Practitioner Psychologist, Psychotherapist & Psychological Therapist

Job summary

Southwark CAMHS is seeking an innovative highly specialist CBT Therapist or Psychologist to support the provision and development of high-quality CBT to children, young people and families. In addition to providing assessment and therapy to your own caseload, you will play a vital role in supporting the development of the CBT provision across the service. This will include supervision and service development and you will work closely with the lead for psychology and psychological therapies as well as Team Leads. You will be based within both the Adolescent and CAMHS Early Help Team, to support the development of cross-team working. We believe this role would be ideally suited to an experienced CBT therapist (or psychologist experienced in providing CBT) who is passionate about providing high-quality and flexible evidence-based therapy to a highly diverse inner-London population.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will offer assessment, therapy and some care co-ordination to a case-load of children and young people from within Adolescent and Early Help teams within Southwark CAMHS. They will provide consultation and supervision to qualified CBT therapists and trainees. Working closely with the Southwark CAMHS' leadership team, they will also support service development, including recruitment, audit and planning and facilitating training. There will be opportunities to use quality improvement methodology to generate and trial service improvements, including those supporting the implementation of care pathways, outcomes-focused care and provision of inclusive and anti-racist services.

The successful candidate will have experience with children, young people and families with a range of complex mental health difficulties, and to have training and experience in providing and supervising evidence-based therapies for this population. Southwark CAMHS is implementing the Thrive model, and you will have the opportunity to contribute to this wider service development. Southwark CAMHS and SLAM NHS Trust are committed to providing inclusive, accessible services that are acceptable to its diverse inner-London population and you will be expected to work in-line with and model these values.

Southwark CAMHS are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage.

About us

Southwark CAMHS

We are a thriving local CAMH Service that is highly committed to inclusivity, innovation and staff wellbeing. Clinical teams include staff from a variety of disciplines; psychiatry, psychology, nursing, family therapy, arts psychotherapies, child psychotherapy, occupational therapy and social work. The service is currently working towards implementing Thrive principles in practice.

There are 11 multidisciplinary teams, most of which offer specialist assessment and treatment. This post will work across

• The Adolescent Team - providing specialist assessment and mental health treatment to children and young people aged between 12 and 18. This team maintains close links with the inpatient adolescent units within CAMHS, Early Onset psychosis teams in the borough, and with the Youth Offending Service.
• Early Help CAMHS- providing community child mental health interventions to children and families including within home and school settings, working closely with Family Early Help within local authority Children's Services.

The service also includes, a child and family team, a neurodevelopmental team, a LAC team, a specialist trauma team, an outreach team, a CWP, Kings PLS and a Single Point of Access Team.

We are located at Denmark Hill, less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2), within a short walk of Ruskin Park and a wide range of cafes and restaurants.

Details

Date posted

02 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum Incl. of HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-CLI-7414533

Job locations

Southwark CAMHS

1st Floor Mapother House

London

SE5 8AZ

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide a highly specialist psychological interventions according to discipline (CBT for children, young people and their families) including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist (in CBT in Southwark CAMHS).

To promote service evaluation, audit and research.

To work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.

To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.

To be active in the provision of staff support within their area, including but not limited to Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve. To participate, as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide a highly specialist psychological interventions according to discipline (CBT for children, young people and their families) including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist (in CBT in Southwark CAMHS).

To promote service evaluation, audit and research.

To work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.

To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.

To be active in the provision of staff support within their area, including but not limited to Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve. To participate, as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of psychopathology and evidence base for CBT within CAMHS
• Advanced knowledge of CBT assessment, theory of CBT and ROMS
• Knowledge of issues of culture, inclusion and acceptability of interventions

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
• To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers (and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews where appropriate)
• To plan allocation of tasks to assistants/trainees as appropriates
• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.

Qualifications

Essential

• To have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work and occupational therapy OR to have equivalent relevant experience and demonstrable competence to work in the mental health field in the NHS. Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration.
• For Psychologists: . Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration. (A/I) (for a job requiring specific professional qualification(s), change this point to specify the required qualification(s): Clinical psychologist: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent; Counselling psychologist: MSc and PG Diploma in Counselling Psychology; Forensic psychologist: MSc in Forensic Psychology plus completion of the British Psychological Society's Qualification in Forensic Psychology Stage 2) ? Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice (specify options required by the post) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a registered body and/or an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher.
• Completed training course in clinical supervision and/or accredited to supervised qualified psychological practitioners in relevant discipline.
• Registered with professional body as appropriate to discipline e.g. HCPC/UKCP/ACP/BABCP

Desirable

• Training in clinical supervision

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in CAMHS.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in CAMHS.
• Experience of supervising assistants and/or trainees having completed the relevant training.
• Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
• Experience of carrying out post-qualification research, audit or service evaluation projects).

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of psychopathology and evidence base for CBT within CAMHS
• Advanced knowledge of CBT assessment, theory of CBT and ROMS
• Knowledge of issues of culture, inclusion and acceptability of interventions

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
• To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers (and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews where appropriate)
• To plan allocation of tasks to assistants/trainees as appropriates
• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.

Qualifications

Essential

• To have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work and occupational therapy OR to have equivalent relevant experience and demonstrable competence to work in the mental health field in the NHS. Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration.
• For Psychologists: . Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration. (A/I) (for a job requiring specific professional qualification(s), change this point to specify the required qualification(s): Clinical psychologist: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent; Counselling psychologist: MSc and PG Diploma in Counselling Psychology; Forensic psychologist: MSc in Forensic Psychology plus completion of the British Psychological Society's Qualification in Forensic Psychology Stage 2) ? Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice (specify options required by the post) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a registered body and/or an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher.
• Completed training course in clinical supervision and/or accredited to supervised qualified psychological practitioners in relevant discipline.
• Registered with professional body as appropriate to discipline e.g. HCPC/UKCP/ACP/BABCP

Desirable

• Training in clinical supervision

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in CAMHS.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in CAMHS.
• Experience of supervising assistants and/or trainees having completed the relevant training.
• Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
• Experience of carrying out post-qualification research, audit or service evaluation projects).

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 information

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).

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Southwark CAMHS

1st Floor Mapother House

London

SE5 8AZ

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Southwark CAMHS

1st Floor Mapother House

London

SE5 8AZ

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)