Recruit to Train - Trainee Systemic Family Practice Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

We are a fully integrated multi-disciplinary team comprising Psychologists; Psychiatrists; Systemic Family Therapists; Nurses; Occupational Therapists and Family Support Workers. A key aspect of the role is working closely with clinicians/practitioners as part of a bi-lingual, bi-cultural multi-disciplinary team with deaf and hearing practitioners and BSL/English Interpreters. We encourage deaf applicants, and applicants who already have a high level of British Sign Language, however specialist training and development will be provided to develop knowledge and skills for working with deaf children and young people.

Our clients use a wide range of communication modalities including British Sign Language, Sign Supported English, English and other spoken languages, and minimal language. You would hold a varied caseload, which will include carrying out specialist assessment and therapeutic interventions under supervision of a Systemic Family Therapist, working flexibly across pathways of care in a variety of community settings, and to work closely with clinicians/practitioners in multi-disciplinary teams. We work both directly with families, as well as offering joint care with local CAMHS services, multi-agency working and consultation. Excellent problem-solving, communication and interpersonal skills and a positive attitude towards working with deaf children, and their families, with complex mental health needs are essential.

The main administration office base for the outreach team is in Dudley, however clinicians are based from their homes across the whole of the Central England (West Midlands, East Midlands, South Central) region and you will be required to travel to a range of settings throughout the Central England region. Some work can be done remotely. You may be required to attend occasional national meetings with our colleagues in other areas of our NDCAMHS services across England but much of this is now via video call. Travel for the clinical part of the role is counted as part of your working hours. We have access to paid for accommodation if needing to be further from home. Clinical and office spaces can be booked across the region as needed. Due to COVID-19, we have developed the ability to offer a remote service using video calls, and now restrictions are easing we will continue with an integrated approach for clinical work using video conferencing as well as face-to-face work to manage our travel where appropriate. We also hold most of our team meetings by video conferencing, but aim for an integrated model balancing the need for team connection with reducing travel. Post holders would be provided with facilities to enable remote working.

What is systemic family therapy?

According to the Association for Family Therapy (AFT), family therapy involves working with family members, couples and others who care about each other to express and explore difficult thoughts and emotions safely, to understand each others experiences and views, appreciate each others needs, build on strengths and make useful changes in their relationships and their lives.

This programme will enable practitioners to develop their knowledge, skills and competency in SFP for adolescents with self-harm/depression and their families and for young people (over 10 years) with conduct problems, or for adolescents with eating disorders and their families.

How does the training work?

The course runs for one year at University of Exeter 2 days a week and working in a CAMHS service 2-3 days per week. The course is accredited by AFT.

• Click on the link to find out more information: Systemic Family Practice (PGDip) CYP SOUTH WEST (swcypiapt.com)

What clinical work would I complete?

• You would be required to complete 60 clinical hours, of which:
  • 40 must be as the lead clinician
  • 20 can be as part of a reflective or co-therapy team
• You will get access to cases appropriate for family therapy via NDCAMHS. One full family therapy session can be noted as 1.5 hours if it includes a pre and post session discussion. It is worth noting therefore, that the requirement based on this calculation means you would need to do a minimum of about 28 sessions as lead clinician over the course.

About you

Deaf children and families benefit from meeting deaf professionals. We would like to encourage candidates who are deaf to apply. Both NDCAMHS and the SFP course leaders are committed to ensure that you will be supported to get the access that you need for the role.

You will be an experienced and qualified professional with a core registerable qualification.

Candidates should have:

• At least two years experience of working with children and young peoples mental

health and experience working with families

• A Level 6 qualification (usually an undergraduate degree).
• A core profession recognised by AFT for example: psychology, social work, psychiatry and other medical specialities, teaching, nursing and health visiting, creative arts therapy, counselling (BACP registered), occupational therapy and speech and language therapy.

You will be able to work alongside colleagues in a multi-disciplinary team and develop relationships across agencies to meet the needs of children and families. The ability to adapt communication and intervention style to meet individual need is important, you will have knowledge of child development and child protection procedures.

Managing risk and being able to assess mental health presentations in the community is a core part of this role, responding to both urgent and routine, planned and unplanned need. You will be required to work flexibly across a range of clinical, community and home-based settings to meet the needs of the child, which will involve travel.

Interviews are likely to be held in person in Birmingham with NDCAMHS, joined virtually on Microsoft Teams with the University of Exeter, date to be confirmed.

Please see attached job description and person specification

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• oA core profession recognised by AFT - for example: psychology, social work, psychiatry and other medical specialities, teaching, nursing and health visiting, creative arts therapy, counselling (BACP registered), occupational therapy and speech and language therapy.
• oA Level 6 qualification (usually an undergraduate degree)

Desirable

• oLevel 2/3/6 British Sign Language or ability to work towards achieving this qualification after the SFP course

Experience

Essential

• oAt least two years' experience of working with children and young people's mental health and experience working with families

Desirable

• oExperience of working with deaf children and families

Skills

Essential

• oExcellent verbal (BSL or English) and written communication skills
• oAbility to work with deaf children and their families with British Sign Language and spoken language interpreters as needed.
• oTo /travel independently to a variety of community settings for professional meetings/training

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

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

NDCAMHS Central England

Birmingham

B29 6NA

Employer's website

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