Clinical Practitioner

Job description

Job 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.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of delivering evidence based therapeutic services to children and within a relevant setting ideally with experience of working within a childrens social care setting and providing formal reports to the family or youth justice courts.
• Experience of assessment and therapeutic work with adults.
• Experience of successfully working in an anti-discriminatory way including addressing issues of racism, inequality and injustice

Knowledge, Aptitudes, Skills & Competencies

Essential

• Must be able to provide evidence of continuing professional development.
• Knowledge of therapeutic services that offer support to children and their families
• Knowledge and understanding of child development, parenting capacity, environmental factors and risk and protective factors
• Knowledge and understanding of current issues and best practice in relation to children's social work and therapeutic interventions
• Knowledge of roles and responsibilities of key children's agencies
• Knowledge and understanding of a range of psychological interventions and methodologies and commitment to the systemic approach
• Knowledge of adult mental health disorders and relevant services.
• Ability to collate and analyse complex information, and produce and present quality reports in a variety of different settings, including courts and review meetings.
• Understanding of "Social Work Matters" and commitment to the principles of openness, transparency, leadership and accountability
• Ability to evaluate the quality of services provided and produce recommendations for improvements.
• Ability to build professional relationships with children and their families that promote positive outcomes.
• Computer literacy skills at a level to maintain case records within information management systems.
• Ability to work closely and support other practitioners, and maintain effective working relationships.

Qualifications

Essential

• Therapeutic qualification providing registration with one of the following registering bodies:
• - United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
• - British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists (BACP)
• - British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP)
• - Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) as a mental health nurse
• - Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a practitioner psychologist or art/occupational therapists

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Southwark Council

Address

160 Tooley Street

London

SE1 2TZ

Employer's website

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)