The Opportunity
Salary: Pro‑rata for 25.9 hours £33,758‑£35,949 per annum / Pro‑rata for 22.2 hours £28,936 – £30,814 per annum (FTE Equivalent Salary: Grade 12 £48,226 – £51,356 per annum)
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Part‑time, Monday to Friday. Hybrid working will be considered. Days are flexible except Tuesday, which is the team meeting day; Thursday and Friday are quieter days in the team; it would be advantageous if successful candidates could work at least one of these days.
Two part‑time roles available:
* 25.9 hours per week (0.7 FTE) – supporting Children in Care
* 22.2 hours per week (0.6 FTE) – supporting Children in Care who are unaccompanied asylum‑seeking young people (UASC)
Location: Based at Glebelands, Shoreham‑by‑Sea but will be required to provide countywide coverage.
Travel independently around the county is required, including to areas that may not be easily accessible by public transport. Pool cars and pool bikes are available and a driving licence is highly desirable.
Interviews are scheduled for: Monday 13 th July
Make a Real Difference to the Lives of Children in Care
* Are you a trauma‑informed practitioner, passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people in care?
* Are you looking for an opportunity to develop in a growing, evidence‑informed therapeutic service?
* Would you thrive in providing training, consultation and reflective practice to staff groups within Children’s Services?
* Do you have experience of providing a range of therapeutic interventions for children and families?
* Do you have an interest in improving outcomes for children in care and/or unaccompanied asylum‑seeking young people?
If so, we would love to hear from you.
Attach is a psychology‑led service supporting children in care that has recently launched within West Sussex County Council. We offer direct assessment and therapy, support for foster and residential carers and reflective supervision and training for social work colleagues with the aim of improving the lives of young people in care.
The Attach service is made up of experienced mental health practitioners who have worked for most of their careers in the NHS and have all moved across to social care. We are excited to be part of West Sussex County Council and are learning together about the opportunities available here.
The role focuses on improving emotional wellbeing, placement stability, relational health and trauma‑informed practice across children’s social care services. You will provide psychologically informed assessment, consultation, formulation, therapeutic intervention and workforce support for children and young people who have experienced trauma, adversity and disrupted attachment.
More About the Role
We have two roles:
* Physical Practitioner – Grade 12, 0.7 FTE: support to children in care and their carers/networks.
* Physical Practitioner – Grade 12, 0.6 FTE: support to children in care who are unaccompanied asylum‑seeking young people and their carers/networks.
In the first role you will be part of a growing team of clinicians responding to requests for specialist therapeutic support. You will attend regular triage meetings, share in clinical decision making and participate in business meetings.
* Drop‑in consultations to social work colleagues, providing a space to unpick clinical dilemmas and develop psychological formulations with related care plans.
* Time‑limited consultation spaces for adults caring for children, helping to understand behaviours that cause concern and exploring ways to move forward together.
* Leading reflective practice groups for social work colleagues.
* Collaborating with colleagues to deliver training offers to the network of adults involved in caring for children.
In the UASC role you will work closely with a colleague supporting unaccompanied asylum‑seeking young people and their networks. You will triage referrals, conduct initial assessments, hold network meetings and deliver evidence‑based, trauma‑informed interventions. Sometimes this work may involve working alongside an interpreter. Additional offers include a reflective practice space for social workers, adapting trauma‑narrative work, attending dyadic developmental psychotherapy training level 1 (DDP level 1) and co‑running a monthly therapeutic nature‑based group with the South Downs Trust.
About You
* Relevant professional qualifications: Professional Doctorate level training in Clinical Psychology (HCPC registered), Professional Masters level training in Systemic Family Psychotherapy (HCPC registered), Professional Doctorate level training in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy (HCPC registered), or Professional qualification in Occupational Therapy (HCPC registered).
* Experience of working with children, young people, and their families and knowledge of key legislation.
* Some experience of delivering interventions for children in care with a systemic and integrative focus is desirable.
* Good understanding of trauma‑informed and attachment‑based models, and an interest in DDP and/or sensory attachment models. Training in DDP is available.
* Demonstrated understanding of the needs of children who present with developmental trauma and disrupted attachments, and of the support needed by their carers.
* Experience with unaccompanied asylum‑seeking children and the support needs of their carers.
* Clinical expertise in delivering psychologically informed assessment and therapy to children and young people with complex psychological problems and who may be mistrustful of services, alongside support to families and other care providers.
* Excellent communication skills enabling accessible and engaging psychological training to different audiences.
* Experience of delivering consultation, training and reflective supervision to staff groups.
* Experience or willingness to support colleagues with clinical supervision, job planning, managing competing priorities and building a supportive team culture.
* Knowledge of neurodiverse young people and the intersection between developmental trauma and neurodevelopmental needs would be an advantage.
* Confidence in managing risk and complexity in multi‑agency environments.
* Ability to travel independently around the county; a driving licence is desirable.
For more information on the key skills, qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the attached Job Description and mention the key skills in your cover letter, which will be used for shortlisting.
About Us and What We Offer
The Attach Service delivers psychological support to our Children We Care For, Care Leavers, Unaccompanied Asylum‑Seeking and Special Guardianship teams, and to our Residential and Fostering services. We provide a range of evidence‑informed support, help adults understand and respond to developmental trauma, disrupted attachment, and hidden emotional needs. Within West Sussex Fostering there is a vision for therapeutic parenting underpinned by DDP principles and a PACE culture.
We are ambitious for our children and workforce. We are committed to improving our services for children and families in West Sussex. You will join us at a key time on our improvement journey.
Benefits
* Comprehensive induction and shadowing opportunities.
* Regular clinical supervision from senior clinicians and externally sourced expertise where needed.
* Links to the University of Surrey Clinical Psychology Doctorate programme and opportunities for placements.
* Hybrid working arrangements supporting work‑life balance.
* Opportunities to shape an integrated psychological model.
* Management and clinical supervision by senior clinicians within the Attach service.
* Peer support and ongoing CPD.
* An inclusive and values‑driven team culture that supports innovation and reflective practice.
Upon joining you will have access to a range of benefits. A full list is available at our Rewards and Benefits page.
Further Information
Reference number: CAFHE06371.
We welcome informal enquiries to explore how this opportunity might fit your professional goals and values. For an informal conversation or further information, contact Dr. Nicky Crockett at Nicola.Crockett@westsussex.gov.uk. For any queries regarding your application, contact kerry.joad@westsussex.gov.uk.
Commitment to Safeguarding and Equality
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post requires HCPC registration, an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.
Equity, inclusion and accessibility are very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone. If you require reasonable adjustments to support your application, contact kerry.joad@westsussex.gov.uk.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants with a disability, veteran or care leaver status. More information can be found on our application help page.
#J-18808-Ljbffr