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Job Information
Achieving for Children is a Community Interest Company that has a public sector ethos, combined with the freedom to innovate enabling us to do things differently. As a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by three local authorities (Windsor & Maidenhead, Kingston and Richmond), we offer the freedoms of a social enterprise with the employment benefits of local government. To find out more about us click here.
Mental Health Clinician - CBT Therapist / Psychologist
Join a team that's officially Outstanding! Achieving for Children's services have now been rated Outstanding by Ofsted in both Richmond and Kingston. Our services are praised for exceptional care and a workforce that puts children at the center of everything we do.
If you want to be part of a team that's setting the standard for excellence, we want to hear from you. To find out more click here.
If you have the skills that will enable us to continue to enhance our practice and improve outcomes for children further, we want to hear from you. We are looking for bright, enthusiastic people who have the passion and the drive to make a positive difference to children’s lives. By recognising and championing strengths we know we can make a real difference. It’s a genuine team effort in AfC. That’s why we want talented people, like you, to join us and help create a brighter future for children and families.
This role is eligible for a Market Supplement.
You will work across the Kingston and Richmond boroughs.
We support flexible working and offer hybrid working. For full-time roles, this typically includes 3 days a week in the office, with potential for home working based on service needs.
Please note the salary advertised is full-time equivalent and will be pro rata.
About the role
The Emotional Health Service (EHS) is a dynamic and progressive multi-disciplinary team of Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, CBT Therapists, Systemic Psychotherapists and Art Psychotherapists. We have teams at Richmond (Twickenham base), and Kingston (Chessington and Kingston based) and work closely with our colleagues in Early Help, Social Care, Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) and Education. We have a strong sense of team and work together to support children and young people’s emotional wellbeing. We also work to prioritise the wellbeing of the staff team. As a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or CBT Therapist for EHS you will be passionate about improving the mental health of children and young people and putting them at the centre of all you do. You will be part of a team and be afforded many different opportunities to use your skills, including undertaking consultations, delivering interventions, working alongside schools and partner agencies and delivering training.
Emotionally Related School Avoidance - ERSA. This role will have a particular focus on adding capacity to the support for children and young people with emotionally related school avoidance (ERSA) and their families and schools. Locally we have been focusing on this current issue, particularly post pandemic, and this role will be central to providing both direct therapy work with children and their families, support to schools and partnership work.
ERSA work will be combined with some EHS Buy In work which is offering Emotional health support to schools who buy in our service. You will have access to peer supervision and many exciting development opportunities. You will also receive clinical supervision and line management within the service.
For an informal discussion about the role contact Jenny Downie on jennifer.downie@achievingforchildren.org.uk.
About you
We are looking for a permanent Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or CBT Therapist to join the Emotional Health Service and become part of our team. You will be passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of children and young people as well as demonstrating the following points:
- Putting children and young people first.
- Be a Qualified Clinical or Counselling Psychologist or CBT therapist with appropriate professional registration, such as BABCP, HCPC.
- Be able to provide consultation and training to a wide range of professionals.
- Have CAMHS experience in working with complex and vulnerable families.
- Have knowledge of and experience working with children and young people with neurodevelopmental difficulties such as Autism and ADHD.
About our benefits
We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:
- 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month (Or for term-time workers, your leave entitlement consists of the non-working periods in your contract)
- Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
- Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
- Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
- A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
- A range of staff benefits and discounts
- An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway
To find out about all of the breadth of benefits of working for Achieving for Children click here. For our social work offer click here. For our Recruitment Journey, click here.
Important Information
Start dates: Achieving for Children have set start dates meaning successful candidates join on a set date in each month. Candidates are advised to prepare for this should a job offer be accepted to ensure eligible continuous service is not affected.
Right to work: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.
Equality: We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams. Achieving for Children are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
For more information about AfC: Drop in and meet Regina on the first Wednesday of every month at Civic Centre, Twickenham.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
