We are pleased to offer a fantastic opportunity for two fully trained and accredited Counsellors with an interest in perinatal mental health to join the Devon Maternal Mental Health Clinic. We have two positions available working three days per week (0.3) on a permanent basis.

The successful candidates would be joining us at an exciting stage of our development as a newly established NHS service for women in the perinatal period. As well as providing individual counselling sessions to clients, there would be opportunities to contribute to the development of the service, including designing therapeutic groups, contributing to countywide birth trauma clinics, and increasing our connections with third sector services. As part of the Devon Partnership Trust, Specialist Services Directorate you will have links to a range of Psychologist and Psychological therapist colleagues, and opportunities for supervision and CPD.

Main duties of the job

The Maternal Mental Health Clinic is a newly commissioned NHS service providing psychological therapies to women who have experienced a loss or trauma in the perinatal period. The successful post holders will provide psychological assessments and interventions for women who are experiencing moderate to severe or complex mental health difficulties as a direct result of loss or trauma associated in the perinatal period. Clinical experience in perinatal mental health would be an advantage.

The service consists of a small, supportive team of psychologists and counsellors who are passionate about working with women and birthing people during the perinatal period. We are a trauma informed service with a focus on improving access to mental health care for people who face health inequalities.

The service consists of a small, supportive team of psychologists and counsellors who are passionate about working with women and birthing people during the perinatal period. We are a trauma informed service with a focus on improving access to mental health care for people who face health inequalities.

About us

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

Our values

We not only recruit employees based on their qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess and demonstrate the behaviours which underpin the core values of our organisation. These values include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health & learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader Employer.

Job description Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.

Person Specification Experience Essential

• Experience of providing counselling in organisations (e.g. primary care services).
• Has received training (either formal of through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice

Desirable

• Post-qualifying experience as a registered health professional
• Post qualification experienced of providing counselling for clients

Skills and Abilities Essential

• Communication Skills:
• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients to elicit highly sensitive personal information and demonstrate the core conditions of unconditional positive regard, empathic understanding and congruence.
• IT Skills
• Good verbal and written communication skills with people using the service, primary care practitioners and workers in specialist mental health services
• Analytical & Judgement Skills:
• Able to accurately assess clients of the maternal mental health clinic, including assessing risk and the appropriateness of the service to meet the persons needs, and personalise the counselling protocol to meet individual needs.
• Skilled in decision making about the most appropriate evidence-based therapy to meet the persons needs
• Skilled in decision making about referral to specialist mental health services
• Planning & Organising Skills:
• Skills to manage own caseload to ensure delivery of an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week.
• Physical Skills:
• Keyboard skills
• Other:
• High level of enthusiasm and motivation for development and innovation in the delivery of evidence based therapies/counselling

Desirable

• Driving licence

Qualifications Essential

• Diploma in humanistic &/or person-centred, counselling or psychotherapy (a BACP recognised course or its
• equivalent - ie 450 hours skills and theory, 120 hours of supervised practice, 20 hours of personal therapy) covering knowledge and skill in a range of counselling procedures
• AND
• Registered with a statutory health or social care regulatory body (e.g. HCPC, NMC) &/or Accredited with a recognised counselling or therapy association (e.g. UKCP, BACP);

Desirable

• Post-graduate qualification in humanistic or person-centred counselling or psychotherapy.

Knowledge Essential

• An understanding of the value of evidence based psychological therapies
• Knowledge of how people may present with moderate to severe mental health difficulties
• Knowledge of physical health conditions which may precipitate maternal loss
• Knowledge of how loss may impact on a persons psychological wellbeing

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

369-C9369-23-7075