Due to on-going investment, a structure review and subsequent expansion of the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Team within West London CAMHS, we are looking for two Highly Specialist Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists (permanent, total of 1.5WTE - 2.0 WTE, Band 8a) to join our friendly and supportive multi-disciplinary team at Ealing CAMHS. These sessions are available across three teams: Child and Family team, Neurodevelopmental Team and Eating Disorders team. Both posts can be part time or full time as we are flexible about the number of sessions attached to each team and mostly interested to attract the right candidates according to their skills, experiences and interests.

We are looking for enthusiastic, skilled and innovative clinicians with a broad range of specialist psychotherapeutic and generic experience, who will be able to maintain clinical curiosity and engage in reflective practice as well as be able to be an advocate for children, young people and families' needs.

We welcome applications from those currently working on a Band 7 level or those already working on a Band 8a but wishing to take on a new challenge. The successful candidate will have excellent opportunities for continuing professional development and will be supported in career progression. They will receive regular supervision from a more senior Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist.

Main duties of the job

Ealing CAMHS has a strong multi-disciplinary approach and thrive on innovative practice to meet the local population needs of a culturally and economically diverse borough. You will be committed to ensuring that the service is accessible and effective.

You will be joining a welcoming child and adolescent psychotherapy team in West London who are committed to service improvement, staff well-being, and who value diversity in our workforce. We have good links with training courses and regularly offer placements to trainees.

You will offer a comprehensive and high-quality specialist child and adolescent psychotherapy service to children and young people with severe and complex mental health problems, their families and carers. This will include specialist psychoanalytic psychotherapy assessments, State of Mind assessments and ongoing specialist treatment (STPP and longer psychoanalytic psychotherapy) alongside working effectively with your colleagues and liaising with other professionals.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Good relevant honours degree, or a recognised equivalent
• Other related professional qualification or equivalent
• Postgraduate accredited training in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy
• Eligibility for full membership of Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP)

Desirable

• Keyboard skills (physical skills)
• Other related academic qualification to Masters or Doctorate level

Experience

Essential

• Pre -qualification professional experience with children, adolescents and families (e.g. clinical/educational psychology, teaching, social work)
• Substantial experience of work with complex family situations where there is a threat of abuse and breakdown
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups with presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity and across the age range of 0 - 18, including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
• Experience of assessment and intervention with individuals with neurodevelopmental difficulties
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan
• Substantial experience in working in multi -disciplinary, multi -agency, multi - cultural context.

Desirable

• Substantial experience of professional teaching and training
• Substantial experience of work with therapeutic groups of children
• Substantial experience of work with families where the parents are mentally ill

Knowledge

Essential

• Good knowledge of relevant theories, practices and research in the field of child and adolescent development and psychotherapy and ability to apply them to relevant work situations
• Knowledge of adult mental health problems
• Evidence of continuous professional development as recommended by the ACP
• Specialist areas of knowledge based on further training and experience

Desirable

• Knowledge of research methodology

Skills

Essential

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with patients, staff, administrators and managers about highly complex and sensitive matters in situation of potential conflict or psychological/emotional pain, and where mental health problems affect relationships
• Capacity to listen to other points of view effectively about highly complex issues through reports, publication or public presentation
• Good level of analytic skills and understanding of unconscious processes and their impact on the ? AF / I 17 individual, group and institutional processes
• Ability to remain still and maintain intense concentration in clinical settings with children, adolescents, parents/carers and families where there may be high level of distress, verbal and physical aggression or chaotic activity
• Ability to integrate available highly complex clinical information into a coherent formulation and to apply it in treatment and clinical management
• Ability to monitor and assess risk and act accordingly
• Writes clear records and observes policies, procedures and guidelines
• Ability to plan and organise own workload and time
• Ability to plan, co-ordinate and organise aspects of service activities
• IT and internet research skills
• Ability to conduct audit and research
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to plan, evaluate, monitor and develop services

Other Requirements

Essential

• Must be able to contain anxiety without recourse to premature action
• Personal experience of Psychoanalysis
• Has a good judgement about when to act to ensure safety
• Works independently but can involve colleagues appropriately
• Continues to think clearly in situations of high level of emotion and stress
• Can process own emotional reactions as possible information about the patient's or family's emotional state
• Contains and works with organisational stress and ability to 'hold' the stress of others
• Familiar with and works within ACP's Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics
• Work autonomously within overall framework of policies and procedures

Employer details

Employer name

West London NHS Trust

Address

Ealing T3 Neurodevelopmental

LS CAMHS Ealing

Southall

UB2 4SD

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

222-LS-CAMHS-597