School Services Manager-Leeds Mindmate Wellbeing
Northpoint Wellbeing Ltd
This job is now closed
Job summary
Northpoint is a charity with a track record of providing accessible therapeutic services. In recent years the organisation has significantly developed its school therapy services, and is now commissioned by 19 clusters of schools across Leeds, to provide therapeutic interventions to pupils and/or parents (Leeds Mindmate Wellbeing).
Over the last year the volume of work that the Northpoint Schools services provide to children and young people has almost doubled. This continuing growth of our school therapy services in Leeds, and in our commissioned services in York and Doncaster, means that we need to further increase our management capacity to ensure we continue to provide the same depth and quality of support to staff and funders that have made our services so successful.
Main duties of the job
The new Schools Services Manager will work alongside the Deputy Schools Services Managers and the Head of Services & Clinical Lead (Schools) to line-manage and support our team of school therapists and mental health practitioners. The current management team are enthusiastic about their work and are extremely positive about the addition of a new service manager.
About us
Northpoint Wellbeing is a charity which provides a range of services to promote emotional wellbeing. We believe that timely access to appropriate support, particularly talking therapies, is an effective way of promoting emotional wellbeing and relieving mental distress, for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Our mission is to improve access to a range of talking therapies, in a timely manner, for everyone.
Our vision is to provide therapeutic & preventative services, which help people experiencing emotional distress to make changes in their life, to as wide a group of people as possible.
Our values are to be client-focused, committed, responsive, and supportive.
Date posted
14 February 2021
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
£39,130 to £45,000 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
B0173-21-5157
Job locations
Northpoint Wellbeing Ltd
Hunslet Road
Leeds
LS10 1JN
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job title: Schools Services Manager Leeds Mindmate Wellbeing
Contract: Permanent contract of employment
Salary band: £39,130 £45,000 FTE
Pension: Eligible employees will be auto enrolled in a defined contribution scheme.
Hours and days: 28 hours per week. The working pattern is negotiable on appointment.
Holidays: 28 days annual leave per year plus statutory holidays (pro rata for part-time posts), and up to 3 discretionary leave days at Christmas.
Location: Homeworking during Covid restrictions. Normally the postholder will be based at Northpoints office at Leeds Bridge House in Leeds city centre, with some homeworking also possible. The postholder will be expected to travel to meet staff working in various schools across Leeds.
Start date: As soon as possible
Accountability and reporting: The postholder will hold responsibility for the line management of a number of school therapists. The postholder is ultimately accountable to the Board of Northpoint Wellbeing Ltd, through the Director of Northpoint. The postholder will be line-managed by the Head of Services & Clinical Lead (Schools).
Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate: Due to the nature of the work this post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check. Northpoints policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on request a past criminal conviction will not necessarily be a bar to employment.
CONTEXT
Northpoint is a charity with a track record of providing accessible therapeutic services. In recent years the organisation has significantly developed its school therapy services, and is now commissioned by 19 clusters of schools across Leeds, to provide therapeutic interventions to pupils and/or parents (Leeds Mindmate Wellbeing).
Following commitments made in a recent procurement process with the Leeds CCG, the service aims to develop a THRIVE-like menu of options for young people, including 1-1 therapy, SilverCloud, assessment/formulation, groups, and other creative developments ( as outlined in THRIVE Elaborated).
Over the last year the volume of work that the Northpoint Schools services provide to children and young people has almost doubled. This continuing growth of our school therapy services in Leeds, and in our commissioned services in York and Doncaster, means that we need to further increase our management capacity to ensure we continue to provide the same depth and quality of support to staff and funders that have made our services so successful.
The new Schools Services Manager will work alongside the Deputy Schools Services Managers and the Head of Services & Clinical Lead (Schools) to line-manage and support our team of school therapists and mental health practitioners. The current management team are enthusiastic about their work and are extremely positive about the addition of a new service manager.
The Schools management team is based together within a wider office team in Northpoints city centre base. The Schools services play an important role within the larger organisation regular communications and updates are circulated, and Schools staff are encouraged to attend whole-organisation events.
Leeds school therapists and mental health practitioners are based within school clusters, and take referrals from the schools and Leeds Mindmate Single Point of Access. Therapists work under the day-to-day direction of school/cluster staff, but they are employed and remotely line-managed by Northpoint Schools service managers.
By April this year we envisage that the team will consist of over 40 school therapists and mental health practitioners across the City some of whom are employed in more than one role within the Schools services.
It is envisaged that the postholder will manage between 14 and 15 staff members.
PURPOSE OF THE POST
To support the ongoing development of these exciting services.
To support the team to fulfil the new commissioning requirements and expectations as part of Leeds Mindmate Wellbeing.
To play a part in ensuring that children, young people and families receive relevant, timely and appropriate support.
To oversee the work being carried out by school therapists on behalf of Northpoint at an operational level, and to act as the first point of management contact for school therapists and practitioners.
To support staff through line management, to ensure clinical work with pupils is taking place safely and effectively, and to ensure that individual staff members are receiving appropriate levels of support.
To be involved in supporting the retention of existing levels of business with current commissioners and school partners and to assist in the operational setup of any new service contracts which may arise.
KEY TASKS
To take responsibility for ensuring high standards of service delivery for both clients and funders.
To provide regular line-management supervision to individual school counsellors.
To act as the first point of contact for clinical and/or operational queries from school therapists and practitioners.
To help ensure that clinical practice is consistently high across the services.
To have a commitment to understanding and working with diversity, so that our services are better able to support a broader range of clients.
To help apply the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling & Psychotherapy and the BACP Good Practice Guidance on Counselling in Schools.
To take active steps to promote the safeguarding of children and young people.
To ensure that appropriate data is collected and provided by school therapists and practitioners in a timely and accurate fashion in order to meet the monitoring requirements of the commissioners.
To support Northpoint and individual therapists with the use of IAPTus, our electronic patient management system.
To advise the Head of Services in a timely fashion of any potential issues and problems, including risk, complexity and safeguarding.
To make alterations to operational procedures where necessary to facilitate good practice.
To enable proactive and supportive action to resolve problems or difficulties.
To provide an effective bridge between practitioner and organisation that understands the needs and requirements of both parties.
To help manage any grievances, complaints or disciplinary issues within the school therapy services.
To support the recruitment and induction of school therapists and practitioners, where necessary.
To ensure client records and information systems are maintained and comply with BACP and Northpoint Wellbeing guidance, as well as statutory requirements.
To ensure that appropriate data (e.g. Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire and qualitative evaluations) is collected by school therapists to demonstrate effectiveness and impact.
To ensure school therapists provide relevant information and data to commissioners in a timely fashion.
To submit monitoring reports as required.
To work in partnership with the Head of Services & Clinical Lead and with Deputy Schools Services Managers to oversee the framework of policies, training and line management/clinical support for school therapists and practitioners.
To liaise with clinical supervisors where appropriate.
To attend service review meetings with cluster staff and commissioners, together with other meetings as and when required.
To conduct annual appraisals with all staff. This will involve reviewing performance, celebrating success, and agreeing development goals.
To help deliver a CPD programme for the overall Schools services team, in partnership with fellow Schools service managers.
To support the wider aims and objectives of Northpoint, and to assist with other services and developments as appropriate.
To achieve BACP/UKCP accreditation within 12 months if not already accredited.
This is an evolving role and the postholder may be required to undertake other tasks as appropriate.
SUPPORT
Northpoint will provide regular line-management supervision through the Head of Services & Clinical Lead (Schools).
The organisation is open to funding external reflective practice supervision.
Peer support from service managers within Northpoint and with colleagues from other agencies is facilitated and encouraged.
Northpoint places a strong emphasis on the development, wellbeing, training and support of all staff, including managers.
The Schools Services Manager will receive an annual review/appraisal which will include support to access relevant CPD training.
An induction and an online handbook which provides policy and guidance documents will be available electronically on the Northpoint intranet.
OTHER
Travel expenses will be provided at the standard Northpoint rate.
Additional expenses will be claimed through Northpoint as agreed.
Northpoint will supply a mobile smartphone for work purposes.
Northpoint will provide a laptop and access to IT systems.
Revised February 2021
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job title: Schools Services Manager Leeds Mindmate Wellbeing
Contract: Permanent contract of employment
Salary band: £39,130 £45,000 FTE
Pension: Eligible employees will be auto enrolled in a defined contribution scheme.
Hours and days: 28 hours per week. The working pattern is negotiable on appointment.
Holidays: 28 days annual leave per year plus statutory holidays (pro rata for part-time posts), and up to 3 discretionary leave days at Christmas.
Location: Homeworking during Covid restrictions. Normally the postholder will be based at Northpoints office at Leeds Bridge House in Leeds city centre, with some homeworking also possible. The postholder will be expected to travel to meet staff working in various schools across Leeds.
Start date: As soon as possible
Accountability and reporting: The postholder will hold responsibility for the line management of a number of school therapists. The postholder is ultimately accountable to the Board of Northpoint Wellbeing Ltd, through the Director of Northpoint. The postholder will be line-managed by the Head of Services & Clinical Lead (Schools).
Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate: Due to the nature of the work this post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check. Northpoints policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on request a past criminal conviction will not necessarily be a bar to employment.
CONTEXT
Northpoint is a charity with a track record of providing accessible therapeutic services. In recent years the organisation has significantly developed its school therapy services, and is now commissioned by 19 clusters of schools across Leeds, to provide therapeutic interventions to pupils and/or parents (Leeds Mindmate Wellbeing).
Following commitments made in a recent procurement process with the Leeds CCG, the service aims to develop a THRIVE-like menu of options for young people, including 1-1 therapy, SilverCloud, assessment/formulation, groups, and other creative developments ( as outlined in THRIVE Elaborated).
Over the last year the volume of work that the Northpoint Schools services provide to children and young people has almost doubled. This continuing growth of our school therapy services in Leeds, and in our commissioned services in York and Doncaster, means that we need to further increase our management capacity to ensure we continue to provide the same depth and quality of support to staff and funders that have made our services so successful.
The new Schools Services Manager will work alongside the Deputy Schools Services Managers and the Head of Services & Clinical Lead (Schools) to line-manage and support our team of school therapists and mental health practitioners. The current management team are enthusiastic about their work and are extremely positive about the addition of a new service manager.
The Schools management team is based together within a wider office team in Northpoints city centre base. The Schools services play an important role within the larger organisation regular communications and updates are circulated, and Schools staff are encouraged to attend whole-organisation events.
Leeds school therapists and mental health practitioners are based within school clusters, and take referrals from the schools and Leeds Mindmate Single Point of Access. Therapists work under the day-to-day direction of school/cluster staff, but they are employed and remotely line-managed by Northpoint Schools service managers.
By April this year we envisage that the team will consist of over 40 school therapists and mental health practitioners across the City some of whom are employed in more than one role within the Schools services.
It is envisaged that the postholder will manage between 14 and 15 staff members.
PURPOSE OF THE POST
To support the ongoing development of these exciting services.
To support the team to fulfil the new commissioning requirements and expectations as part of Leeds Mindmate Wellbeing.
To play a part in ensuring that children, young people and families receive relevant, timely and appropriate support.
To oversee the work being carried out by school therapists on behalf of Northpoint at an operational level, and to act as the first point of management contact for school therapists and practitioners.
To support staff through line management, to ensure clinical work with pupils is taking place safely and effectively, and to ensure that individual staff members are receiving appropriate levels of support.
To be involved in supporting the retention of existing levels of business with current commissioners and school partners and to assist in the operational setup of any new service contracts which may arise.
KEY TASKS
To take responsibility for ensuring high standards of service delivery for both clients and funders.
To provide regular line-management supervision to individual school counsellors.
To act as the first point of contact for clinical and/or operational queries from school therapists and practitioners.
To help ensure that clinical practice is consistently high across the services.
To have a commitment to understanding and working with diversity, so that our services are better able to support a broader range of clients.
To help apply the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling & Psychotherapy and the BACP Good Practice Guidance on Counselling in Schools.
To take active steps to promote the safeguarding of children and young people.
To ensure that appropriate data is collected and provided by school therapists and practitioners in a timely and accurate fashion in order to meet the monitoring requirements of the commissioners.
To support Northpoint and individual therapists with the use of IAPTus, our electronic patient management system.
To advise the Head of Services in a timely fashion of any potential issues and problems, including risk, complexity and safeguarding.
To make alterations to operational procedures where necessary to facilitate good practice.
To enable proactive and supportive action to resolve problems or difficulties.
To provide an effective bridge between practitioner and organisation that understands the needs and requirements of both parties.
To help manage any grievances, complaints or disciplinary issues within the school therapy services.
To support the recruitment and induction of school therapists and practitioners, where necessary.
To ensure client records and information systems are maintained and comply with BACP and Northpoint Wellbeing guidance, as well as statutory requirements.
To ensure that appropriate data (e.g. Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire and qualitative evaluations) is collected by school therapists to demonstrate effectiveness and impact.
To ensure school therapists provide relevant information and data to commissioners in a timely fashion.
To submit monitoring reports as required.
To work in partnership with the Head of Services & Clinical Lead and with Deputy Schools Services Managers to oversee the framework of policies, training and line management/clinical support for school therapists and practitioners.
To liaise with clinical supervisors where appropriate.
To attend service review meetings with cluster staff and commissioners, together with other meetings as and when required.
To conduct annual appraisals with all staff. This will involve reviewing performance, celebrating success, and agreeing development goals.
To help deliver a CPD programme for the overall Schools services team, in partnership with fellow Schools service managers.
To support the wider aims and objectives of Northpoint, and to assist with other services and developments as appropriate.
To achieve BACP/UKCP accreditation within 12 months if not already accredited.
This is an evolving role and the postholder may be required to undertake other tasks as appropriate.
SUPPORT
Northpoint will provide regular line-management supervision through the Head of Services & Clinical Lead (Schools).
The organisation is open to funding external reflective practice supervision.
Peer support from service managers within Northpoint and with colleagues from other agencies is facilitated and encouraged.
Northpoint places a strong emphasis on the development, wellbeing, training and support of all staff, including managers.
The Schools Services Manager will receive an annual review/appraisal which will include support to access relevant CPD training.
An induction and an online handbook which provides policy and guidance documents will be available electronically on the Northpoint intranet.
OTHER
Travel expenses will be provided at the standard Northpoint rate.
Additional expenses will be claimed through Northpoint as agreed.
Northpoint will supply a mobile smartphone for work purposes.
Northpoint will provide a laptop and access to IT systems.
Revised February 2021
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A relevant professional* qualification OR a relevant therapeutic** qualification (E)
- * A relevant professional qualification would include nursing, occupational therapy, social work or a similar allied health profession.
- ** A relevant therapeutic qualification would include a diploma from a BACP-accredited training (or equivalent***) OR a relevant HCPC-registered title (i.e. art therapist, arts psychotherapist, drama therapist, counselling psychologist, clinical psychologist). (E)
- *** NB Equivalent therapy qualifications from non-accredited courses should be of a level that would be recognised for professional accreditation purposes and sufficient to practise as a counsellor/therapist (i.e. minimum of 450 taught hours over at least 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, supervised practice within a therapeutic organisation, with teaching which covered elements of theory, skills practice, professional issues and personal development).
Desirable
- Post-registration training in relevant evidence-based/NICE guideline-indicated mental health interventions (e.g. CBT, brief family work, group work) (D)
Experience
Essential
- Leadership/management experience in a relevant field may be evidenced by a relevant management/leadership role in young persons service, mental health service, family service, or similar (E)
- At least two years post-qualification clinical therapeutic experience (E)
- Experience of multi-agency collaborative working (E)
- Experience of monitoring performance and demonstrating outcomes (E)
- Experience of leading/line-managing a team of staff (E)
Desirable
- Experience of working with young people and/or families (D)
- Experience of delivering therapeutic interventions (D)
- Experience of working in/with schools (D)
- Management qualification (D)
Skills
Essential
- Ability to motivate, guide and support staff to develop (E)
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (E)
- Ability to create and communicate an operational vision (E)
- Ability to think clinically/therapeutically about client need (E)
- Proven change management and team working skills (E)
- Ability to improve services to increase efficiency and enhance patient experience (E)
- Ability to write concise and informative reports and letters (E)
Desirable
- Relevant managerial experience (D)
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of initiatives, priorities and agendas facing staff working in schools and childrens services, such as CAF/Early Help Initiative, Children & Young Peoples Plan, Child Protection Plan etc (E)
Desirable
- Knowledge of the Leeds area and local services including CAMHS, children and family services, and other relevant agencies (D)
- Knowledge of relevant data monitoring requirements including MHSDS (Mental Health Services Data Set) (D)
- Familiarity with electronic patient management systems such as IAPTus, SystmOne etc (D)
- Awareness of relevant initiatives and frameworks, including THRIVE Elaborated and CYP IAPT (D)
Professional registration/membership
Essential
- The relevant qualifications, experience and willingness to achieve registration/membership with a relevant professional body within 12 months (E)
Desirable
- Registration/membership with a relevant professional body (e.g. NMC/GSCC/HCPC/UKCP-registered, BACP membership) (D)
- Accreditation with a professional body (e.g. BACP-accredited) (D)
Other
Desirable
- Car driver with clean driving license and access to own vehicle (D)
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A relevant professional* qualification OR a relevant therapeutic** qualification (E)
- * A relevant professional qualification would include nursing, occupational therapy, social work or a similar allied health profession.
- ** A relevant therapeutic qualification would include a diploma from a BACP-accredited training (or equivalent***) OR a relevant HCPC-registered title (i.e. art therapist, arts psychotherapist, drama therapist, counselling psychologist, clinical psychologist). (E)
- *** NB Equivalent therapy qualifications from non-accredited courses should be of a level that would be recognised for professional accreditation purposes and sufficient to practise as a counsellor/therapist (i.e. minimum of 450 taught hours over at least 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, supervised practice within a therapeutic organisation, with teaching which covered elements of theory, skills practice, professional issues and personal development).
Desirable
- Post-registration training in relevant evidence-based/NICE guideline-indicated mental health interventions (e.g. CBT, brief family work, group work) (D)
Experience
Essential
- Leadership/management experience in a relevant field may be evidenced by a relevant management/leadership role in young persons service, mental health service, family service, or similar (E)
- At least two years post-qualification clinical therapeutic experience (E)
- Experience of multi-agency collaborative working (E)
- Experience of monitoring performance and demonstrating outcomes (E)
- Experience of leading/line-managing a team of staff (E)
Desirable
- Experience of working with young people and/or families (D)
- Experience of delivering therapeutic interventions (D)
- Experience of working in/with schools (D)
- Management qualification (D)
Skills
Essential
- Ability to motivate, guide and support staff to develop (E)
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (E)
- Ability to create and communicate an operational vision (E)
- Ability to think clinically/therapeutically about client need (E)
- Proven change management and team working skills (E)
- Ability to improve services to increase efficiency and enhance patient experience (E)
- Ability to write concise and informative reports and letters (E)
Desirable
- Relevant managerial experience (D)
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of initiatives, priorities and agendas facing staff working in schools and childrens services, such as CAF/Early Help Initiative, Children & Young Peoples Plan, Child Protection Plan etc (E)
Desirable
- Knowledge of the Leeds area and local services including CAMHS, children and family services, and other relevant agencies (D)
- Knowledge of relevant data monitoring requirements including MHSDS (Mental Health Services Data Set) (D)
- Familiarity with electronic patient management systems such as IAPTus, SystmOne etc (D)
- Awareness of relevant initiatives and frameworks, including THRIVE Elaborated and CYP IAPT (D)
Professional registration/membership
Essential
- The relevant qualifications, experience and willingness to achieve registration/membership with a relevant professional body within 12 months (E)
Desirable
- Registration/membership with a relevant professional body (e.g. NMC/GSCC/HCPC/UKCP-registered, BACP membership) (D)
- Accreditation with a professional body (e.g. BACP-accredited) (D)
Other
Desirable
- Car driver with clean driving license and access to own vehicle (D)
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Northpoint Wellbeing Ltd
Address
Northpoint Wellbeing Ltd
Hunslet Road
Leeds
LS10 1JN
Employer's website
Employer details
Employer name
Northpoint Wellbeing Ltd
Address
Northpoint Wellbeing Ltd
Hunslet Road
Leeds
LS10 1JN
Employer's website
For questions about the job, contact:
Head of Services & Clinical Lead - Schools
Helen McGlinchey
helen.mcglinchey@northpoint.org.uk
07850772050
Date posted
14 February 2021
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
£39,130 to £45,000 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
B0173-21-5157
Job locations
Northpoint Wellbeing Ltd
Hunslet Road
Leeds
LS10 1JN
Supporting documents
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