Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist

Job summary

Due to on-going investment, a structure review and subsequent expansion of the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Team within West London CAMHS, an excitement opportunity has arisen for a child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapist to join Hounslow CAMHS Adolescent Team (6 sessions/three days at Band 7).

For this post, we are looking for amotivated and enthusiastic Childand Adolescent Psychotherapist with a broad range of experience of working in a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency and multi-cultural context, including experience of working with children and families who present with a high levelofcomplexity and require skilled assessments and will provide psychotherapy assessments and specialist psychotherapy treatment including Short Term Psychotherapy (STPP) and parent work, alongside more generic clinical work.

The needs of young people and families will be at the centre of thinking about the service, and you will work together with service users and colleagues to ensure that the service best meets the needs of its population. Hounslow is a culturally diverse borough and you will be involved in ensuring that the service is accessible and effective.

Main duties of the job

The post would be suited to someone who is passionate about delivering high quality and effective services with young people and families, and working with multidisciplinary and multi-agency colleagues on some of the challenges facing mental health services for children and young people.

You will offer an efficient, effective and comprehensive child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapy service to children and young people with severe, complex and persistent mental health problems and their families/careers, and liaise effectively with other CAMHS colleagues and others in the network supporting the young person.

Furthermore, you will be a member of the multidisciplinary team, provide consultation to outside agencies, and promote the discipline and practice of child psychotherapy in Hounslow CAMHS.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential

Good relevant honours degree, or a recognised equivalent. Other related professional qualification or equivalent. Postgraduate accredited training in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy. Eligibility for full membership of Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP).

Desirable

Keyboard skills (physical skills) Other related academic qualification to Masters or Doctorate level.

Experience

Essential

Pre-qualification professional experience with children, adolescents and families ( clinical/educational psychology, teaching, social work). Substantial experience of work with complex family situations where there is a threat of abuse and breakdown. Substantial experience of work with parents and infants at high risk. Substantial experience in working in multi-disciplinary, multi-agency, multi-cultural context.

Desirable

Substantial experience of work with therapeutic groups of children. Substantial experience of work with families where the parents are mentally ill.

Knowledge

Essential

Good knowledge of relevant theories, practices and research in the field of child and adolescent development and psychotherapy and ability to apply them to relevant work situations. Knowledge of adult mental health problems. Evidence of continuous professional development as recommended by the ACP.

Desirable

Knowledge of research methodology.

Skills

Essential

Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with patients, staff, administrators and managers about highly complex and sensitive matters in situation of potential conflict or psychological/emotional pain, and where mental health problems affect relationships. Capacity to listen to other points of view effectively about highly complex issues through reports, publication or public presentation. Good level of analytic skills and understanding of unconscious processes and their impact on the individual, group and institutional processes. Ability to remain still and maintain intense concentration in clinical settings with children, adolescents, parents/carers and families where there may be high level of distress, verbal and physical aggression or chaotic activity. Ability to integrate available highly complex clinical information into a coherent formulation and to apply it in treatment and clinical management. Ability to monitor and assess risk and act accordingly. Writes clear records and observes policies, procedures and guidelines. Ability to plan and organise own workload and time. Ability to plan, co-ordinate and organise aspects of service activities. IT and internet research skills. Ability to conduct audit and research. Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to plan, evaluate, monitor and develop services.

Personal

Essential

Must be able to contain anxiety without recourse to premature action. Personal experience of Psychoanalysis Has a good judgement about when to act to ensure safety. Works independently but can involve colleagues appropriately. Continues to think clearly in situations of high level of emotion and stress. Can process own emotional reactions as possible information about the patient's or family's emotional state Contains and works with organisational stress and ability to 'hold' the stress of others.

Other

Essential

Familiar with and works within ACP's Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics Work autonomously within overall framework of policies and procedures.

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