Job overview
Join us be You and make a difference to a child's life.
Bury CAMHS is a high-performing and dynamic child and adolescent mental health service, working closely with commissioners and with our partners in Children’s Services, education and the VCSE sector to develop models of care within the principles of the i-thrive framework. Our vision is for our local community to be well-equipped to support children and young people, the adults of tomorrow, to grow up with good emotional health and well-being. In addition to the successes of our Early Attachment service, Mental Health Support Team (schools), and innovative #RISE team (emotional well-being service for children and families).
As a borough, we are committed at a commissioning and senior leadership level to continue to build on this experience and we aspire to provide our children and young people in care with high quality, trauma-informed services, including access to assessment and psychological therapies provided in a timely manner.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will work alongside colleagues and provide training, consultation, supervision and specialist intervention while simultaneously promoting trauma informed practice across the large multi-agency network of mixed professionals and supporting healthy relationships within our Bury families.
The postholder will work as a highly specialist practitioner developing and implementing a community based therapeutic service to children, young people and their families with a particular focus on trauma and attachment. S/he will provide assessment and treatment of children and young people and their carers grounded in the principles and techniques of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
The training and strategic development aspect of the role involves acting as a specialist resource and contributing to multi-agency training of relevant professionals across Bury. The post holder will be expected to offer consultation and clinical supervision to professional colleagues
Working for our organisation
We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester - Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.
Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We’re really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we’re a great place to work.
All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.
If you come and work for us we will offer a range of benefits and opportunities, including:
* Generous annual leave entitlement for Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental staff.
* Flexible working opportunities to support your work/life balance
* Access to Continued Professional Development
* Involvement in improvement and research activities
* Health and Wellbeing activities and access to an excellent staff wellbeing service
* Access to staff discounts across retail, leisure and travel
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapeutic offers are well-integrated and highly valued within the multi-disciplinary CAMHS team locally and across the broader Specialist Services Directorate in Pennine Care. There are currently progressive psychological therapies and research work-streams running across the Directorate. The support, development and well-being of our workforce are the foundations on which we continue to develop services to ensure children and young people receive optimal care. We have strong links with local universities and are active in the Clinical Training Programmes.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the development and delivery of a specialist child and adolescent psychotherapy service provision within the parameters of child and adolescent mental health, in a multiagency context.
They will provide specialist psychoanalytic psychotherapy assessment for children and young people who may be experiencing severe, highly complex and persistent mental health difficulties and to make decisions about treatment possibilities.
They will work independently and collaboratively as part of the team to ensure the most appropriate support and intervention to meet the young persons needs is identified and communicated and where appropriate provided in a timely manner.
options taking into account relevant evidence based research, theory, practice
and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental
Person specification
Education
Essential criteria
* Doctorate level qualification as a Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist as recognised by the Association of Child Psychotherapists
* Full membership of the Association of Child Psychotherapists
Experience
Essential criteria
* Experience of working with patient groups presenting high levels of complexity, including young children, adolescents and families
* Experience in psychotherapy assessment and therapeutic work with young children, adolescents and their families/ parents/carers with a full range of presenting problems.
* Experience of consulting with other professionals in Health, Education, Social Services and Local Authority.
* Experience of representing clinical child psychotherapy within the context of multidisciplinary and multi-agency treatment and care.
Desirable criteria
* Experience of working in CAMHS or with children, prior to training as a Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist
* Experience of Audit
* Experience of research
* Experience of work or contact with adult mental health services
Knowledge
Essential criteria
* Evidence of awareness of parental mental health in relation to infant/child mental health matters
* Knowledge of legislation and national guidance in relation to the needs of children and adolescents
* Doctoral level (or equivalent) knowledge of child and adolescent psychotherapy, including highly developed knowledge of psychoanalytical theories and models of development, psychopathology, family and institutional dynamics.
* Working knowledge of professional systems involved in work with children and adolescents, particularly in relation to the statutory framework around child protection
Skills
Essential criteria
* Skills in the use of psychoanalytical methods of assessment, intervention and management in work with children and families.
* Evidence of a capacity to work collaboratively and flexibly in a multi-disciplinary team context
* High level of skill in assessing risk in the context of parent child mental health.
* Ability to work with people from different backgrounds, cultures and ethnicity from one’s own.
* Demonstrate sensitivity in all contact with disadvantaged groups
* High level of ability to communicate effectively (both written and verbal) complex, technical and clinically sensitive information to children, parents and carers and a wide range of professionals.
* Ability to cope with stressful interpersonal situations, including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse and communicate in situations in which there may be barriers to the acceptance of communications
* Good organisational skills
* Evidence of continuing professional development as required by ACP
* Skills in co-working, liaison and consultation with others, especially with regard to highly complex families.
* Skills in developing the psychotherapy provision within CAMHS including the support and development of novel psychotherapeutically informed interventions and supervising junior staff
work related
Essential criteria
* Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs
📝 Application support - We recommend tailoring your application to each role you apply for, particularly your supporting information. This gives you the best chance of success. Your supporting information should clearly explain, with examples, how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role.
We understand that some candidates may use AI tools to help prepare their application. This is not restricted, however, any AI support should only be used to enhance your own writing and must reflect your genuine skills and experience. You will be asked to talk about your application at interview. Applications that contain false or misleading information may be removed from the recruitment process.
We also offer virtual application support sessions each month, where you will learn some hints and tips to support you in completing your application form. To secure your place, and to find out more visit the on our website.
🌍 Sponsorship Information - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the
📬 After You Apply - Once your application is submitted, you’ll receive updates via email. Shortlisting is based on how well you meet the criteria outlined in the person specification. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview, and invitations will be sent by email.
✅ If You're Offered the Role - If successful, the hiring manager will contact you directly with a verbal offer. They will then notify the Recruitment Team and submit the necessary paperwork. You’ll receive a formal conditional offer via email
🔍 Pre-Employment Checks - To confirm your suitability for the role, we will carry out pre-employment checks in line with. These include:
* Identity verification
* Right to work check
* Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role)
* Professional registration and/or qualification check
* Occupational health assessment
* Employment history and reference validation
All applicants external to Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust will be required to provide their to cover the most recent three years employment. This information will used to validate employment history and references.
If you require sponsorship, we will assess your eligibility based on current If the role is not eligible and you cannot demonstrate your right to work, your conditional offer may be withdrawn.
🚀 Once Checks Are Complete -
The Recruitment Team will coordinate with you and the hiring manager to confirm a start date. You’ll be booked onto a Trust Welcome Session and receive your Pennine Care NHS Terms and Conditions.
📣 Additional Information -
We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds to help us grow, innovate, and improve.
If you wish to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role.
If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact us on 0161 716 3181 as early as possible so we can support you.
Please note:
* We do not accept unsolicited contact from recruitment agencies. Hiring managers should not be contacted directly.
* We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. If you have a disability or long‑term health condition and need extra time or adjustments to complete your application, please contact us as soon as possible. We will ensure you are not disadvantaged where a reasonable adjustment is appropriate.
If you have problems applying, contact
Address
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
225 Old Street
225 Old Street
OL6 7SR
Telephone
01617163181