Highly Specialist Family Therapist in City of London

West London NHS Trust provides a full range of mental health, community and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow.

We also provide some specialist services that are commissioned regionally, such as our medium secure services; and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.

Job overview

Due to on-going investment, a structure review and subsequent expansion of the West London CAMHS Systemic & Family Psychotherapy Team, we are extremely pleased to be able to recruit a permanent Band 8a Higher Specialist Systemic and Family Psychotherapist to join the Cross-borough Eating Disorder Team, based at Ealing CAMHS, 1 Armstrong Way, Southall UB2 4SA.

West London CAMHS Eating Disorders Service is a well-established multidisciplinary Specialist Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service, which is an integral part of the wider CAMH Service. West London CAMHS employs family therapists across many specialties including generic CAMHS, Eating Disorders, Neuro-developmental Conditions and Learning Disabilities. This means there is ample opportunity for networking with colleagues and sharing expertise.

The successful applicant will have the opportunity to work alongside other family therapists in a family therapy clinic in addition to holding an individual caseload. You will receive regular clinical, professional and management supervision from a Principal Systemic & Family Psychotherapist. We offer a range of in house and external training opportunities e.g. Narrative therapy; NVR; CYP-IAPT. West London CAMHS has good relationships with local family therapy training providers, and we offer specialist placements to trainees.

Main duties of the job

Family Therapy and family-based interventions are the primary intervention offered to families where there is a diagnosed eating disorder. The successful candidate will be key in supporting the continued development of these interventions and supporting colleagues in the facilitation of systemic interventions.

As a Systemic & Family Psychotherapist within West London CAMHS you will be offered good opportunities for continuing professional development and you will be supported in your career progression. The post holder will be part of a growing team of clinicians with a special interest and expertise in working with children, and young people, who are presenting with complex mental health needs.

Working for our organisation

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.

Detailed job description and main 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.

Qualifications

• Post-graduate training in systemic family therapists as accredited by IFT or AFT.
• Professional registration with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
• Minimum four years’ practice in relevant first profession including experience of safe-guarding children.
• CYP IAPT training
• Training in Systemic supervision and consultation
• FT-AN/FBT/MFT training

Experience

• To have an interest in working with young people who have an eating disorder and their families/carers.
• At least three years’ experience of work with children and adolescents in a mental health or equivalent setting, including work with young people with eating disorders.
• To have a commitment to and experience of multi-disciplinary working.
• Experience of supervision or consultation.
• Experience of research and audit.
• Experience/ or interest in running Multi Family Therapy groups (MFT)
• Experience of teaching and training in systemic psychotherapy.

Knowledge

• Evidence base in relation to eating disorder treatments.
• Evidence base in relation to child mental health.
• Research and research methodology at post-graduate level in relation to children and adults with mental health and social problems.
• A developed understanding of the impact of abuse, trauma and other adverse experiences on children and families.
• Legislation and DOH guidelines relevant to eating disorders and other child and adolescent mental health presentations.
• Child protection policies and procedures.
• Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised systemic family therapy with vulnerable and hard to reach families.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies.

Skills

• Clinical experience and skills in engaging young people who have an eating disorder and their families/carers.
• Ability to formulate comprehensive assessments and offer effective treatment based on systemic principles.
• Ability to apply analytical skills to multi-layered complex cases and to attend to issues of risk.
• Ability to provide on-going treatment in complex and frequently changing circumstances.
• Ability to liaise with and manage complex professional networks in relation to individuals and families.
• Skills in consulting to professional colleagues within and outside CAMHS
• Ability to manage high levels of emotional distress and think clearly in emotionally charged situations.
• Word processing skills, including the ability to use internet and other computer technology effectively

As an employee of West London NHS Trust, you have a responsibility to maintain a sound understanding of, and a commitment to uphold the National Health Service values and principles set out in the NHS Constitution.

We reserve the right to close adverts prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications.

West London NHS Trust is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

At West London NHS Trust, we want you to support you to build a career you can be proud of and this starts before your first day with us. Our people live our values every day as they deliver, manage and work to improve our services to patients, carers, families and other professionals.

We’re committed to making our recruitment process clear and efficient. It’s in everyone’s interest that we get the very best people on board as soon as we can.