Sociotherapist | Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Applications welcome for individuals with an optimistic, realistic attitude to working with people who have committed sexual and/or violent offences and significant personality difficulties. The role requires resilience, empathy, and the ability to work within a multi‑agency MDT to manage risk and address psychological needs. The position is suitable for experienced professionals with skills relevant to working with individuals released from prison who present complex social, psychological and risk‑related needs. Applicants may come from a range of professions, including Probation Officers, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Mental Health Nurses, Counsellors, and Substance Misuse Workers.

Resettle (Intensive Intervention & Risk Management Services) is an innovative community service providing an alternative approach to enhancing the lives of service users with personality‑related difficulties and offending histories. The post holder will work alongside a multi‑disciplinary team providing specialised individual and group work in the community, supporting up to 20 individuals 4 days per week over a period of 2 years.

Responsibilities

• Assist in comprehensive assessments of clients’ needs and suitability for engagement within the Resettle service.
• Ensure the intervention runs utilising Resettle principles with a high level of service‑user participation.
• Provide knowledge, experience and clinical competencies in the Resettle model of working therapeutically with service users.
• Deliver specialised therapy to participants experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties (personality disorder).
• Assist in managing the workload of the team, trainees and therapists within the day programme framework.
• Prepare reports for parole boards and other professionals.
• Liaise with senior managers, department heads and other professionals to provide expert knowledge on treating clients using the democratic model.
• Support service users in exercising their rights and promote equality and diversity through the day programme.
• Plan, prioritise and manage a caseload effectively as part of the team.
• Provide an assessment service to establish the need for Resettle for those referred, including travel to prisons as required.
• Participate in referral meetings and risk management procedures, ensuring comprehensive group and individual records are maintained.
• Attend relevant oral hearings, Mappas and professional meetings when required.
• Engage with people from marginalised backgrounds.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of clinical and working practice within the area of mental health/probation offender management.
• Contribute to the assessment and communication of complex interpretations based on verbal and non‑verbal communications.
• Maintain professional boundaries and manage own anxiety while demonstrating effective problem‑solving skills.
• Work effectively in a potentially antagonistic and emotive group setting, coping with psychological and emotional pressure.
• Handle highly distressing situations, including challenging behaviour, trauma, violence and abuse issues.
• Maintain a safe environment through effective risk management and upholding group structures and boundaries.
• Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Qualifications

• Experience with individuals released from prison who have complex social, psychological and risk-related needs.
• Professional background in probation, occupational therapy, social work, mental health nursing, counselling, or substance misuse work.
• Strong assessment skills and the ability to work within a multi‑agency MDT.
• Demonstrated ability to manage risk and address psychological needs.
• Effective communication and boundary‑setting skills.
• Capacity to work under high psychological pressure and in distressing situations.

This advert closes on Sunday 14 Jun 2026.