the Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) which offers individually tailored support for children and young people (CYP), aged 0-18 who have an intellectual disability and/or are autistic, helping families to manage behaviours of concern, toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns which have not benefitted from community interventions and/or to support mental health needs which cannot be met with reasonable adjustment by other CYPMH services. Interventions include intervention workshops, intervention groups, individual therapy, parent as therapist sessions, and a family clinic. PALMS aims to keep children and young people with their families thereby improving outcomes for all family members. PALMS predominantly applies narrative, systemic, positive behaviour, and bio-psycho social models adhering to the STOMP / STAMP and Transforming Care Agendas.
Job description
Job responsibilities
PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to service need and personal circumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.
We can offer you:
Regular clinical and professional supervision including opportunities to meet as a team including peer reflection Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development. This includes specific support with regards to fulfilling the PALMS role. Opportunities to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team and learn from other evidence based frameworks and approaches. Opportunities to provide clinical supervision and line management to other members of the PALMS team as appropriate. Opportunities to connect with local and national networks Involvement in providing training.
A full valid driving licence and access to a car insured to use for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010). Applicants to be aware that PALMS work within the ULEZ zone and any charges due to non-compliant vehicles cannot be reimbursed by the Trust.
Interviews will be run either in person at one of our bases or using Microsoft Teams, full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.
Closing date: midnight 20th July 2025Interview date: 30th July 2025
Word versions of documents are available if needed to allow for any adaptations to be made i.e. font, colour, background, convert to Read Aloud.
Job description
Job responsibilities
PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to service need and personal circumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.
We can offer you:
Regular clinical and professional supervision including opportunities to meet as a team including peer reflection Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development. This includes specific support with regards to fulfilling the PALMS role. Opportunities to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team and learn from other evidence based frameworks and approaches. Opportunities to provide clinical supervision and line management to other members of the PALMS team as appropriate. Opportunities to connect with local and national networks Involvement in providing training.
A full valid driving licence and access to a car insured to use for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010). Applicants to be aware that PALMS work within the ULEZ zone and any charges due to non-compliant vehicles cannot be reimbursed by the Trust.
Interviews will be run either in person at one of our bases or using Microsoft Teams, full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.
Closing date: midnight 20th July 2025Interview date: 30th July 2025
Word versions of documents are available if needed to allow for any adaptations to be made i.e. font, colour, background, convert to Read Aloud.
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant Post graduate study (E.g. Clinical Psychology, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Social Work) or be able to demonstrate further skills based training
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
Desirable
- A professional qualification relevant to mental health practice e.g. nursing, social work, occupational therapy, or equivalent field.
Experience
Essential
- Experience in mental health care setting or behavioural setting (E.g. impatient, community, residential).
- Experience of working with parents/carers
- Experience of working with CYP with an intellectual disability and/or are autistic
- Skills to provide on-going assessment, monitoring of mental health and behavioural needs.
- Previous work with children and young people, either directly/indirectly (or personal experience of providing care)
- Experience of working with individuals who have mental health concerns and behaviour of concern.
Desirable
- Experience of using observation to contribute to the assessments of children
- Experience of behaviour data collection
- Experience of service quality monitoring
- Experience of working therapeutically with parents/carers/families of children and young people
- Experience of supporting them to implement behaviour strategies and/or skills teaching programs.
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary Team
- Experience of autonomously carrying out assessments in order to determine the most appropriate intervention plan.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Understand a range of communication styles when working with children and young people
- An understanding of the impact of Intellectual Disability, Autism and mental health difficulties and behaviour of concern on family life.
- An understanding of the principles of risk assessment and risk management planning.
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and /or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
Desirable
- Experience with children and/or young people in crisis.
- Ability to integrate complex clinical information into a coherent formulation.
Other
Essential
- Willingness to uphold the Trust's values
- Eligible to live and work in the UK
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
- Willingness to travel to alternate locations to provide services.
Personal Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work with children & young people whose behaviour is personally challenging
- Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships and boundaries with young people
- An interest in, and commitment to, working with children who have an intellectual disability and/or are autistic and/or have mental health difficulties
- Flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the child/young person.
- Good organisational skills and an ability to manage competing service demands.
- Capable of using initiative and maintaining professional boundaries.
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant Post graduate study (E.g. Clinical Psychology, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Social Work) or be able to demonstrate further skills based training
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
Desirable
- A professional qualification relevant to mental health practice e.g. nursing, social work, occupational therapy, or equivalent field.
Experience
Essential
- Experience in mental health care setting or behavioural setting (E.g. impatient, community, residential).
- Experience of working with parents/carers
- Experience of working with CYP with an intellectual disability and/or are autistic
- Skills to provide on-going assessment, monitoring of mental health and behavioural needs.
- Previous work with children and young people, either directly/indirectly (or personal experience of providing care)
- Experience of working with individuals who have mental health concerns and behaviour of concern.
Desirable
- Experience of using observation to contribute to the assessments of children
- Experience of behaviour data collection
- Experience of service quality monitoring
- Experience of working therapeutically with parents/carers/families of children and young people
- Experience of supporting them to implement behaviour strategies and/or skills teaching programs.
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary Team
- Experience of autonomously carrying out assessments in order to determine the most appropriate intervention plan.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Understand a range of communication styles when working with children and young people
- An understanding of the impact of Intellectual Disability, Autism and mental health difficulties and behaviour of concern on family life.
- An understanding of the principles of risk assessment and risk management planning.
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and /or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
Desirable
- Experience with children and/or young people in crisis.
- Ability to integrate complex clinical information into a coherent formulation.
Other
Essential
- Willingness to uphold the Trust's values
- Eligible to live and work in the UK
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
- Willingness to travel to alternate locations to provide services.
Personal Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work with children & young people whose behaviour is personally challenging
- Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships and boundaries with young people
- An interest in, and commitment to, working with children who have an intellectual disability and/or are autistic and/or have mental health difficulties
- Flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the child/young person.
- Good organisational skills and an ability to manage competing service demands.
- Capable of using initiative and maintaining professional boundaries.
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).
