Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist
Basic salary: £16,200 pro rata (£27,000 FTE)
Contract: Fixed Term Contract until 31st May 2025
Specific Hours: 21 hours per week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays per week)
Base Location: Cheshire West and Chester
Benefits: 30 days' Annual Leave (rising to 35 days' with length of service) + Bank Holidays, Enhanced Mileage, Company Pension, Life Assurance x2, Employee Discount Scheme & Medical Cash Plan (pro rata)
About us:
Polaris Children’s Services are an established children’s services provider that delivers innovative and outcomes-based services, offering real value and building brighter futures for as many children, young people and families as possible.
The role is to work with children and young people looked after, and care leavers supporting their emotional wellbeing. There is also a responsibility to support placement stability, which includes working with foster carer’s and other professionals supporting the child or young person. This includes multi-agency working, supporting professionals in the system around the child/young person to ensure best outcomes for the children and young people of Cheshire West and Chester.
There is a requirement for you to travel to the best location for the support to take place, the contract is delivered within the local authority county and up to a 40 mile radius outside of this.
With the skills to engage, motivate and challenge, we are looking for a therapeutic outreach worker to work within our multi-disciplinary team. You will be able to listen and respond sensitively and appropriately to children, young people and their families/foster carers, working with them in a solution-focused way to build on the existing strengths to achieve positive change.
With a background in social care, youth work, education, or other related area and an understanding of the challenges faced by children, young people and families, it is essential that you have previous experience of working with children and families/foster carers as well as a sound knowledge of safeguarding procedures.
What we are looking for:
Polaris Children’s Services are looking for a Child and Adult Psychotherapist who can provide both Consultation and Therapeutic Intervention to Children across the continuum of care, as well as their Parents/Foster Carer’s and Professional system’s around them. The successful candidate will provide short to medium term interventions to families in accordance with your training and accreditation.
Role Responsibilities:
- Work within internal and nationally recognised clinical governance frameworks, to ensure that all families receive a safe, high quality, consistent service.
- Work within an integrated multi-disciplinary team, including participating in Social Care meetings.
- Provide training and consultations to the systems around the child or young person.
- Provide therapeutic interventions to children across the continuum of care
- Provide parent/carer support, therapeutic parenting strategies and workshops to Parent’s/Foster Carer’s living with children on the continuum.
- Work collaboratively with the systems and professionals around the child or young person to support their understanding and professional development, encouraging placement stability and improved emotional health and wellbeing for the child or young person.
Essential Criteria:
- Counselling and/or Therapy Qualification
- Experience of working with children and young people
- Experience of working with professionals, parents and foster carer’s
- Can work effectively as part of a team and individually
- Experience of working with multi-disciplinary teams
- Understanding of trauma, attachment, as well as the THRIVE model.
- Experience delivering groups and workshops for children and adults; or a willingness to learn and support delivery.
- Maintain a professional registration with a recognised professional body
- Maintain clinical supervision each month in line with recognised professional body standards (covered by PCS up to the value of £70.00 per month)
- A high level of organisation, good written and verbal communication
- To be resilient and able to work well under pressure
- You must hold a UK Full driving license and be prepared to travel around the borough of Cheshire West and Chester, in addition to a 40 mile radius of the border of the borough. (mileage is payable in line with our Expenses Policy)
Polaris Children’s Services is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS Check, cost of which will be met by Polaris Children’s Services. Polaris Children’s Services is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.
