Therapeutic Practitioner

**Job Title**: Therapeutic Practitioner

**Requirements**: A First Degree in Psychology 2:1 or above

**Purpose and summary of job**:
To work as a Therapeutic Practitioner as part of a rota within a Cambian Healthcare unit and working in accordance with the job description for a Support Worker. In addition, assisting Qualified and Assistant psychologists in the delivery of psychological based interventions under the supervision of an appropriately and experienced Qualified Psychologist. The Therapeutic Practitioner undertakes a key role in working as a member of the care team but being supervised by a Qualified Psychologist in the implementation of psychological interventions, and in OT led interventions through the Service Lead for Occupational Therapy. The Therapeutic Practitioner will be a member of the floor staff and be responsible for implementing and modelling strategies under the supervision of a Qualified or Assistant Psychologist.

**Working Environment**

The post holder will work with children and adolescents with mental illness who are admitted informally or under section. The young people generally have mental health difficulties and are admitted for assessment and diagnosis. Patients may present with complex mental health disorders, whose presentations might involve risk, co-morbid conditions and who require considerable input from care staff in terms of risk management, the development of independence skills, educational support, emotional support, and guidance in terms of community access. In the course of their work an applicant is likely to encounter young people with histories of challenging behaviour, emerging personality disorder, autistic spectrum and learning disorders, children who have experienced emotional, physical and sexual abuse, as well as complex emotional difficulties including anxiety and depression, impairments of intellectual, memory, executive function, severe interpersonal problems and social disabilities. The post holder will also work with the patient's support networks including care staff and family members. Families play a large role with the care of the young people so it is vital to demonstrate an ability to communicate with both young people and their parents.

The post holder will work within a Cambian setting at our Meeko House, Wisbech

The post holder is likely to encounter unpleasant working conditions (e.g. verbal abuse/threats e.t.c) on a frequent basis and may have some exposure to physical aggression. The post holder is likely to be exposed to distressing or emotional experiences to include witnessing self-harm, verbal abuse, working with demanding/challenging young people and sometimes their families and witness-highly distressing events such as children absconding, self-harming, and on occasion's violence. Therapeutic practitioners will be working on the unit and will be required to complete MAPPA training and will potentially be involved in the restraint of patients. When working within multidisciplinary settings, the post holder may encounter and be required to address challenging team dynamics and conflicting professional perspectives,

Main

**Responsibilities**:

- To work as a Therapeutic Practitioner in accordance with the rota and under the direct supervision of the Hospital Manager. To be managed by the Home Manager and jointly supervised by the Deputy Home Manager/ConsuItant Clinical Psychologist as well as work collaboratively with Service Lead for Occupational Therapy and OT/OTA.
- To work according to a plan and objectives agreed by the Home Manager in accordance with the care rota.
- To work independently on a day to day basis as a member of the care team. In addition to having weekly supervision with the Consultant Clinical Psychologist and the Service Lead for Occupational Therapy. To deliver specific psychological interventions in allotted time schedules agreed with the Home Manager and Deputy Home Manager.
- In agreement with the Home Manager/Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Service Lead for Occupational Therapy will support the delivery of clinical services by running therapeutic groups alongside Assistant Psychologist/OTs, to include mindfulness groups, CBT, DBT, healthy relationship groups.
- On occasions the Therapeutic Practitioner will act as a co-therapist with an experienced Qualified Clinical Psychologist or Assistant Psychologist in individual or group work interventions.
- Be responsible for understanding young people's behaviour to contribute to formulation meetings and communicate this with the care team in handover meetings. To understand and communicate young people's behaviour support plans and management strategies and maintain a positive and proactive approach towards these.
- Therapeutic Practitioners are responsible for implementing psychological interventions in the home and communicating these both orally and in writing to other members of the care team, modelling strategies and plans for their effective implem