Group Therapist - Therapeutic Community

Location: HMP Dovegate, Staffordshire, ST14 8XR.

Salary: £52,000 per annum, pro rata plus excellent benefits.

Schedule: Part-time, 32 hours per week.

As a Group Therapist in our Therapeutic Community team, you will play a vital role in delivering high‑quality group psychotherapy within a multi‑disciplinary setting. You will work closely with community members to support meaningful behavioural change, improve psychological wellbeing, and contribute to safer communities. This is a role with real purpose. Your work will help individuals with complex mental health needs to better understand themselves, build healthier relationships, and reduce re‑offending. As part of a collaborative therapeutic community, you will contribute to an environment built on trust, care, and shared responsibility – creating a positive impact that extends beyond the individual to families and society.

Responsibilities

• Deliver structured group therapy to community members with complex mental health needs, including personality disorders.
• Contribute to the full therapeutic community programme, actively engaging in the community timetable and model.
• Conduct psychological assessments, develop formulations, and implement evidence‑based treatment plans.
• Provide supervision and support to colleagues, promoting continuous learning and best practice.
• Manage risk effectively, contributing to assessments and reports that support rehabilitation and risk reduction.
• Support service development, audit, and research activity to improve outcomes and innovation.

Qualifications

• Accreditation as a Psychotherapist or Group Analyst with UKCP, BACP, BPC, or equivalent professional body.
• Experience (or strong potential) working within forensic, custodial, or complex mental health settings.
• Strong clinical assessment and formulation skills, with the ability to manage complex cases autonomously.
• Confidence working within a multi‑disciplinary team, contributing to a collaborative and therapeutic environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to deliver reports and engage a range of stakeholders effectively.

Vetting and Checks

An Enhanced DBS check is required for this role. This includes spent and unspent convictions, cautions, and any relevant information held by local police, in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and safeguarding requirements. You will also complete an Occupational Health Questionnaire to allow us to provide any support needed for you to succeed in the role.

What we offer

• Holiday entitlement: starts at 23 days plus bank holidays (increasing to 25 days with tenure).
• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme.
• Training and development: Over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships, mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression.
• Health and wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, 30% off at Serco‑managed leisure centres, and 24/7 access to a virtual GP service.
• Discounts: Discounts across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel.
• Charity: Paid volunteering day, tax‑free charitable giving through Payroll Giving Scheme, donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity.
• Employee networks: Our networks support inclusion and connection by providing spaces for collaboration, learning, and belonging. They represent and empower all our colleagues including LGBTQIA+ employees, women, parents and carers, people with disabilities, veterans, and people from all cultural backgrounds.

Disability Confident

We are a Disability Confident employer. A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer.