Job overview
The Brent Parent and Infant Relationship Service (PAIRS) is a new service in CNWL. We are recruiting a Parent-Infant Psychotherapist/Child Psychotherapist to join this recently established team. The post-holder will be based in Brent CAMHS and will have clinics in the community and in Family Hubs/Wellbeing Centres across Brent.
In line with the Start 4 Life/Best Start in Life Programme, PAIRS offers support to infants in the first two years of life (including in pregnancy) and their caregivers experiencing parent-infant relationship difficulties. This includes infants with mental health and emotional wellbeing needs and parents with mild to moderate mental health concerns past or present, risking the parent-infant relationship. This service also extends to fathers, co-parents and the overall familial relationship with the infant, with the infant remaining the focus of the work.
The service is delivered by a reflective and nurturing team comprising a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, Lead Parent-Infant Psychotherapist, Parent-Infant Psychotherapist, and Assistant Psychotherapist.
Main duties of the job
To participate in the development and delivery of an effective PAIRS team and the development of productive working relationships throughout the Trust.
To be responsible for the assessment of infants and families and the delivery of specific parent-infant psychological interventions to infants and parents to promote the quality of their relationships. This will include parent-infant psychotherapy, therapeutic groups, consultation, reflective supervision, offering teaching and training and joint working with multiagency colleagues. This may also include video work (e.g. video interactive guidance), parent work and short term generic CAMHS input.
To be an effective team member whilst working on their own initiative.
To participate in the review and development of clinical policies, protocols and guidelines and identify improvements to service provision.
To participate in the audit process, linking in with the clinical governance agenda.
To contribute to the training experience of trainee psychotherapists and students from other disciples on placement, as appropriate.
This post necessitates working directly and indirectly with parents who have vulnerable infants and are experiencing complex mental health difficulties. Some clients/patients may be difficult to engage and their behaviour may significantly challenge the integrity and welfare of the post holder.
Working for our organisation
Here at CNWL CAMHS, our focus is to create a community and a shared identity as CNWL CAMHS, facilitating an environment for our Child, Adolescent and Family Specialised Workforce to thrive.
Investing in our staff is important to us at CNWL and in CAMHS we have appointed a Workforce Business Transformation Manager as well as a Head of Therapies to support the career development as well as involving staff in creative decision making on roles and team or profession structures. We are currently in the process of creating CAMHS specific career pathway maps and workforce strategy to build on our Trust vision, showing how we will achieve our CNWL goals within CAMHS.
Our Trust-wide CPD programme offers opportunities for staff to develop their skills.
We take flexible working seriously, and will always be open to discussion to meet our workforce's competing work-life demands
Please note the post necessitates the post holder to travel regularly across Brent and when necessary, to local community amenities or independent sectorestablishmentsoftentransportingtestmaterials,audio-visualandITequipment.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To provide an efficient, effective, comprehensive and specialist Parent-Infant Psychotherapy assessment and treatment to service users, and support and signposting to parents, to promote the quality of parent-infant relationships.
to undertake parent-infant assessments and contribute to team discussions about initial assessments.
To undertake parent-infant assessments contribute to team discussion about initial assessments and possible interventions. To provide dyadic, triadic and group interventions flexibly which are adapted to the needs of infants and their caregivers in complex and varying degrees of illness and distress.
To offer consultation, reflective spaces, teaching and training on parent-infant mental health and attachment to multi-disciplinary/agency colleagues as required.
To contribute to audit and research.
To actively engage in outcome monitoring, including the use of routine outcome measures associated with this specialist client group.
To work in clinical practice, making use of supervision, within the overall framework of the CAMHS Directorate’s and the Trust’s policies and procedures.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI can be used as a support tool, not a replacement for the applicant’s own work. Applications must remain personal, accurate, and reflective of the candidate’s real experience. AI-generated content must not misrepresent skills, qualifications, or experience. Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.
We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct. Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.
Vaccination
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
1. Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
2. Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the
3. Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.