Senior Clinical Therapist - Children Services

We have an exciting opportunity for a senior therapist to join our innovative and dynamic clinical service in Croydon, working in the Children and Families Services. Within this role, you will provide clinical consultations to frontline staff, deliver therapeutic interventions, train, supervise and support reflective practice groups.

You will be working alongside our Systemic Practice Lead, supporting our practice framework that has systemic practice at its foundation. We are keen to ensure that our clinical services are bespoke, flexible and offer timely responses. We wish to recruit an experienced family therapist with supervisory experience who is open to outreach working practices; holding in mind the importance of well-being through relational practices, an understanding of social conditions and power.

We have a clear practice framework which privileges relationship based practice as a medium for change and we have invested in a whole systems approach to systemic training for all staff.

You will be an experienced, accredited and registered family and systemic psychotherapist, with a qualification in systemic supervision.

You will have an ability to work in diverse ways with a range of children and young people, carers and networks.

You will be creative, being able to teach and undertake direct work with a multitude of skills at your disposal.

You will support the creation, provision and governance of a high quality specialist and clinical service.

You will be able you to use your experience and training within a statutory children's service to effect positive outcomes for children and young people.

You will be keen to practice privileging the importance of relationships, effectively engaging with our residents, partners, managers, social worker and practitioners; ensuring that our children and young people are able to receive timely and responsive services.

About children's social work in Croydon

Home to 94,000 children, Croydon is a truly unique place to practice social work. We are a borough with big ambition, grit, and determination. Children's social care was judged 'good' in our last Ofsted inspection.

Our systemic practice framework places emphasis on relationships as key to supporting change for families. We make sense of the world through relationships, focusing on the whole family system and thinking about our own part in that too - what we bring, our own family stories and beliefs, how we use ourselves in the work that we do. Our practice model is all about collaboration - with our families, networks and partners; being open to challenge and ensuring our practitioners are highly trained in a variety of intervention approaches.

Our established clinical service will support you to grow your own systemic practice within the service, providing accredited training, co-working and direct work with families.

What makes Croydon special is our people - both within the council and throughout the borough.

Our offer to you

Choosing to practice social work in Croydon will give you opportunity to develop, grow, thrive, and strive; it is not just a job but a career. Here are some of the reasons our colleagues like working at Croydon:

• Our teams consist of both new and established practitioners, and together they have wide experience that serves the needs of the community and colleagues.


• Social worker caseloads are manageable, and access to supervision is a priority; experienced managers will be there to support you in navigating complex issues.


• Group supervision takes place in all teams, supported by our clinical service.


• Training and development opportunities are plentiful, including our Family Therapy Academy which teaches Year 1 and Year 2 of Systemic Therapy in-house. We offer externally commissioned training in Graded Care Profile 2, motivational interviewing, and extra-familial harm as specialisms.
  
  You will be valued for your skills and expertise, supported by the team of experienced professionals, as well as the management at Croydon Council, one of the largest employers in the borough. We also offer:


Highly competitive compensation package

29-31 days (grade equivalent) annual leave in addition to Bank Holidays and option to purchase more

A pension scheme with an average employer contribution of 20%

Continuing Professional Development - genuine opportunities to grow, develop and specialise in your career

Management development programmes

Investment into your wellbeing

Access to Employee Discount scheme with a range of programmes (Cycle Benefit Scheme, GymFlex, Retail Discounts and more)

We promote flexible & hybrid working arrangements where possible to support a healthy work-life balance

Why Join Us

The team arrange meetings weekly to ensure all colleagues have the support required to fulfil their duties, they will use this time to problem solve complex cases

The ethos at Croydon is very much about working together to make positive change

Caseloads are very manageable enabling managers to know children well & ensure high standards of practice

You will join an established team who can help you settle in and offer their expertise

Will have the opportunity to work from home and work flexibly which provides you with more of a work-life balance.