Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Family and Systemic Psychotherapist to join Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust on a full-time fixed-term contract until 31 March 2027. The post will focus on delivering systemic family consultation interventions for young people and their families within CAMHS across Sussex.

The postholder will provide brief, focused systemic interventions, to support young people, families and wider systems in addressing difficulties and promoting positive change.

The successful applicant will receive direct clinical and professional supervision from the Family and Systemic Therapy Professional Lead and will play a key role in expanding access to timely, evidence-based systemic support for children, young people and their families across Sussex. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced systemic practitioner who is passionate about delivering high-quality family interventions and promoting systemic practice within integrated CAMHS teams.

Main duties of the job
Responsibilities will primarily focus on providing high-quality systemic family consultation and therapeutic interventions for children and young people with moderate to severe mental health difficulties, and their families, carers and wider networks. The post has been established as a fixed-term initiative to increase access to systemic interventions and reduce waiting times for families within CAMHS.

The postholder will deliver brief, focused episodes of care, typically offering between 3 and 6 systemic sessions, undertaking assessment, formulation and intervention with young people and their families. They will work closely with multidisciplinary colleagues to ensure timely access to support and effective care planning, while maintaining accurate and timely clinical records.

The successful applicant will receive direct clinical and professional supervision from the Family and Systemic Therapy Professional Lead and will contribute to the delivery of evidence-based systemic practice across Sussex CAMHS.

About us
We provide mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire.

Working in Sussex:

• Travel easily between stunning countryside, picturesque villages and seaside towns, with great access to Brighton and London
• Easy access to Gatwick and Heathrow plus excellent railway links across the UK

Our organisation is rated 'outstanding' for caring and 'good' overall by the Care Quality Commission. Our staff agree, with 82% of people in our recent staff survey telling us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority.

See the attached 'Partnership Perks' document for details about our benefits package.

Details
Date posted: 29 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 5 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 354-CS-21987
Job locations: Orchard House, Victoria Hospital (Other locations in Sussex consiedered), Nevill Road, Lewes, BN7 1PE, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Working as part of multidisciplinary teams, the postholder will undertake specialist assessment, care planning and risk management, contributing to effective and collaborative treatment plans for children, young people and their families. They will liaise closely with colleagues and partner agencies to ensure continuity of care, communicate formulations and recommendations sensitively and effectively, and maintain accurate clinical records. The postholder will be supported through direct clinical and professional supervision from the Family and Systemic Therapy Professional Lead and will contribute to service evaluation and outcome monitoring to support the aims of the project.

Qualifications
Essential

• Recognised/accredited postgraduate level training in a psychological therapy as specified in one of the Appendices
• Professionally registered as specified in the same Appendix

Knowledge/Experience
Essential

• Substantial experience of specialist psychological therapy (assessment, formulation and treatment), as specified in the same Appendix, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
• A high level of competence in applying a psychological therapy to complex difficulties appropriate for this therapy with the client group, and a proven track record of delivering positive outcomes in this therapy
• Experience of offering teaching, training and supervision within a demanding organisational context
• A clear and theoretically informed approach to supervision
• Experience of representing psychological therapy within the context of multi-disciplinary care within a complex organisational context
• Significant experience of working with the particular client group served by the team/service
• Knowledge of guidance and legislation in relation to the client group.
• A high-level specialist knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapy as specified in the same appendix, as applied to the client group using this service
• Experience of the application of psychological therapy in different cultural contexts and experience of working within a multicultural framework
• Evidence of continuing professional development as equired by the professional registration/accrediting body specified in the same appendix

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).