Job summary
As a qualified High Intensity CBT Therapist, you will be working with a diverse team offering both clinical and non-clinical support to children, young people, and their families across Swindon.

You will deliver high quality focused, evidence-based interventions for children and young people experiencing anxiety and depression under expert supervision and as part of a dynamic and multidisciplinary mental health team.

Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will work collaboratively with schools, families and multidisciplinary professionals to deliver high-quality, evidence-based mental health interventions to children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. The role includes undertaking therapeutic assessments, delivering one-to-one, group and parent-led interventions, including evidence-based parenting programmes such as Triple P, and supporting children, young people and their families to make informed decisions about their care. The postholder will assess and manage risk, maintain accurate clinical records, monitor outcomes, and escalate complex cases in line with safeguarding procedures and local referral pathways. They will work closely with education settings and partner agencies to develop effective intervention plans, attend multidisciplinary meetings, contribute to the development of clinical resources and training materials, and support service improvement through data collection and evaluation. In addition, the role requires active participation in clinical supervision, continuing professional development and training, ensuring practice remains aligned with current evidence, professional standards and national guidance, while promoting an inclusive, person-centred approach that safeguards the wellbeing of children, young people and their families.

About us
ABL is an exciting fast-paced, growing community health organisation. As an experienced, CQC registered, provider of community health services, we are passionate about delivering evidence based, innovative, effective and relevant health care services in partnership with individuals, communities and stakeholders.

Job responsibilities
You will work in collaboration with other mental health professionals to deliver 1:1 interventions, targeted groups and parent-led interventionsTo help children and young people within these settings who present with as needing more support or risk support to rapidly access more specialist services by engaging with more senior staff in the signposting of referrals.

Therapeutic Assessment and Intervention

• Assess and deliver, under supervision, evidence-based interventions to children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
• Responsible for leading Parenting Interventions (Evidence based Triple P Parenting course)
• Work in effective, evidence-based partnership with children, young people, their families and their educators in the development of plans for the intervention and agreed outcomes.
• Support and empower children, young people, their parents/carers and families and their educators to make informed choices about the interventions being offered.
• Involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying therapy formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.
• Always operate from an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects diversity.
• Accept referrals according to agreed local and national protocols.
• Undertake and record accurate assessments of risk and operate clear risk management processes in line with locally agreed procedures including the safeguarding protocols of the educational setting and Local Safeguarding Board guidance.
• Adhere to all regulations, processes, and procedures within the educational service to which the post holder is attached and within the organization where the post-holder is employed including (but not limited to) HR policies, training requirements, referral protocols, and emergency procedures. Signpost referrals of children with more complex needs to a locally identified appropriate relevant service.
• Under supervision and any other relevant local pathway, escalate cases where the level of need or risk is beyond the scope of practice of the post holder.
• Provide a range of information and support for evidence based psychological treatments, primarily guided self-help.
• Practice, evidence and demonstrate an ability to manage ones own caseload in conjunction with the requirements of the team.
• Attend multi-disciplinary and multi-agency meetings relating to referrals or children and young people in treatment, where appropriate.
• Keep clear, professionally coherent records of all activity in line with both health and education service protocols and use these records and outcome data to inform decision making.
• Complete all requirements relating to data collection.
• Assess and integrate issues relating to transitions, education, and training/employment into the overall therapeutic process.
• Work within a collaborative approach involving a range of relevant others when indicated.
• Contribute to the development of individual or group clinical materials or training materials, and in addition to develop such materials independently as falls within own degree of competence, and under direction of the wider team.

Training and Supervision

• Continue to apply learning gained on the training program directly to practice.
• Prepare and present case load information to supervisors within the service on an agreed and scheduled basis to ensure safe practice and the governance obligations of the practitioner, supervisor and service are delivered.
• Respond to and implement supervision suggestions by supervisors in practice.
• Engage in and respond to personal development supervision to improve competences and practice.
• To disseminate research and service evaluation findings in appropriate formats through agreed channels.

Professional

• To ensure the maintenance of standards of own professional practice according to the employer and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (e.g., BABCP, BPS) and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health.
• To ensure appropriate adherence to any new recommendations or guidelines set by the relevant departments.
• To ensure that confidentiality is always protected.
• To ensure that any risks or issues related to the safety and wellbeing of anyone the post holder comes into contact within the course of their professional duties are communicated and shared with appropriate parties to maintain individual safety and the public interest.
• To ensure clear objectives are identified, discussed, and reviewed with Line Manager and senior colleagues on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
• Participate in individual performance/appraisal review and work towards agreed objectives.
• Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with Manager.
• Keep all records up to date in relation to Continuous Professional Development and the requirements of the post and ensure personal development plans maintain up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
• Attend relevant educational opportunities in line with identified professional objectives.

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Post-Graduate Diploma in Psychological Therapies Practice (HI CBT)
• Eligibility for BABCP Accreditation.

Desirable

• A training in a mental-health related Core profession (e.g., psychology, nursing, health visiting; social-work, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, special needs teaching, psychiatry, other psychotherapy, counselling and low intensity therapies).

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working with anxiety disorders.
• Experience of working with affective (mood) disorders.
• Experience of the delivery of specific therapeutic interventions to children, young people or their families (e.g. CBT, solution focused brief therapy).
• Understanding of systems and contexts in which children and young people are likely to live
• Experience of working and liaising with a wide variety of agencies and stakeholders.

Desirable

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of CYP in a CAMHS setting.
• Experience of working with a variety of client groups and presenting problems.
• Ability to maintain an observational stance, particularly in relation to children and young people, for whom articulating their distress is difficult.
• A year or more experience working within a CBT framework and/or using CBT informed interventions

Job Specific Requirements
Essential

• The ability to travel independently across the organisational footprint.
• Work flexibly and adapt to suit service need.
• Must be willing to undertake an Enhanced DBS check.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Ability to personally manage a sensitive and potentially emotionally distressing caseload.
• Responsive to and willing to ask for feedback and supervision.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).