Job summary
- Main area
- Behaviour Therapist – Learning Disability Community Service
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Fixed term: 6 months (Contract until 31st March 2026)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 364-A-8916-A
- Employer
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- 3 Heath Close
- Town
- Billericay
- Salary
- £40,617 - £48,778 per annum incl. 5% Fringe HCA
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 28/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Behaviour Therapist – Learning Disability Community Service
Band 6
Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.
We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.
You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.
The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.
We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.
We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.
We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.
Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.
Job overview
Are you ready for your 2025 role?
Grow your behaviour specialist career in learning disabilities today and join a vibrant team to improve and implement care provision for adults with learning disabilities considering assessment, intervention/therapeutic support.
Essex University Partnership University Trust’s Learning Disabilities Psychological Service in South Essex is expanding. This is a great time for a highly motivated behaviour specialists passionate about transformation to join the team and develop the service.
The South Essex area is geographically close to London with good transport links to the East Anglia region, it has a more affordable standard of living than London itself, making it an attractive place to live and work.
We seek professionals motivated to change lives by focusing on patient care that helps individuals flourish, focusing on their well-being and self-determination and aiming for their optimal development. This will applied via a strength-based approach to their learning disability practice.
Roles are available as part of a well-established, highly professional multidisciplinary team of psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists and nurses.
We offer multiple options for further professional development through wider collaborative working with the Essex Learning Disability Partnership, including the development of neuro-developmental disorders, dementia and challenging behaviour pathways.
Main duties of the job
Key Responsibilities:
1. To provide a specialist behaviour therapy service to the Learning Disabilities service within the community and into the assessment and treatment inpatient unit.
2. Within the Learning Disability service to lead in delivering behavioural assessment and treatment of people with a learning disability who have additional severe behaviour that challenges.
3. To plan and supervise the work of the Behaviour Associate Practitioners/Assistant Psychologists and Behaviour Support Workers delegating and monitoring work with appropriate support and management.
4. To work in partnership with multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams to provide a holistic service
Working for our organisation
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Why should you consider a behaviour therapist career in learning disabilities?
It offers varied and interesting work to challenge and develop your skills.
It will give you flexibility and freedom to use different models and approaches in your practice.
We value your expertise and empower you to use your experience and skills to provide the best possible care to your patients.
We want you to advocate for our patients, see behind the diagnosis and improve the perception of learning disability in our society.
If you would like to talk to somebody about this vacancy then please contact Dr Rachael Miller, Consultant Clinical Psychologist / Head of Service Learning Disabilities Psychology on Tel: 01277 637204
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Professional Qualification and Experience – Behaviour Therapy and Positive Behaviour Support
- Evidence of personal and professional development in mental health practice and intellectual disabilities
- Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable criteria
- Educated to Degree Level in Health
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of national policies (such as the National Dementia Strategy and NICE Dementia Guidelines), and the implications for dementia care in practice.
- Knowledge of national policies relevant to working with people with Learning Disabilities, such as the Transforming Care agenda
- Evidence of an understanding of the principle of governance and implications for professionals practice
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of the knowledge and skills in the use of information technology to support care and professional development
- Ability to plan ways of improving efficiency and cost effectiveness of clinical service
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
- Dr Rachael Miller
- Job title
- Head of Learning Disability Psychological Service
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07581068759
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