Mental Health & Family Specialist inSutton inSutton PUBLISHED THU 23 JAN 2025

The Therapeutic Hub is an innovative multi-disciplinary team staffed by experienced and qualified practitioners, and the team benefits from the expertise of professionals from mental health, speech and language, education and social care. We work together to offer therapeutic support to children and young people open to Childrens Services who have emerging or complex mental health or behavioural needs. This includes young people who are accommodated in residential or foster care. The range of work with children and families is varied, dynamic and constantly developing in response to changes in the fields of developmental trauma, attachment and neurodevelopment. The Therapeutic Hub supports the embedding of Sutton's practice models by promoting a restorative and trauma informed approach in our work, not only with children and families but also the systems surrounding them.

This post offers an exciting opportunity for an individual to contribute to the development of this role within both environments. The post-holder will also be expected to support service development through sharing knowledge, delivering training and group supervision, management support (if required), and providing high quality casework support. We recognise this work is highly complex and requires a high degree of dedication and personal resources, therefore clinical supervision will be provided.

We are looking for an exceptional individual to join us and to make a real difference in the lives of children and their families. You will be aself-motivated and enthusiastic professional with significant post-qualifying experience of working within a clinical/therapeutic role. You will hold a recognised accredited qualification in a clinical/therapeutic discipline, be registered with a professional body, and have significant post-qualifying experience in applying your clinical/therapeutic skills. Knowledge of trauma informed practice is essential.

This role will be suitable for the following types of professionals: Clinical Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist, Mental Health Nurse, Learning Disability Nurse, or a Therapist. Other professionals who have received clinical training and have the requisite experience and accreditation may also be eligible.

About us

The Mental Health and Family Systems Specialist will be employed by a multidisciplinary Therapeutic Hub, which is a service within Sutton Childrens Services that provides consultations, assessments and therapeutic interventions to the children, young people and families open to social care. The Mental Health and Family Systems Specialist will offer time-limited therapeutic interventions to improve the mental health, emotional wellbeing and educational outcomes of children and young people. There will be opportunities for family interventions to address any family issues that may be contributing to, or being influenced by, the presenting challenges. The ultimate aim of the postholder is to achieve better outcomes for children by supporting their reintegration to school, helping to improve their mental health, and by increasing the stability of the family unit or placement. This role will be split between two provisions throughout the year. During term time (39 weeks per year) the post-holder will be based on-site at the Sutton Tuition and Reintegration Service (STARS) for 3-days per week. The other 2-days of those weeks will be spent supporting the work of the Therapeutic Hub. During non-term time (13 weeks per year), the post-holder will be based 5-days per week in the Therapeutic Hub. Based at The Drapers Centre, STARS is an Outstanding education environment for children and young people with complex medical needs who are unable, either temporarily or longer term, to access their mainstream school. The goal of STARS is to nurture the young person on their journey back into mainstream school. The Mental Health and Family Systems Specialist position would seek to support that work, during term times. This post offers an exciting opportunity for an individual to contribute to the development of this role within both environments. The post-holder will also be expected to support service development through sharing knowledge, delivering training and group supervision, management support (if required), and providing high quality casework support. We recognise this work is highly complex and requires a high degree of dedication and personal resources, therefore clinical supervision will be provided.