Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a well-established Functional Family Therapy team in Suffolk. We are seeking a team member who is an experienced and professional individual (social work, mental health nursing, psychology) to join the team of 5 therapists. Functional Family Therapy. is a licensed, evidence-based program with a strong track record of positive outcomes. Although this was originally a 3 year contract, it has now been extended to January 2026.
This is an outcomes-based contract for children 8-17 at risk of care entry (using a social impact bond structure), working to prevent children and young people entering care. We also work with a smaller cohort of young people who have entered care, for whom the service will manage a return home using the FFT intervention.
Main duties of the job
With significant family work experience, you may already be on the journey towards accreditation as a family therapist or systemic practitioner (in which case we may help to support your training) or you may already be qualified. You may also be trained in another therapeutic model but seek to expand your knowledge to systemic work. You will be joining a current team of 5 therapists from different clinical backgrounds, supervised by two FFT Supervisors.
The team has been operational since March 2019 covering the county of Suffolk and is embedded into the Social Care and Early Help Teams. You will achieve fidelity to the therapeutic model through initial training and continuous consultation, coaching supported by the Supervisor. You will take referrals from Suffolk Social Care and Early Help Teams and establish effective working relationships with both Social Care and partner agencies to achieve outcomes for families. You will be comfortable working with the FFT model which will make the best of your skills in engaging families and creating sustainable change with them. You will take an outcome-focused approach with good sensitivity to dynamic risk, child protection, interagency working and complexity.
The work is mainly around Ipswich and the south of Suffolk.
A relocation package is also available up to £2,000 or support with accommodation.
A retention bonus scheme is in place for this position, more information on this will be provided during the interview process.
About us
FPM is a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by its employees. We have extensive expertise in evidence-based programmes and anticipate future opportunities to develop and broaden our portfolio of services. If you're interested in learning more about employee ownership in FPM, please contact the EO Council by sending an email to EOCouncil@fpmcic.com.
FPM is committed to fostering inclusion and expanding the diversity of its workforce. We recognise the significant value that a diverse workforce brings to our organisation, and we believe that the inclusion of diverse voices plays a vital role in driving our companys mission. We therefore encourage suitably qualified applicants from a range of backgrounds to apply.
This is an exciting opportunity to work within an established team, be employed by a staff-led company, and develop new ways of intervening to protect and support young people and their families with complex needs and challenges.
We have an application pack for the role, which includes the job description, the person specification, and additional information about the company, our values, and our approach to employee ownership.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The FFT Worker role is to provide home-based family therapy sessions with young people aged 8 - 17 and their families using the FFT intervention model.
Workers will be required to carry a caseload of up to 7 families, providing services in their homes or in community settings for 3 to 5 months. FFT Workers will be initially trained by an FFT Consultant and receive weekly supervision by the FFT supervisor. FFT is a licensed intervention and fidelity to the model is quality assured (www.fftllc.com).
This position requires out of hours and flexible working to meet families when they are available. The area covered will mainly be West Suffolk and Ipswich. Appreciation of the local demography and culture will be valuable.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The FFT Worker role is to provide home-based family therapy sessions with young people aged 8 - 17 and their families using the FFT intervention model.
Workers will be required to carry a caseload of up to 7 families, providing services in their homes or in community settings for 3 to 5 months. FFT Workers will be initially trained by an FFT Consultant and receive weekly supervision by the FFT supervisor. FFT is a licensed intervention and fidelity to the model is quality assured (www.fftllc.com).
This position requires out of hours and flexible working to meet families when they are available. The area covered will mainly be West Suffolk and Ipswich. Appreciation of the local demography and culture will be valuable.
Person Specification
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. This requires the use of highly developed analytical and judgement skills, where there are a range of options.
- Ability to work in community and family settings, including seeing families in their own homes, managing the highly complex emotional relationships within and between the component parts of the family and how it interacts with the professional system in ways which maximise the potential for therapeutic outcomes.
- Ability to work with families who are experiencing high levels of stress.
- Ability to apply a clinical model of systemic theory and intervention and the ability to achieve adherence to a clinical model. Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
- Ability to act upon consultation and feedback.
- Ability to develop pragmatic and goal specific measurable steps that can be set out for young people and their families.
- Ability to multi-task and manage competing demands; planning and organising skills for caseload management.
- Good understanding of other professionals theoretical perspectives of this client group.
- Ability to identify and employ as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms, including regular supervision for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
- Ability to use a variety of technology as required.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Able to demonstrate commitment to high quality care and service provision.
- Skill to present progress of the FFT work and formulations of relational problems in multi-disciplinary settings.
- Ability to reflect on cases and develop formulations and make use of supervision.
- Ability to operate as lone worker.
- Ability to work therapeutically with the use of interpreters.
- Ability to work with a racially and culturally diverse community in a wide variety of contexts including working therapeutically in family homes.
Desirable
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non- professional groups.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a qualified professional with a level of systemic training or as a clinical psychologist with experience of systemic work
- or
- Post qualifying experience (social work, occupational health and nursing) with young people and families in a relevant setting
- Demonstrable work experience of working with young people and families.
- Experience of systemic assessment, formulation and intervention with children, young people and families in either community, primary care, CAMHS or inpatient settings.
- Experience of working with a high degree of professionalism in the face of emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- Experience of working in a (multi-disciplinary) team.
- Experience of risk assessment, risk management and safety planning.
Desirable
- Experience of assessing and treating clients within the community
- Experience off working within a multicultural framework.
- Experience of working with a range of therapeutic modalities.
- Experience of self-harm assessment and intervention with both individuals and their families.
Qualifications
Essential
- A professional qualification in social work, occupational health or nursing.
- or
- Qualification as a systemic practitioner or a family therapist or psychotherapist at a post graduate level.
- or
- A masters level degree in a relevant discipline e.g. forensic psychology, clinical or applied psychology.
- Professional registration with a national registrant body
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group (adolescents with conduct disorder, and offending behaviour; social care) and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group.
- Knowledge of basic systemic principles and formulations.
- Knowledge of child and young peoples development.
- Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, ethical issues, safeguarding and strategic frameworks including The Children Act 1989, and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management of services for children and young people.
- Knowledge of the Equality Act 2022 and protected characteristics.
Desirable
- Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups {e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc.,}.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to develop networks with professionals from other agencies to promote effective team working.
- Interpersonally calm and able to defuse difficult, volatile situations.
- Able to tolerate ambiguity and take decisions in situations of incomplete information and the ability to recognise the need to seek further advice.
- Ability to exercise appropriate levels of self- care, recognising when it is necessary to take active steps to maintain fitness to practice.
- Good organisational skills.
- Motivated towards personal and professional development.
- Able to travel to family homes.
- Recognise peoples right to privacy and dignity, treating everyone with respect.
- Willingness to operate within a social impact bond and collect the data required.
Person Specification
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. This requires the use of highly developed analytical and judgement skills, where there are a range of options.
- Ability to work in community and family settings, including seeing families in their own homes, managing the highly complex emotional relationships within and between the component parts of the family and how it interacts with the professional system in ways which maximise the potential for therapeutic outcomes.
- Ability to work with families who are experiencing high levels of stress.
- Ability to apply a clinical model of systemic theory and intervention and the ability to achieve adherence to a clinical model. Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
- Ability to act upon consultation and feedback.
- Ability to develop pragmatic and goal specific measurable steps that can be set out for young people and their families.
- Ability to multi-task and manage competing demands; planning and organising skills for caseload management.
- Good understanding of other professionals theoretical perspectives of this client group.
- Ability to identify and employ as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms, including regular supervision for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
- Ability to use a variety of technology as required.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Able to demonstrate commitment to high quality care and service provision.
- Skill to present progress of the FFT work and formulations of relational problems in multi-disciplinary settings.
- Ability to reflect on cases and develop formulations and make use of supervision.
- Ability to operate as lone worker.
- Ability to work therapeutically with the use of interpreters.
- Ability to work with a racially and culturally diverse community in a wide variety of contexts including working therapeutically in family homes.
Desirable
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non- professional groups.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a qualified professional with a level of systemic training or as a clinical psychologist with experience of systemic work
- or
- Post qualifying experience (social work, occupational health and nursing) with young people and families in a relevant setting
- Demonstrable work experience of working with young people and families.
- Experience of systemic assessment, formulation and intervention with children, young people and families in either community, primary care, CAMHS or inpatient settings.
- Experience of working with a high degree of professionalism in the face of emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- Experience of working in a (multi-disciplinary) team.
- Experience of risk assessment, risk management and safety planning.
Desirable
- Experience of assessing and treating clients within the community
- Experience off working within a multicultural framework.
- Experience of working with a range of therapeutic modalities.
- Experience of self-harm assessment and intervention with both individuals and their families.
Qualifications
Essential
- A professional qualification in social work, occupational health or nursing.
- or
- Qualification as a systemic practitioner or a family therapist or psychotherapist at a post graduate level.
- or
- A masters level degree in a relevant discipline e.g. forensic psychology, clinical or applied psychology.
- Professional registration with a national registrant body
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group (adolescents with conduct disorder, and offending behaviour; social care) and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group.
- Knowledge of basic systemic principles and formulations.
- Knowledge of child and young peoples development.
- Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, ethical issues, safeguarding and strategic frameworks including The Children Act 1989, and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management of services for children and young people.
- Knowledge of the Equality Act 2022 and protected characteristics.
Desirable
- Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups {e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc.,}.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to develop networks with professionals from other agencies to promote effective team working.
- Interpersonally calm and able to defuse difficult, volatile situations.
- Able to tolerate ambiguity and take decisions in situations of incomplete information and the ability to recognise the need to seek further advice.
- Ability to exercise appropriate levels of self- care, recognising when it is necessary to take active steps to maintain fitness to practice.
- Good organisational skills.
- Motivated towards personal and professional development.
- Able to travel to family homes.
- Recognise peoples right to privacy and dignity, treating everyone with respect.
- Willingness to operate within a social impact bond and collect the data required.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
