Psychotherapist

Serco; Bristol; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Serco is looking for a dedicated Psychotherapist to join their therapeutic community team at HMP Ashfield. The role is vital for supporting the rehabilitation of offenders through group therapy, ensuring high clinical standards, and making informed treatment decisions. This position offers opportunities for professional development, collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, and a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals within the correctional system.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme up to 6%

Employee Assistance Programme and health resources

Ongoing training support and professional development opportunities

Discounts at various retailers

Paid volunteering day each year

Qualifications

• Experience in a forensic setting, particularly with sexual offences.
• Experience in assessment, implementation, and delivery of group work.
• Ability to work collaboratively with prisoners.

Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate group psychotherapy sessions using various therapeutic models.
• Make informed treatment decisions based on residents' assessments.
• Support the therapeutic community environment and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication

Collaboration

Understanding of Therapeutic Community principles

Education

Qualified/accredited psychotherapist with UKCP or BACP

Job description

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Ready to think differently about rehabilitation? At HMP Ashfield, we’re committed to making a real difference in the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. With an operational capacity of prisoners, this is a highly impactful role where your work will directly contribute to stabilising and safely reintegrating individuals into society.

As a Psychotherapist in the Therapeutic Community’s Clinical Team, you’ll lead group therapy, track residents’ progress, and ensure their risk of reoffending is minimised. You’ll play a key role in Therapy Review Boards, making critical decisions about residents’ next steps, and help uphold high clinical standards. Your expertise in mental health and complex personality disorders will empower you to support residents in their transformative journey, making a lasting, positive impact on their lives and the wider community.

Make an impact at Serco

In this meaningful role, you will lead and facilitate group psychotherapy sessions, drawing on a variety of therapeutic models to guide and support residents through their therapeutic journey. You will have the clinical autonomy to make informed decisions based on each resident's complex background and needs. You will also play a key role in maintaining a therapeutic community environment, supporting both residents and staff, and ensuring the successful implementation of the Democratic Therapeutic Communities’ core model within the prison setting. Collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team will be essential as you provide specialist input, monitor progress, and adapt treatment plans as necessary.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading and facilitating group psychotherapy sessions, utilising various therapeutic models and techniques.
• Making informed treatment decisions based on assessments of residents’ histories, criminal behaviour, and developmental challenges.
• Facilitating large community meetings, supporting co-facilitators and staff to foster a therapeutic atmosphere.
• Contributing to risk assessment and management, particularly for high-risk residents.
• Providing feedback on group processes to optimise both individual treatment and group dynamics.
• Offering psychodynamic input in multi-disciplinary meetings to maintain a therapeutic environment.
• Participating in audits and development activities to ensure continuous improvement of clinical practice.
• Staying informed of current research and integrating evidence-based practices into your work.
• Contributing to external audit preparations, including case studies and liaising with external agencies.
• Acting as a peer reviewer for other Therapeutic Communities to promote best practice.
• Maintaining professional networks for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• Attending supervision to enhance your skills and maintain professional registration as a clinician and supervisor.

Join a place you can grow

At Serco, we believe in continuous development, and you’ll find plenty of opportunities to grow in this role. You’ll work within a supportive and collaborative team that is passionate about making a difference in the lives of others. We offer a range of professional development and CPD activities, and we actively promote from within.

You’ll also receive:

• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Health and wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, % off at Serco-managed leisure centres, and /7 access to a virtual GP serviceand free flu jabs
• Training and development: Ongoing support and training opportunities to enhance your skills and career progression, with your professional training fees paid.
• Discounts: Discounts across around 1, retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel.
• ShareSave scheme: Save regularly with the choice to buy Serco shares at a discount at the end of your savings period.
• Charity: Support a charity or organisation with a paid volunteering day each year. You can also choose to donate to your favourite charity tax-free, through our Payroll Giving Scheme, and donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity.
• Employee networks: Join a network where colleagues can come together, meet new people, find support, share ideas and be part of a real community.

What you’ll need

To succeed in this role, you should:

• Be a qualified/accredited psychotherapist with the UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) or BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)
• Be an experienced and robust practitioner with experience of working in a forensic setting, particularly with those convicted of sexual offences
• Be a practitioner with experience of assessment, implementation and delivery of group work
• Have an understanding and awareness of Therapeutic Community principles
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Be able to work collaboratively with prisoners
• Be skilled and experienced in working within a multi-disciplinary team

A little bit about us

At Serco, we’re a fast-growing company, serving governments around the globe. Our work spans a wide range of sectors including Justice, Immigration, Defence, Leisure, Healthcare, Transport, and Citizen Services. We’re committed to delivering, improving and redesigning public services for the benefit of everyone, guided by our values of Trust, Care, Innovation, and Pride.

Our inclusive recruitment process: We see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We’re a proud holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard and a Disability Confident Leader, championing fair access to employment and equal opportunities for all. As such we’re open to flexible working arrangements and we’ll make reasonable adjustments from interview through to employment.

As part of the Disability Confident Scheme, disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

Ready to make a difference? Apply today!

Impact a better future at Serco.