Job summary
PALMS (Positive behaviour, Autism, Learning disability, Mental health Service) is evolving and we want to welcome additional clinicians to be part of our vibrant and multidisciplinary team who include Clinical Psychologists, Positive Behaviour Analysts, Systemic Therapists, Learning Disability Nurses, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Practitioners, Speech and Language Therapists and Outreach Workers.
With the continued evolution of PALMS we are seeking to appoint a Principal Positive Behaviour Analyst who is a motivated and forward thinking clinician and leader who can work flexibly and is committed to supporting CYP and their families across Hertfordshire and the full PALMS' team
We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.
Main duties of the job
The ideal candidate will be:
- Able to support and enhance the care of children and young people within the service and exercise responsibility for the governance of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) practices.
- Able to provide a highly specialist service using principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis and PBS to children and young people with learning disabilities and/or an autistic spectrum disorder who present with challenging behaviour, toileting, feeding and/or sleeping concerns and/or mental health difficulties, and to their families across all sectors of care.
- Able to provide leadership to the PBS structure within PALMS and deliver clinical supervision and line management to Positive Behaviour Analysts, Senior Positive Behaviour Analysts and other PALMS colleagues as appropriate. At times, this may include providing supervision in support of those pursuing BCBA certification
- Able to maintain a high degree of professionalism when working in settings where there is a highly emotive atmosphere.
- Flexible in their approach and have resilience under pressure
- Able to work both in a team environment and autonomously
- Able to maintain a high degree of professionalism when working in settings where there is a highly emotive atmosphere.
About us
PALMS works across Hertfordshire providing a specialist multi-disciplinary approach. PALMS is a CAMHS commissioned service which offers individually tailored support for children and young people (CYP), aged 0-18 who have a global learning disability and/or Autistic Spectrum Disorder, helping families to manage challenging behaviour, toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns which have not benefited from community interventions and/or to support mental health needs which cannot be met with reasonable adjustment by other CAMHS services. Additionally, PALMS also supports problematic sexualised behaviours. Interventions include workshops, groups, individual therapy, parent as therapist sessions, and a family clinic. PALMS aims to keep children and young people with their families thereby improving outcomes for all family members. PALMS predominantly applies narrative, systemic, positive behaviour, and bio-psycho social models adhering to the STOMP / STAMP and Transforming Care Agendas
Job description
Job responsibilities
PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to need and personal circumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.
The post will be county wide with principal bases at Danestrete Child Development Centre, Peace Children's Centre, QEII Hospital or St Albans Wellbeing Centre.
We have continued to support CYP and their families through the COVID19 pandemic embracing virtual working whilst continuing to offer face to face work where clinically appropriate. Virtual working offers flexibility to both team members and families and is now embedded in the PALMS team.
The PALMS team is friendly, cohesive and proactive. We value feedback and empower all team members to contribute to the continuous development of the service and welcome innovation and change.
The post is Permanent, PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.
We can offer you:
- Regular clinical and professional supervision
- Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development. This includes specific support with regards to fulfilling the PALMS role such as co-facilitating workshops.
- Regular opportunities to meet as a team
- Regular CPD and Peer Reflection
- Opportunities to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team including from MHST and Crisis service; learning from other evidence based frameworks and approaches.
- Involvement in service development
- Opportunities to provide line management and clinical supervision to other members of the PALMS team
We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.
A full valid driving license and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
Interviews will be run either in person at one of our bases or using Microsoft Teams, full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.
Closing date: midnight 14th May 2023
Interview date: 26th May 2023
Job description
Job responsibilities
PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to need and personal circumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.
The post will be county wide with principal bases at Danestrete Child Development Centre, Peace Children's Centre, QEII Hospital or St Albans Wellbeing Centre.
We have continued to support CYP and their families through the COVID19 pandemic embracing virtual working whilst continuing to offer face to face work where clinically appropriate. Virtual working offers flexibility to both team members and families and is now embedded in the PALMS team.
The PALMS team is friendly, cohesive and proactive. We value feedback and empower all team members to contribute to the continuous development of the service and welcome innovation and change.
The post is Permanent, PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.
We can offer you:
- Regular clinical and professional supervision
- Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development. This includes specific support with regards to fulfilling the PALMS role such as co-facilitating workshops.
- Regular opportunities to meet as a team
- Regular CPD and Peer Reflection
- Opportunities to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team including from MHST and Crisis service; learning from other evidence based frameworks and approaches.
- Involvement in service development
- Opportunities to provide line management and clinical supervision to other members of the PALMS team
We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.
A full valid driving license and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
Interviews will be run either in person at one of our bases or using Microsoft Teams, full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.
Closing date: midnight 14th May 2023
Interview date: 26th May 2023
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis and / or Positive Behaviour Support / Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities or equivalent
- Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and/or registered with the UK Society for Behaviour Analysis (UK-SBA).
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of autism, mental health and / or research design and analysis
- Eligible to supervise candidates pursuing BCBA certification
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 4 years working clinically with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and / or an autistic spectrum disorder including the application of Applied Behaviour Analysis and Positive Behaviour Support.
- Comprehensive assessment (including Functional Behaviour Assessment and Functional Analysis) and intervention of challenging behavior including physical aggression, verbal aggression, self-injurious behavior and comprehensive assessment and intervention of toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns.
- Development, implementation, and evaluation of positive behavior support plans.
- Experience in applying PBS and principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis in a health and/or social care sector
- Experience of working with individuals who are non-verbal or who have significant communication difficulties.
- Experience of working in a mental health setting with children and young people.
- Attendance and participation at multi-disciplinary meetings.
- Experience of teaching and training others, using a variety of multimedia materials.
- Experience of providing clinical supervision and line management
- Experience of multi-disciplinary team working.
- Experience of taking a lead professionally
Desirable
- Implementation of the periodic service review.
- Experience of service quality monitoring.
- Experience of duty working as part of a crisis pathway.
- Experience of developing and leading the implementation of a service wide PBS approach
- Experience of actively participating in local and national practice networks related to PBS, Autism, and / or learning disability
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- High level of communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive, abusive or hostile.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to service users, carers and colleagues
- An understanding of the impact of challenging behaviour
- An ability to make autonomous clinical judgements involving highly complex facts and situations
- Up to date knowledge of policies and procedures and clinical issues relating to specific client group
- Practical computing skills including the use of databases and spreadsheets.
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis and / or Positive Behaviour Support / Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities or equivalent
- Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and/or registered with the UK Society for Behaviour Analysis (UK-SBA).
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of autism, mental health and / or research design and analysis
- Eligible to supervise candidates pursuing BCBA certification
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 4 years working clinically with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and / or an autistic spectrum disorder including the application of Applied Behaviour Analysis and Positive Behaviour Support.
- Comprehensive assessment (including Functional Behaviour Assessment and Functional Analysis) and intervention of challenging behavior including physical aggression, verbal aggression, self-injurious behavior and comprehensive assessment and intervention of toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns.
- Development, implementation, and evaluation of positive behavior support plans.
- Experience in applying PBS and principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis in a health and/or social care sector
- Experience of working with individuals who are non-verbal or who have significant communication difficulties.
- Experience of working in a mental health setting with children and young people.
- Attendance and participation at multi-disciplinary meetings.
- Experience of teaching and training others, using a variety of multimedia materials.
- Experience of providing clinical supervision and line management
- Experience of multi-disciplinary team working.
- Experience of taking a lead professionally
Desirable
- Implementation of the periodic service review.
- Experience of service quality monitoring.
- Experience of duty working as part of a crisis pathway.
- Experience of developing and leading the implementation of a service wide PBS approach
- Experience of actively participating in local and national practice networks related to PBS, Autism, and / or learning disability
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- High level of communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive, abusive or hostile.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to service users, carers and colleagues
- An understanding of the impact of challenging behaviour
- An ability to make autonomous clinical judgements involving highly complex facts and situations
- Up to date knowledge of policies and procedures and clinical issues relating to specific client group
- Practical computing skills including the use of databases and spreadsheets.
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).
