Southwark Council

Clinical Practitioner and Senior Clinical Practitioner

The closing date is 23 November 2025

Job summary

Join Southwarks Clinical Service for Children and Families

Every child and young person deserves a good start in life - one filled with safety, love, and opportunities to thrive. At Southwark, were committed to making that a reality, especially for those who need us most. Were now recruiting for two exciting new roles within our Clinical Service:

Senior Clinical Practitioner - Residential Childrens Homes

This is a unique opportunity to be part of the care team supporting looked after children in our local residential homes. You'll work closely with care staff to help them understand and meet the emotional and psychological needs of the children, facilitate reflective practice, and provide direct therapeutic support. You'll also be part of the wider Clinical Service for Looked After Children and Care Leavers, contributing to a holistic and trauma-informed approach to care.

Clinical Practitioner - Safeguarding Families Service

Join our ambitious and supportive social work teams working to improve safety and reduce risks for families in Southwark. This role places you at the heart of our safeguarding efforts, providing clinical input to help families navigate complex challenges. You'll work systemically with children, parents, and carers, offering assessments, interventions, and consultation to social workers and other professionals.

Main duties of the job

About Our Clinical Service

We're looking for UK-registered therapists and mental health professionals such as systemic therapists, clinical psychologists, or those with equivalent qualifications - who are passionate about making a difference.

What You'll Do

As a Clinical Practitioner, you'll:

Work within a systemic framework
Provide consultation, training, and joint work with social work and YOS colleagues
Deliver clinical assessments and interventions to vulnerable children, parents, and carers
Analyse complex clinical data to inform care and legal decisions

About us

Salary and Benefits

Senior Clinical Practitioners (Grade 12): £54,360 - £61,686 per annum

Clinical Practitioners (Grade 11): £50,175 - £57,495 per annum

Both roles receive 10% Registered Mental Health Professional payment supplement whichis subject to annual review and continuation

More information about benefits can be found herehttps://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/

Date posted

07 November 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£50,175 to £57,495 a year Also 10% Registered Mental Health Professional payment supplement

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

F0006-25-0001

Job locations

Sumner House

Sumner Road

London

SE15 5QS

Job description

Job responsibilities

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

To work within a systemic framework providing clinical expertise to assist social work and youth offending practice groups to manage risk and improve outcomes for children and their families. The post holder will provide consultation and clinical expertise to social work and youth justice colleagues and other professionals and also work as part of a central clinical team providing a clinical assessment and therapeutic service to the most vulnerable children and their families.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Responsibilities

1. Lead on the provision of therapeutic consultation and support to children and families within assigned teams and offer advice and support to other professionals in understanding and developing skills in the methods used.

2. Contribute to the assessment of risk and protective factors in cases where there are issues of risk of harm to children.

3. Develop and implement non-judgmental and creative ways of working to meet the emotional and mental health needs of vulnerable children and their families.

4. Provide training in clinical theories, assessment and therapeutic methods to social work colleagues

5. Undertake assessment of therapeutic need and analyse, evaluate the most appropriate therapeutic interventions based on need.

6. Provide evidence based assessment and therapeutic work with vulnerable children and families, including provision of direct therapeutic work to adults (parents/carers)

7. Establish rapport and build and maintain a professional, respectful and honest relationship with children and their families, to develop trust and assist in safeguarding children and promoting positive and timely outcomes.

8. Help evaluate and monitor the service delivered, with a commitment to children and family involvement, including the analysis of complex data and reporting to senior management as required.

9. Organise complex information and produce comprehensive, analytic, high quality reports which make cogent arguments based on the evidence and present information in writing and in person in a range of settings, including with families, foster carers, police, colleagues and to the family and criminal courts.

10. Develop links with and support access to local NHS services provided via the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

11. Respond to child protection concerns that arise in the course of the interventions, in line with child protection procedures and guidance.

12. Deliver services flexibly across different parts the service (as dictated by service need) and within homes, schools or community settings where required.

JOB CONTEXT

The Children & Families Division works to ensure that all children and young people in the London Borough of Southwark grow up in a safe, healthy and happy environment where they have the opportunity to reach their potential. This includes working to reduce re-offending by young people involved in the criminal justice system or at risk of entering the criminal justice system and being the Corporate Parent for approximately 500 looked after children living in Southwark and across the UK. All staff are expected to deliver child-focussed practice in accordance with the Councils equality policies and Southwark Stands Together pledges.

The Children & Families Division is divided into the following service areas: Assessment and Intervention Services, Safeguarding Services, Care & Permanence Service and Care leaver Services, Youth Offending Services, and Family Early Help Services. Each service area has a Head of Service, whose senior management team includes a Clinical Services Manager

The post-holder will report to the Clinical Services Manager in the relevant area. The postholders main operational relationships will be with:

Social Workers / Youth Offending officers in their assigned teams

Team Managers / Service Managers in their assigned areas

Other Clinical Practitioners within the service

Clinical colleagues in the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust