Fostering Therapeutic Practitioner

**Compass Community is an independent therapeutic agency caring, educating and supporting nearly 2,000 children and young people through Fostering, Residential Homes and Education. We pride ourselves on attending to the social, emotional, cognitive and sensorial needs of all our young people.**

**Therapeutic Services at Compass has an embedded record of successful evidence of our Assessing and Healing Complex Trauma (AHCT) approach which has already made a difference to the lives of 100’s of young people.**

**We are seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated Therapeutic Practitioner, whose professional background and training is underpinned by theories of working with trauma, attachment and loss. You will have good working knowledge in supporting children and young people in the Care sector.**

**MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB**:
**To be a key participant in the Assessing and Healing components for helping traumatised young people.**
- As the Therapeutic Practitioner you will be part of the Multi - Disciplinary Therapeutic Service and will work directly with the Fostering Service. You will be part of our AHCT holistic approach of working together, linking our Children’s Services and Therapeutic Services together. (Assessing and Healing Complex Trauma)
- The successful applicant will receive specialist training in our AHCT approach which you will then be promoting. We have a number of Fostering regions across the country where we are seeking to develop the Assessing and Healing Complex Trauma approach; You will have the opportunity to discuss and reflect on your work with your colleagues in other regions, helping to develop and maintain the therapeutic ethos between them all. This may involve some flexible working hours.
- You will be training staff and foster carers in therapeutic ideologies, developing therapeutic understanding and running Therapeutic Healing groups.
- You will enable staff and carers to recognise the destructive elements that trauma plays on child development, promoting a philosophy of therapeutic understanding from within our Children’s services.
- In this role you will support the organisation in ensuring that the service is run in line with the Government Legislation, Regulations and Standards, together with the Inspecting Body. You will represent Compass Fostering Vision and Values,

**Why work for Compass Therapeutic Services?**
- **Salary perk**:

- Additional ‘£1035’ per annum on top of agreed salary for working one evening a week.
- **Training** - Ongoing free training and therapeutic workshops which account for high levels of CPD hours.
- **Career Progression** - As Therapeutic Services is continuing to expand there are strong career pathways both within our team and within the wider Compass organisation.
- **Competitive Salary** - using structured pay grades based on your training and experience.
- **Peer group supervision** - therapeutic & clinical supporting your CPD growth.
- **Individual therapeutic**& supportive supervision.
- **Inclusion** - Membership of GRACE Inclusion Reflective weekly group.
- **Wellbeing** - Access to confidential therapeutic wellbeing sessions within our Therapeutic Services team.
- **Engagement conferences** -Two per year with the national Therapeutic Services team to continue to develop your theoretical knowledge and sense of belonging. Accommodation & DBB provided.
- **Awards** - The chance to win up to £150 in vouchers every month from our company REACH Awards and monthly vouchers within Therapeutic Services.
- Company Lap top and phone.
- **Expand your creative vision - **The chance to be part of an expanding, national organisation that recognises skill, effort and individual strengths, providing opportunities for passions and potential to grow.
- **Medicash** - Receive cashback for various medical and wellbeing appointments and treatments with our MediCash scheme, as well as the chance to win vouchers from our REACH Awards.
- **Take your birthday off work**
- **Length of Service bonus**

Earn up to £3,250 by recommending a foster carer or up to £1,000 by recommending a full-time staff member.

**Requirements**:

- Minimum two years’ experience of working with children in the Child in Care Sector.
- Good Leadership and training skills.
- Strong understanding of Attachment and Loss.
- Evidence of Therapeutic Training/Qualifications
- Psychological/counselling courses attended is desirable.
- Active, energetic, creative, outgoing yet empathic character.
- Good Communicator and Fluent English speaking
- Full driving licence
- Experience of group work with young people desirable
- Experience of assessment in intervention
- Evidence of literary ability to Level 5/A level standard.
- Understanding responsibilities in protecting their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of their colleagues and others.

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

**Salary**: £24,500.00-£35,000.00 per year

**Experience**:

- working with children in the looked after