Child Therapist/ Counsellor

Job summary

You will be the ChildTherapist for the Specialist Weight Management Service in Nottinghamshire.

The service aims to empowerindividuals and communities towards a healthier future by promoting healthawareness. The Child Therapistintegrates psychological theory with therapeutic techniques to help peopleovercome and deal with problematic life events and mental health issues. They engage people and their communities tohelp identify barriers whilst empowering them to overcome these.

The role isdesigned to support children and young people in various settings, face to-face,community-based, digital and via telephone.

The role involves theassessment of clients referred and the provision of child therapy sessions.

The role includesensuring the therapeutic support provides a clear, evidence-based, effectiveand consistent service for all clients.

The rolewill continuously develop methods and resources that result inimproved/effective wellbeing and behaviours for all ages..

Main duties of the job

This post will work under the line management of the Head of Servicewith clinical supervision from the Divisional therapist lead. The role providestherapeutic interventions to children and young people accessing specialistweight management programmes.

About us

ABL Health, aims to providehigh-quality, evidence-based nutritional care that is clinically andcost-effective. The service works with various health professionals, partnerdepartments and organisations, including GP practices and other communityservices.

You will join a new teamcomprising a Head of Service, nutritionists, therapists, exercise specialistsand administrators. The post holder willwork within the wider MDT of GPs, psychologists, dietitians, nutritionist,exercise specialists and healthy lifestyle advisors to provide administrationsupport and oversee the single point of access.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key responsibilities will be:

To work effectively andcollaboratively to ensure the successful operation of therapeutic provisionwithin the service. This involves working at different locations to provideinterventions to children and young people.

To be a part of amulti-disciplinary assessment (MDA) team. To facilitate psychological and riskassessments to aid the development of client/family formulations and carepathways.

Support children to discuss andwork through highly complex, sensitive and personal information related totheir presentation. This will include deconstruction of current interactionalpatterns of behaviour and meaning around obesity issues and complexrelationships, creating methods for client centred analysis of change, aided bythe use of assessment tools.

To prepare and participatein peer supervisions and case reviews with other therapists regularly acrossthe organisation.

Maintain accurate anddetailed case notes and client records utilising digital systems and databases.

To attend team meetings and contribute to agendas anddiscussions. Prepare fully in accordancewith service for Multi-Disciplinary Team Meetings (MDT) and complete relevantpaperwork (such as MDT proformas), updating client records as appropriate.

To provide effective individual child interventions, with the aimof helping clients prepare to engage in the specialist weight management programmeand/or physical activity interventions.

To provide systemic child therapy, employing methods based uponevidence. To work in ways which aresensitive to and appropriate for the needs of children from a wide range ofracial, cultural and religious backgrounds.

To contribute knowledge, skills and ideas withthe aim of optimising the outcomes of the specialist weight managementprogramme and/or physical activity interventions within the limits of onestrained role capacity and competency.

To participate in multiagency meetings as appropriate, childprotection case conferences and reviews, etc. providing professional advice onindividual care programme planning and other clinical matters as necessary.

The post holder will be expected to prioritise own workload andensure effective time management strategies are embedded in own practice andthat of others.

To be professional and legally responsible and accountable for allaspects of own work, including the management of patients/service users in yourcare.

To undertake self-directed/lone working in a variety of locations.

To read relevant current literature and stayup-to-date with developments and initiatives in psychological and familytherapy for obesity treatment.

To have suitable external supervisionarrangements with a qualified approved supervisor.

Skills andCompetencies Required

Be an experiencedtherapist in a community health environment, assisting and delivering supportto children and young people.

Experienceof working with diverse communities within varied cultural environments

Adept in communication ; A strongcommunicator who adapts the message to fit the needs of the audience.

Qualitydriven ; younaturally seek high standards and actively seek to improve them.

Value and remain open to new ideas andperspectives.

Person Specification

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of professional bodies ethical code of conduct. Cognitive behavioural therapy core concepts and behaviour change models. Experience of working with behaviour change client group or similar. Good communication and facilitation skills. Administration and skills relating to psychological assessments, psychometrics and risk assessments. IT skills for administrative tasks and good time management.

Desirable

Skills and knowledge of working with issues relating to weight management. Knowledge of safeguarding and information governance practices.

Job Specific Requirements

Essential

The ability to travel independently across Oldham, Stockport and as required to ABL Health HQ in Greater Manchester. Work flexibly and adapt to suit service need, including some evening and occasional weekend work.

Qualifications

Essential

A relevant professional qualification at degree level in social work, nursing, psychology, or other relevant field, professional counselling qualification/or IAPT or similar, play therapy or integrative psychotherapy. Able to work in a therapeutic way that responds to a clients needs, including a knowledge of cognitive behavioural therapy or behavioural approaches. Registered accredited member of a professional body (such as AFT, BABCP, BPS, BACP, UKCP).

Desirable

CBT qualification or counselling equivalent.

Experience

Essential

Experience of delivering child and young persons therapeutic interventions. Experience of facilitating psychological assessments and formulating.

Desirable

More than 2 years, post qualifying, experience of delivering child and young person interventions.

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