Job summary
- Main area
- Children & Adolescent Services
- Grade
- Band 7 to 8A
- Contract
- Permanent: Band 7 to 8A developmental post
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 222-LS-CAMHS-758
- Employer
- West London NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Ealing CAMHS
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £53,751 - £68,623 per annum inclusive
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/01/2026 17:00
Employer heading
Highly Specialist Family Therapist
Band 7 to 8A
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 Band 7-8a Clinical Specialist Systemic and Family Psychotherapist progression posts 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
We are advertising Band 7-8a progression posts to highlight our commitment to the continued development of Systemic & Family Psychotherapists across our service. 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 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by 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.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Post-graduate training in systemic family therapists as accredited by IFT or AFT.
- Professional registration with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
- Relevant first profession experience or the equivalent (e.g. criteria laid down by UKCP for “grandparent” and “APEL” route to qualification as Family Therapists)
Desirable criteria
- Training in FT-AN/Eating Disorder specific approaches
- Systemic supervision training
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of practice in relevant first profession or the equivalent.
- Experience of work with children and adolescents in a mental health or equivalent setting
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in Eating Disorders
- Experience of other treatment approaches
- Experience of teaching, supervision and/or consultation
- Experience of NVR (non violent resistance) approach.
- Experience of research and audit
Knwoledge
Essential criteria
- Evidence base in relation to child and adolescent mental health.
- Research and research methodology at post-graduate level in relation to children and adults with mental health and social problems
- The impact of abuse, trauma and other adverse experiences on children, young people and families.
- Legislation and DOH guidelines relevant to child and adolescent mental health e.g. Mental Health Act 1983, Children Act 1989
- Child protection policies and procedures.
- Child development in relation to mental health difficulties.
- Knowledge of other modalities (i.e. psychoanalytical, biological, cognitive, behavioural etc.) sufficient to engage appropriately with colleagues and their work with clients
Desirable criteria
- Specialist knowledge in one or more areas of systemic therapy.
- Evidence base in working with Eating Disorders
Skills
Essential criteria
- Skills in working with children and families with mental health and social problems using a variety of approaches coherent with a systemic perspective.
- Ability to apply analytical skills to multi-layered complex cases.
- Ability to formulate comprehensive assessments and offer effective treatment based on systemic principles.
- Ability to provide ongoing treatment in complex, often unstable, 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 withstand high levels of emotional distress and think clearly in emotionally charged situations.
- Ability to manage the risk of verbal and physical aggression.
- Ability to manage and plan own workload of complex cases.
Desirable criteria
- Skills in working with young people and their families who are experiencing an Eating Disorder
- Ability to adhere to and promote equal opportunities in the development of the service.
- Willingness and ability to work in co-operation with others.
- Physically able to withstand the effort of working in conditions of stress
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Jane Willis
- Job title
- Principle Family Therapist
- Email address
- [email protected]
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