Parent Infant Therapist -Recruit to train

The Methodist Church in Britain; Kirkham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is offering two 15-month fixed-term recruit-to-train posts in the Blackpool PaIRS service, focused on therapy with babies, preschool children and families. The role includes video interaction guidance and managing a caseload within the MDT, with weekly duties split between a Manchester University postgraduate diploma and clinical practice.

Applicants must have a level 6 degree, two years in a core profession, and be eligible to start the January

Qualifications

• Qualification in a listed core profession (nursing, social work, medicine, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, art therapy or psychology)
• Undergraduate degree at level 6 or equivalent
• At least 2 years in a core profession working with infant mental health, early years or family work
• Multi-agency working and inter-agency liaison
• Assessment, risk management and safeguarding of children and young people
• Experience supervising or mentoring junior staff

Responsibilities

• Carry out specialist parent-infant mental health assessments and interventions for babies, preschool children and families
• Plan, deliver and evaluate psychotherapeutic interventions, alone or as part of the MDT
• Manage a defined caseload and case management responsibilities
• Identify and manage risk to infants and others under trust protocols
• Engage in supervision and CPD needs
• Liaise with agencies on care packages and work with professionals outside the MDT
• Provide consultation and training on parent-infant emotional health to GPs and services
• Take part in PaIRS duty rota for urgent triage and risk

Skills

Mental health assessments

Risk management

Case management

Teamwork in MDT

Education

Level 6 degree or equivalent

Two years in core profession

Tools

Registration with regulator bodies

Job description

Two 15-month fixed-term recruit-to-train posts in the Blackpool Parent-Infant Relationship Service (PaIRS) at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The work centres on therapy with babies, preschool children and their parents, including video interaction guidance, within a managed caseload. Each week is split between a Manchester University postgraduate diploma and clinical practice in the service, including duty triage. Candidates need a level 6 degree, two years in a core profession and a start on the January 2027 course.

What the job involves

• Carry out specialist parent-infant mental health assessments and interventions for babies, preschool children and families
• Plan, deliver and evaluate psychotherapeutic interventions, alone or as part of the MDT
• Manage a defined caseload, including case management responsibilities
• Identify and manage risk to infants and others under trust and perinatal and infant mental health protocols
• Build working relationships with infants, children, parents, carers and families referred
• Deliver video interaction guidance with parents and infants who have attachment difficulties, assessed through case reports, practice logs and recordings
• Co-work with team members where appropriate and attend MDT meetings on referrals or clients in treatment
• Liaise with agencies on individual care packages and work jointly with professionals outside the MDT
• Provide consultation and training on parent-infant emotional health to GPs, Early Help, primary care, adult mental health and perinatal services
• Take part in the PaIRS duty rota for urgent triage and advice on risk
• Keep clinical records, data returns and routine outcome measures, using them to inform decisions and peer review
• Engage in managerial and clinical supervision, including review of live clinical work, and identify own CPD needs

Qualifications

• Qualification in a listed core profession: nursing, social work, medicine, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, art therapy or psychology
• Undergraduate degree at level 6 or equivalent

Registration & licences

• Registration for the chosen route: NMC, GMC, HCPC, social work regulator, or UKCP, BABCP or BACP
• BPS chartership (CPsychol) and HCPC registration for psychology routes

Experience

• At least 2 years in a core profession working with infant mental health, early years or family work
• Multi-agency working and inter-agency liaison
• Assessment, risk management and safeguarding of children and young people
• Experience of supervising or mentoring junior staff

Skills & knowledge

• Ability to carry out mental health assessments and therapeutic interventions with this client group
• Knowledge of legislation and guidance such as the Children Act, Working Together and mental health legislation
• Ability to manage a caseload and work well in a team and independently
• Ability to work with people from different backgrounds, cultures and ages

Other

• Able to start the Manchester postgraduate course in January 2027 and attend all taught and self-study days
• Meets the criteria for the recruit-to-train course
• Use of a car or other transport across the ICB footprint
• Occasional evening and weekend working

Nice to have

• Post-qualifying CPD relevant to perinatal or infant mental health
• Teaching and assessing qualification

What’s offered

• Postgraduate course funded through recruit-to-train
• Regular workplace clinical supervision
• Model-specific video interaction guidance supervision and training, working towards accredited practitioner status
• Support and advice on applying for Band 7 posts in the service after the course