Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Art Psychotherapist to join the East London Community Forensic Service. We are looking for someone who has excellent communication skills, who is able to work within an emotionally demanding environment to deliver high quality and effective arts therapy provision across East London Community Forensic Service. We need someone who can work with a high degree of autonomy, who can use initiative in making decisions, is skilled in scoping and forming links with other services and who also works well within a variety teams. An ability to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of managing risk and relational security when working with this client group is essential.
The ELFT Community Forensic Services support service users in the process of and following discharge from the Forensic inpatient service, to reintegrate into the communities across the boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and North East London Foundation Trust (Redbridge, Barking Dagenham and Havering, and Waltham Forest).
Main duties of the job
The Community Forensic Service provides in-reach support to help service users move safely towards discharge and reduce length of stay in secure care; and enhanced support in the community, promoting sustained recovery and quality of life and reducing recalls to hospital. The service comprises several borough based multidisciplinary teams, including psychiatrists, FCPNS, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Family Therapists, Social Workers, Life Skills Recovery Workers and Peer Support and Care Peer Support Workers. The service model places a strong emphasis on multidisciplinary work and service user involvement, and co-production. The model stresses the importance of working across the care pathway from inpatient to community, and there is an emphasis on building relationships and signposting with community services (including community arts projects and arts in health providers) to work collaboratively to address the needs of the diverse population
About us
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Details
Date posted
28 November 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 7
Salary
£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum pro rata Inc HCA
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
363-FOR7603696
Job locations
East London Community Forensic Service
26 Shore Road
London
E9 7TA
Job description
Job responsibilities
This job description is intended as a guide to the main duties of the post and is not intended to be a prescriptive document. Duties and base of work may change to meet the needs of the service or because of the introduction of new technology. This job description may be reviewed from time to time and changed, after consultation with the post-holder.
Job descriptionJob responsibilities
This job description is intended as a guide to the main duties of the post and is not intended to be a prescriptive document. Duties and base of work may change to meet the needs of the service or because of the introduction of new technology. This job description may be reviewed from time to time and changed, after consultation with the post-holder.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- oPost qualification experience as an Arts Therapist working with this client group in both group and individual work.
- oWorking with service users with challenging and/or unpredictable behavior.
- oClinical supervision of a trainee Arts Therapist
- oAssessing Service Users and making recommendations to a Multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- oProviding Arts Therapy teaching/training to a variety of audiences.
- oWorking as an Arts Therapist in a Multi-Disciplinary team
- oProviding Arts therapies as part of research or clinical trial
- oProviding Arts Therapies in both Acute and Community settings
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- oDegree in relevant area
- oMA ( or equivalent) in post title Arts Therapies modality
- oFor Art Therapist/Psychotherapist, Music Therapist and Dramatherapist : registration with HCPC
Desirable
- oFor Dance Movement Psychotherapists registration with UKCP
- oMembership of Arts Therapies professional Body
- oClinical Supervision Training
- oFurther training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oExcellent written and verbal communication skills.
- oDeveloped interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed and maintained.
- oAbility to adapt and use a range of specialist skills in skills in individual and group based arts therapies assessments and interventions
- oAbility to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times using a culturally competent holistic approach.
- oAbility to work both independently and as part of MDT.
- oAbility to assess and manage frequent distressing clinical interactions with clients who have serious mental health problems.
- oAbility to assess and manage exposure to potential hazards including frequent verbal aggression and risk of physical aggression while maintaining own, client and general public safety.
- oGood organizational and time management Skills.
- oLine management of more junior staff.
- oAbility to work with trauma and contain emotional impact through clinical supervision and team support systems
Experience
Essential
- oPost qualification experience as an Arts Therapist working with this client group in both group and individual work.
- oWorking with service users with challenging and/or unpredictable behavior.
- oClinical supervision of a trainee Arts Therapist
- oAssessing Service Users and making recommendations to a Multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- oProviding Arts Therapy teaching/training to a variety of audiences.
- oWorking as an Arts Therapist in a Multi-Disciplinary team
- oProviding Arts therapies as part of research or clinical trial
- oProviding Arts Therapies in both Acute and Community settings
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- oDegree in relevant area
- oMA ( or equivalent) in post title Arts Therapies modality
- oFor Art Therapist/Psychotherapist, Music Therapist and Dramatherapist : registration with HCPC
Desirable
- oFor Dance Movement Psychotherapists registration with UKCP
- oMembership of Arts Therapies professional Body
- oClinical Supervision Training
- oFurther training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oExcellent written and verbal communication skills.
- oDeveloped interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed and maintained.
- oAbility to adapt and use a range of specialist skills in skills in individual and group based arts therapies assessments and interventions
- oAbility to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times using a culturally competent holistic approach.
- oAbility to work both independently and as part of MDT.
- oAbility to assess and manage frequent distressing clinical interactions with clients who have serious mental health problems.
- oAbility to assess and manage exposure to potential hazards including frequent verbal aggression and risk of physical aggression while maintaining own, client and general public safety.
- oGood organizational and time management Skills.
- oLine management of more junior staff.
- oAbility to work with trauma and contain emotional impact through clinical supervision and team support systems
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional informationDisclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Address
East London Community Forensic Service
26 Shore Road
London
E9 7TA
Employer's website
https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Address
East London Community Forensic Service
26 Shore Road
London
E9 7TA
Employer's website
Salary range
- £47,810 - £54,710 per year