Systemic Therapist

NHS; St Albans; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS service is seeking a Systemic Therapist to join their multidisciplinary team, focusing on supporting children and young people with autism and learning disabilities. The role involves collaboration with families and other professionals, delivering tailored interventions and maintaining a high degree of professionalism in challenging settings.

Benefits

Regular clinical supervision

Opportunities for professional development

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Professional registration for specialty required.
• Approx. 4 years experience as a Systemic Therapist.

Responsibilities

• Provide support for CYP with autism and learning disabilities.
• Deliver flexible services tailored to individual needs.

Skills

Collaboration

Communication

Flexibility

Professionalism

Education

MSc in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy

UKCP registered family therapist

Job description

PALMS (Positive behaviour, Autism, Learning disability, Mental health Service) is evolving and we want to welcome additional clinicians to be part of our vibrant and multidisciplinary team which includes Clinical Psychologists, Positive Behaviour Analysts, Learning Disability Nurses, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Practitioners, Speech and Language Therapists and Outreach Workers.

With the continued evolution of PALMS we are seeking to appoint a Systemic Therapist who is a motivated and forward thinking clinician and leader who can work flexibly and is committed to supporting CYP and their families across Hertfordshire and the full PALMS' team.

Main duties of the job

The ideal candidate will be:

• Passionate about and have a desire to contribute to change in a vibrant NHS team
• Dedicated to supporting CYP with autism and/or learning disability and their families.
• Collaborative in their approach to work with families, networks, and others services
• Able to work both in a team environment and autonomously
• Able to maintain a high degree of professionalism when working in settings where there is a highly emotive atmosphere.
• Flexible in their approach and have resilience under pressure
• Have professional registration for your specialty

About us

PALMS works across Hertfordshire providing a specialist multi-disciplinary approach. PALMS is a CAMHS commissioned service which offers individually tailored support for children and young people (CYP), aged 0-18 who have a global learning disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder, helping families to manage challenging behaviour, toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns which have not benefitted from community interventions and/or to support mental health needs which cannot be met with reasonable adjustment by other CAMHS services. Interventions include workshops, intervention groups, individual therapy, parent as therapist sessions, and a family clinic. PALMS aims to keep children and young people with their families thereby improving outcomes for all family members. PALMS predominantly applies narrative, systemic, positive behaviour, and bio-psycho social models adhering to the STOMP / STAMP and Transforming Care Agendas.

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Job responsibilities

PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to need and personal circumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.

We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.

We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages

We can offer you:

• Regular clinical and professional supervision including opportunities to meet as a team including peer reflection and Intervision
• Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development. This includes specific support with regards to fulfilling the PALMS role.
• Opportunities to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team and learn from other evidence based frameworks and approaches.
• Opportunities to provide clinical supervision and line management to other members of the PALMS team as appropriate.
• Opportunities to connect with local and national networks
• Involvement in providing training.

A full valid driving licence and access to a car insured to use for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010). Applicants to be aware that PALMS work within the ULEZ zone and any charges due to non-compliant vehicles cannot be reimbursed by the Trust.

Interviews will be run either in person at one of our bases or using Microsoft Teams, full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.

Interview date: 28th May 2025

Person Specification

Qualifications

• MSc in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy
• UKCP registered family therapist
• Further training in relevant areas of Autism, Learning Disability and mental health
• A qualification and/ or training in clinical supervision

Experience

• Evidence of significant post qualification experience (approx.. 4 years) of working as a Systemic Therapist
• Experience of working clinically in Tier 3 children's services, assessing, containing and managing complex cases in a multi-disciplinary setting
• Experience of working systemically with people who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder
• Able to identify, assess and offer evidence based interventions for mental health and/or challenging behaviour
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan
• Experience of developing and delivering training and/or groups
• Experience of providing systemic consultation to other professionals
• Experience of dealing with Safeguarding Incidents
• Experience of providing clinical supervision
• Experience of duty working as part of a crisis pathway
• Experience of planning and applying service developments
• Relevant experience of working collaboratively with service users and carers in the development of patient/client-centered services

Knowledge & Skills

• Up to date knowledge of policies and procedures and clinical issues relating to specific client group
• Knowledge of current developments specific to the PALMS remit and Family Therapy
• Knowledge of different ways of working systemically with CYP with a LD and/ or ASD
• An understanding of the impact of Learning Disability, Autism and mental health difficulties and challenging behaviour on family life
• An ability to make autonomous clinical judgements involving highly complex facts and situations
• High level of communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate effectively complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to a range of audiences
• Practical computing skills including the use of databases and spreadsheets
• An awareness and appreciation of Positive Behavioural Support

Personal Abilities

• An interest in and commitment to working children who have a learning disability and/or an autistic spectrum disorder and/or mental health difficulties
• Values that match positive behaviour practices
• Ability to work with children & young people whose behaviour is personally challenging
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships
• Ability to work co-operatively and collaboratively as part of a multi- disciplinary team
• An ability to work effectively in a range of direct care settings with families, carers and staff
• Ability to work flexibly and willingness to work evenings and weekends
• Ability to use supervision appropriately and effectively
• Ability to work as part of a 'virtual team'

Other

• You must hold a full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£53,755 to £60,504 a yearper annum pro rata