School Therapist -TNCP Leeds

Job responsibilities

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title: School Therapist TNCP Cluster

Contract: Permanent contract

Salary: £26,260 £32,830 pro rata

Pension: Eligible employees will be auto-enrolled in a defined contribution scheme

Hours and days: 35 hours per week

Holidays: 28 days annual leave per year plus statutory holidays pro rata and up to 3 discretionary leave days at Christmas. Leave to be taken during school holidays.

Location: Working across various schools within the cluster.

The cluster team are co-located at Meadowfield Primary School and it is envisaged that desk/office space will be made available within the cluster office. Therapeutic work will normally take place within schools and community venues.

Accountability and reporting: The post-holder is ultimately accountable to the Board of Northpoint, through the Director of Northpoint. The post-holder will be line-managed by Northpoints School Services Manager. Direction on a day-to-day basis will be provided by the Cluster Leader, or other named person. The post holder will be considered a part of the cluster team and therefore included in team meetings, case discussions etc.

Start-date: October 2021 (or as soon as possible thereafter)

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.

Approach/Interventions: The therapist will deliver one-to-one short-term therapeutic interventions to primary and secondary school children referred through the cluster.

The exact nature of the therapeutic work will depend on the presenting issues, and on the theoretical orientation of the post-holder. Work will normally last for 6-8 weekly sessions, but may be extended depending on factors such as the degree of engagement/clinical need/likelihood of CAMHS involvement etc. Any group interventions would also be consistent with the above approaches.

The approach used by the therapist should be consistent with the following:

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework, and specifically BACPs Good Practice Guidance for Counselling in Schools

Professional requirements of the Health and Care Professions Council (if registered)

Evidence base contained within the Department for Education guidance Counselling in schools: a blueprint for the future

Client group

The focus will be on referrals from identified priority groups where consent and motivation criteria are met (including looked-after children, potentially NEET at 16, poor attendees, vulnerable boys, those experiencing bullying, young carers, those affected by loss/bereavement/parental separation, children who are anxious/depressed, those displaying behaviour management problems/conduct disorder, those experiencing deprivation, asylum seekers, refugees, etc).

A limited amount of work with adults (parents and carers) may be required within the role and the therapist will be able to refer parents (if need be) to other services within the area, including Northpoints other provision.

Caseload

The caseload will be dependent on a number of factors and will vary dependent on the number of hours worked. It is envisaged that a therapist working 5 days (35 hours) would normally hold a caseload of 17/18 clients who are seen weekly. The exact size of the caseload may vary and will be dependent on the nature of the work and other factors including the number of venues, travel time and room availability.

Main duties

The duties and responsibilities of the post will include:

1. Delivery of the therapeutic service in the cluster, working with colleagues to promote the service, liaising with school staff and other stakeholders.

2. Building and maintaining good, effective working relationships with management teams and pastoral staff in the schools and venues.

3. Liaising with cluster and school staff on referrals, assessing and determining the need for intervention with children and families referred.

4. Holding a caseload of children and young people (aged 5 to 19) and parents/carers at any one time.

5. Holding a caseload of referrals and gathering information to allow accurate assessment and formulation of emotional and mental health needs for children and young people.

6. Delivery of short-term (normally 6 to 8 sessions), evidence-based individual interventions in various school settings, to children and families who are referred through the cluster, and where consent and motivation criteria are met.

7. Delivery of group interventions where appropriate.

8. With a developed understanding of local services, assisting the cluster team to establish the most appropriate cluster practitioner to work with specific referrals, or providing supporting information for onward referrals into specific CAMHS pathways.

9. Offering consultation and advice to school staff, cluster and other professionals as and when appropriate.

10. Working peripatetically across schools in the cluster.

11. Providing clinical support, guidance and input to school and cluster-based staff.

12. Attending/contributing to referral and planning meetings with school and other staff.

13. Taking a proactive approach to ensuring safeguarding concerns are raised appropriately, and contributing to EHCP/safeguarding processes.

14. Ensuring that all records are kept confidentially, in line with Northpoints procedures.

15. Working with other professionals to ensure therapeutic input is appropriate to the needs of the client group, and that all therapeutic services follow the evidence base.

16. Communicating with parents/families in line with Northpoint guidance.

17. Any other duties as required by the evolving nature of the project (primarily keeping integrated case management information in line with other project members, undertaking relevant assessments, completing monitoring and evaluation reports, and attending team meetings and other forums).

General

Northpoint will provide regular line-management supervision and the post-holder will take day-to-day direction from the Cluster Lead or nominated staff as appropriate.

Northpoint will provide an appropriate level of clinical supervision (within work time) or will pay for an agreed supervisor to provide supervision.

Peer support and CPD workshops are provided (occasionally on Saturdays).

A joint induction will be carried out by Northpoint and the cluster. As part of the Northpoint induction, an online handbook which provides policy and guidance documents will be available electronically on the Northpoint intranet.

Work will be provided across different locations within the cluster in appropriate therapeutic spaces.

Travel expenses will be provided at the standard Northpoint rate.

Staff are expected to participate in service promotion. This may involve their name and identifying details, including photographs, being included in promotional material.

Additional expenses will be claimed through Northpoint as agreed.

Northpoint will supply a mobile phone for work purposes.

It is envisaged that access to a computer which is linked to the cluster or school network and configured to LCC/school/cluster security standards will be provided by each cluster.

All employees must be familiar with and adhere to Northpoints operational policies, service protocols, and practice guidelines as required, taking account of any relevant partner protocols and procedures.

All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both clients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (2018) and Security and Confidentiality policies.

All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and for the health and safety of colleagues, clients and the general public.

All employees will undertake statutory and mandatory training as deemed appropriate and have a willingness and commitment to professional development .

Northpoint Wellbeing is committed to ensuring that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital status, gender reassignment or pregnancy/maternity. We fully support the right of all staff to equal opportunities and are committed to the development of a diverse workforce. All employees are expected to be familiar with and adhere to Northpoints Equal Opportunities policy.

All employees will adhere to Northpoint Wellbeing safeguarding procedures.

It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their professional position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business, or for other interests, in the course of their official duties.

This job description does not provide an exhaustive list of duties and may be reviewed in conjunction with the post-holder in light of service development.

Revised: July 2021

Qualifications

Essential

• A relevant therapeutic qualification* (E)
• *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).
• **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

• Further training in working therapeutically with children and young people (D)

Experience

Essential

• At least one years post-qualification clinical experience (E)
• Experience of working in schools, childrens centres, and/or children and family services (E)
• Ability to carry out comprehensive mental health assessments including assessment of risk, analysis of strengths and protective factors. (E)
• An understanding of social, emotional, behavioural and specialist presentations for children and young people (E)

Desirable

• Experience or knowledge of CAMHS or other mental health services (D)
• Experience and/or knowledge of systemic family therapeutic interventions (D)
• Experience of group work and training provision (D)
• Experience of working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds (D)

Skills

Essential

• Ability to deliver time-limited evidence-based therapeutic interventions (usually 6-8 sessions) to primary and secondary school students (E)
• Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team, and to foster good working relationships with different professionals and agencies (E)
• Ability to communicate effectively and manage sensitive client information (E)
• Ability to assess and respond to child protection and safeguarding issues (E)
• Ability to assess risk and suitability for therapy (E)
• Ability to manage own caseload, time and priorities, plus ability to be self-motivated, to work with remote management, and to take initiative as appropriate (E)
• Ability to demonstrate outcomes and evidence impact (e.g. SDQ, client feedback) (E)
• Competence with basic IT software (email, Word, spreadsheets, report writing, letters) (E)
• Commitment to working within relevant professional guidance (e.g. BACP Ethical Framework) (E)

Knowledge

Essential

• Understanding of mental health and wellbeing issues facing children and young people (E)

Desirable

• Knowledge of initiatives, priorities and agendas facing staff working in childrens services, such as EHP, Leeds Children & Young Peoples Plan, Child Protection Plans etc (D)
• Knowledge/experience of education and cluster working (D)
• Knowledge or training in restorative practice techniques (D)

Professional Registration

Essential

• Registration/membership with a relevant professional body (BACP, UKCP, BABCP, HCPC) OR the ability and willingness to achieve registration/membership within a year (E)

Desirable

• Accreditation with a professional body (e.g. BACP-accredited) (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).