Therapist/Psychotherapist – school-based intervention (maternity cover contract)

Are you compassionate, proactive, tenacious and energetic and want to make a real difference to children and their families?

Do you want…
• To deliver group therapy to children AND parents together in schools?
• To be part of a friendly, inclusive and supportive team?
• To enjoy the benefits of being a paid employee?
• A well-paid package including monthly group and individual supervision?
• A term-time only contract?

We have a vacancy for maternity leave cover on Thursdays at a primary school in Fulham. The role requires a full day on site (08.30-16.30) and is a temporary contract until end of March 2025, with possible opportunity for extension. We’ll be looking to interview and appoint in the first week of January with a view for the new therapist to be trained in January/February, and then work a transition project at the school with the current therapist from March.

Background to role
The School & Family Works (SFW) is a small Social Enterprise and registered charity, operating under the umbrella of Transgenerational Change Ltd (‘TCL’), and is based in Richmond, Surrey. Our purpose is to transform the lives of children who are struggling at school because of behavioural, emotional and / or family issues and to enable long term change.

For the past 11 years, SFW has run Family Groups based on the Marlborough multi-family model in maintained schools in the south west of London. Family Groups support Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils in mainstream and special schools.

Family Group is a long-term intervention for a community of 8 families from one school. Participating children are all “failing” at school and, during the recruitment phase, a parent/carer is persuaded to join the community and work with the other community members to help all the children fulfil their potential. Once recruited, families meet weekly during term time for a three hour session. Each session is led by one of our experienced Therapists and a senior member of the school staff. The sessions are designed to develop reflective and analytical skills in all participants. Children help set targets for behaviour that are supported both at school and at home. Group exercises strengthen relationships between participants and promote mutual challenge/ support. Parents benefit from the support of the other parents and feel that they finally have a place to gain the confidence and skills they need to support their children.

Ours is a dedicated, stimulating team of experienced psychotherapists with various specialisms, led by an innovative CEO committed to enabling systemic change. We offer a supportive, dynamic and nurturing working environment in which you can have fun while making a real difference for children, families and schools. We provide our Therapists with monthly individual clinical supervision, monthly group supervision and practice support from a Senior Therapist.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Every Thursday during school term – whole day at school site. Additionally, therapists will need to be available one Friday monthly for training and supervision.

You will have responsibility for the delivery of one of TCL’s Family Groups (“FG”). This means that, with support from the Chief Executive (and/or his nominee) your role will include (but will not be limited to) the following specific responsibilities:
• Running the FG in partnership with a school, on the school site in accordance with TCL’s standard procedures
• Actively recruiting families to the group and facilitating their fullest engagement with the intervention
• Working in partnership with the school-based partner to co-facilitate the group and ensure the intervention is implemented fully
• Providing consultation to school staff and to group families on the day of the group
• Managing the collection of quantitative and qualitative data to measure the outcomes of the intervention, as required
• Liaising with professionals from other services working with FG families
• Presenting and promoting the model and relevant aspects of the work to prospective participants, school staff and other professionals
• Attending meetings, providing regular feedback to the Head Teacher and otherwise maintaining good relationships with the sponsors/funders of the group
• Attending training and supervision as required
• Sharing knowledge and experiences with other TCL therapists
• Providing feedback to other TCL directors and staff as required

We are looking for candidates who can ideally, but not necessarily exclusively, fit the following profile:
• Are qualified, experienced, accredited (UKCP, BACP, BADth, BAPT) therapists / psychotherapists
• Have some experience of working with parents, with children and of group work
• Have experience of working in partnership with schools, ideally state primary, to implement and sustain therapeutic programmes
• Be available for one day per week (Thurs) with some flexibility for training sessions, Clinical Supervision, and one Friday per month for Group Supervision.
• Have some flexibility to travel
• Work well as part of a team, but equally are self-motivated and willing to take on responsibility for their group at the school
• Are skilled at engaging and sustaining relationships with families and stakeholders
• Appreciate the value of undertaking measurement and reporting back to the Exec Team
• Have knowledge of basic Microsoft Word and Excel and access to the internet
Terms and conditions to be agreed. £ rate of pay negotiable but commensurate with standard CAMHS rates (paid monthly via PAYE).

If you are interested in the role, then we would be delighted to hear from you. Please send an up-to-date CV, plus a brief description of how you fit the above profile, to hannah@theschoolandfamilyworks.co.uk and we will be in touch.

Find out more on our family facing website: https://www.sfwfamilygroup.org