West London NHS Trust

Family Therapist

The closing date is 26 November 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for Family Therapists with experience of working with young people and their families to work in Tri-borough CAMHS. This is a full-time Band 7 permanent post in the CAMHS Alliance service. We would be delighted to hear from Family Therapists who have experience working in CAMHS and are interested in this role. Candidates who have Crisis and/or Home Treatment experience will be prioritised for this role.

The successful applicant will have the opportunity to work alongside other family therapists in a family therapy clinic in addition to holding an individual caseload. You will receive regular clinical, professional and management supervision from a Highly Specialist Systemic & Family Psychotherapist. We offer a range of in house and external training opportunities e.g. Narrative therapy; NVR; CYP-IAPT. West London CAMHS has good relationships with local family therapy training providers and we offer specialist placements to trainees.

As a systemic & family psychotherapist within West London CAMHS you will be offered good opportunities for continuing professional development and you will be supported in your career progression.

Main duties of the job

The Alliance Crisis Team serves 3 key pathways:

o Acute Trust and out of hours' serviceo Intensive community support/ Home Treatment service & Post A&E Reviewo Intensive community support/Home Treatment + service with Tier 3 CAMHs interface and Tier 4 diversion/Tier 4 step down

The post holders will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, holding a clinical caseload and undertaking the comprehensive assessment of children and young people with mental health needs (including risk assessment and the development of risk management plans) who present in crisis to CAMH Services, hospitals and sites covered by the Alliance Crisis Care.

In addition to providing direct work to families and young people, the post holders will also assist the CAMHS and/or paediatrics team with treatment planning and provide consultation to families/carers and other professionals involved in the life of the young person.

The post holder will participate in delivering the provision of specialist mental health services to children and young people and their families and carers across the West London NHS Trust 3 Boroughs CAMH Service and crisis pathway.

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' overall by 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.

Details

Date posted

12 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£53,751 to £60,651 a year per annum inclusive

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

222-LS-CAMHS-742

Job locations

Lakeside mental Health Unit

Twickenham Road

London

TW7 6AF


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.

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

Qualifications

Essential

  • Post-graduate training in systemic family therapists as accredited by IFT or AFT.
  • Professional registration with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
  • Previous qualification in a relevant profession such as social work, nursing, teaching, psychology or counselling.

Desirable

  • CYP IAPT training
  • Training in DBT

Knowedge & Skills

Essential

  • Evidence base in relation to child and adolescent mental health
  • Research and research methodology at post-graduate level in relation to children and adults with mental health and social problems
  • The impact of abuse, trauma and other adverse experiences on children, young people and families.
  • Legislation and DOH guidelines relevant to child and adolescent mental health e.g. Mental Health Act 1983, Children Act 1989
  • Child protection policies and procedures.
  • Child development in relation to mental health difficulties.
  • Knowledge of other modalities (i.e. psychoanalytical, biological, cognitive, behavioural etc.) sufficient to engage appropriately with colleagues and their work with clients

Desirable

  • Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised systemic family therapy with vulnerable and hard to reach families.
  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in relevant first profession including extensive experience of safe-guarding children.
  • Experience of work with children and adolescents with complex problems, including self-harm and suicidal ideation, in a mental health or equivalent setting.

Desirable

  • Experience of other treatment approaches
  • Experience of research and audit.

Skills

Essential

  • Skills in working with children and families with mental health and social problems using a variety of approaches coherent with a systemic perspective.
  • Ability to apply analytical skills to multi-layered complex cases.
  • Ability to formulate comprehensive assessments and offer effective treatment based on systemic principles.
  • Ability to provide ongoing treatment in complex, often unstable, and frequently changing circumstances.
  • Ability to liaise with and manage complex professional networks in relation to individuals and families.
  • Skills in consulting to professional colleagues within and outside CAMHS
  • Ability to withstand high levels of emotional distress
  • Ability to manage the risk of verbal and physical aggression.
  • Ability to manage and plan own workload of complex cases.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Desirable

  • Word processing skills, including the ability to use internet and other computer technology effectively
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Post-graduate training in systemic family therapists as accredited by IFT or AFT.
  • Professional registration with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
  • Previous qualification in a relevant profession such as social work, nursing, teaching, psychology or counselling.

Desirable

  • CYP IAPT training
  • Training in DBT

Knowedge & Skills

Essential

  • Evidence base in relation to child and adolescent mental health
  • Research and research methodology at post-graduate level in relation to children and adults with mental health and social problems
  • The impact of abuse, trauma and other adverse experiences on children, young people and families.
  • Legislation and DOH guidelines relevant to child and adolescent mental health e.g. Mental Health Act 1983, Children Act 1989
  • Child protection policies and procedures.
  • Child development in relation to mental health difficulties.
  • Knowledge of other modalities (i.e. psychoanalytical, biological, cognitive, behavioural etc.) sufficient to engage appropriately with colleagues and their work with clients

Desirable

  • Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised systemic family therapy with vulnerable and hard to reach families.
  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in relevant first profession including extensive experience of safe-guarding children.
  • Experience of work with children and adolescents with complex problems, including self-harm and suicidal ideation, in a mental health or equivalent setting.

Desirable

  • Experience of other treatment approaches
  • Experience of research and audit.

Skills

Essential

  • Skills in working with children and families with mental health and social problems using a variety of approaches coherent with a systemic perspective.
  • Ability to apply analytical skills to multi-layered complex cases.
  • Ability to formulate comprehensive assessments and offer effective treatment based on systemic principles.
  • Ability to provide ongoing treatment in complex, often unstable, and frequently changing circumstances.
  • Ability to liaise with and manage complex professional networks in relation to individuals and families.
  • Skills in consulting to professional colleagues within and outside CAMHS
  • Ability to withstand high levels of emotional distress
  • Ability to manage the risk of verbal and physical aggression.
  • Ability to manage and plan own workload of complex cases.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Desirable

  • Word processing skills, including the ability to use internet and other computer technology effectively

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

West London NHS Trust

Address

Lakeside mental Health Unit

Twickenham Road

London

TW7 6AF


Employer's website

https://www.westlondon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

West London NHS Trust

Address

Lakeside mental Health Unit

Twickenham Road

London

TW7 6AF


Employer's website

https://www.westlondon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Team Manager

Amar Bhoobun

amar.bhoobun@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

12 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£53,751 to £60,651 a year per annum inclusive

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

222-LS-CAMHS-742

Job locations

Lakeside mental Health Unit

Twickenham Road

London

TW7 6AF


Supporting documents

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