Residential Therapeutic Practitioner (Part-Time)

Compass Community; Essex; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading independent therapeutic agency in Essex is seeking an enthusiastic part-time Therapeutic Practitioner to support staff teams in residential children's homes. This role requires a background in trauma and experience working with children in care. The ideal candidate will have robust understanding of complex trauma, effective communication skills, and a commitment to diversity. Responsibilities include engaging in assessments, training staff, and promoting a therapeutic ethos.

Qualifications

• A minimum of two years' hands-on experience working with children in the Child in Care sector.
• Robust understanding of Complex and Developmental Trauma.
• Ability to provide and enhance understanding of therapeutic theoretical concepts.

Responsibilities

• Be a key participant in the Assessing and Healing components for promoting therapeutic practice.
• Support the Social and Emotional Welfare Assessment on all young people.
• Engage in developing and maintaining the therapeutic ethos across multiple Residential regions.

Skills

Experience working with children

Understanding of Complex Trauma

Effective communication

Organisational skills

Empathy

Commitment to anti-discrimination

Education

Therapeutic training/qualifications

Literacy at Level 5/A level standard

Job description

Overview

As a Therapeutic Practitioner you will work collaboratively between Therapeutic Services and Residential children’s homes. Your role is to support and guide staff teams in therapeutic practice. Compass Community is an independent therapeutic agency caring for nearly 2,000 children and young people through Fostering, Residential Homes and Education. We focus on attending to the social, emotional, cognitive and sensorial needs of all our young people. Our Assessing and Healing Complex Trauma (AHCT) approach is embedded in Therapeutic Services and has made a difference to hundreds of young people.

You will be an enthusiastic and dedicated Therapeutic Practitioner with a professional background in trauma, attachment and loss, and good working knowledge of supporting children and young people in the Care sector. You will ideally be based in or around Westcliffe-on-Sea. This is a part-time role.

Responsibilities

• Be a key participant in the Assessing and Healing components for helping traumatised young people.
• Work as part of the multi-disciplinary Therapeutic Service and in direct collaboration with the Residential Service.
• Engage in developing and maintaining the therapeutic ethos across multiple Residential regions and with colleagues in other regions.
• Train staff in therapeutic ideologies, develop therapeutic understanding, and facilitate therapeutic reflective groups with carers and managers.
• Support the Social and Emotional Welfare (SEW) Assessment on all young people and guide staff in professional therapeutic development with an advanced understanding of Complex Trauma.
• Help staff and carers recognise the impact of trauma on child development and promote a therapeutic understanding within Children’s services.
• Support the organisation in aligning with Government legislation, regulations and standards, and work with the Inspecting Body. Represent Compass Children's Homes Vision and Values and uphold an anti-discriminatory ethos.
• Where applicable, contribute to developing the therapeutic community within the Community of Community programme under guidance from the Royal College of Psychiatry in London.
• Operate within the stated working hours: four days from 09:00 to 17:00 and one shift from 12:00 to 20:00 during the week.

Essential Criteria

• Minimum two years' hands-on experience working with children in the Child in Care sector.
• Proven ability to collaborate with various stakeholders involved in children's lives.
• Robust understanding of the presentations of Complex and Developmental Trauma.
• Evidence of therapeutic training/qualifications, including those actively underway.
• Ability to provide and enhance understanding of therapeutic theoretical concepts.
• Confident, resilient, and capable of effective communication (written and verbal) in fluent English.
• Literacy at Level 5/A level standard.
• Ability to travel away for work up to four times per year.
• Active, energetic, creative, outgoing and empathic character.
• Commitment to anti-discriminatory ideology.
• Understanding of responsibilities for health, safety and wellbeing of oneself, colleagues and others.
• Full driving license.

Desirable

• Excellent organisation and report writing skills.
• Possession of a Level 5 Management qualification or equivalent.
• Experience working in Fostering or Residential settings with children.
• Experience in group work.
• Experience in assessment and intervention.

Compass is an equal-opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As we grow, we seek talented employees from diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives and experiences to support our children and young people.