CAMHS Specialist DBT Therapist: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for one senior clinician to join the ELFT Dialectical Behavioural Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) service. This is part of an exciting expansion of CAMHS specialist services within NCEL that align closely to national, regional and local health and care goals and objectives. The role is a 1-year fixed term opportunity (or possible secondment) with the aim of securing further extension into a permanent role. The post holders will work closely with the DBT Lead, leadership team, clinicians and managers across Tier 4 units, CAMHS and crisis teams, the NCEL Provider collaborative and other stakeholders.

Main duties of the job

The Service will offer a full DBT assessment, treatment and consultation for Adolescents known to community CAMHS services within Newham, Tower Hamlets, and City & Hackney. Full treatment comprises of a year-long treatment and includes weekly individual therapy sessions, weekly skills groups (for both the young person and parent/carers) and access to telephone skills coaching. The service is operational Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, working closely with community CAMHS and sister services within the Alternative to Admissions Pathway to support young people through their journey to recovery.

The East London CAMHS DBT Service comprises of an administrator; Assistant Psychologst; Specialist DBT Therapists; Senior DBT Therapists; and a DBT Clinical Tea Lead. The team operates as a hub, in reaching core community mental health services in Newham, City & Hackney and Tower Hamlets to provide specialist DBT assessment and treatment to Adolescents within the local area, holding a caseload of patients who have complex emotional needs associated with emerging and diagnosed personality disorders.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

• Qualification in one of the following Mental Health Professions: Social Work OR Occupational Therapy OR Community Psychiatric Nursing OR Psychology Current HCPC/NMC/SWE/BACP registration
• Willingness to complete the Accredited post-graduate training in DBT

Desirable

• Previous experience of delivering DBT Therapy and/or DBT informed interventions
• Foundational training in DBT

Experience

Essential

• Post-qualification experience of autonomously managing a caseload in a community CAMHS mental health setting.
• Substantial clinical experience working with people with a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’ as a member of a multi-disciplinary community mental health team.
• Experience of conducting psychologically informed assessments, group interventions, risk assessments, mental state assessments, safety planning and crisis interventions.
• Knowledge and experience of working with young people with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance misuse and psychosis.
• Experience of offering psychological interventions to people with complex emotional needs associated with a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’.
• Experience, skills and ability to liaise effectively with other agencies and professionals.
• Experience of supervising staff and/or students.

Desirable

• Experience of using outcome measures in clinical practice.
• Experience of teaching/training others.
• Active participation in co-produced service planning and delivery.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Knowledge of NICE guidelines for management and treatment of ‘personality disorder’; awareness of relevant research and its implications for clinical practice.
• Knowledge and skills in an evidence-based therapy for people with ”personality disorder” (DBT).
• Knowledge and understanding of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the welfare of clients with mental health difficulties and a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’ and their friends/families (including children).
• Ability to apply an understanding of diversity, difference and rights to interactions with people with complex emotional needs associated with a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder.’
• Knowledge of, and ability to, operate within professional and ethical guidelines.
• Knowledge of, and ability to work with, issues of confidentiality and consent.
• Knowledge of, and ability to assess, mental capacity.
• Ability to work collaboratively as a team member and flexibly across services.
• Ability to analyse and manage complex multi-factorial clinical information from a range of sources integrating it into a formulation utilising a biopsychosocial model.
• Ability to undertake a dynamic risk assessment and develop a safety plan in collaboration with service users.
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of risk management practice with service users who have a diagnosis of ”personality disorder”.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills both verbal and written.
• Ability to deal with highly stressful situations arising with service users, carers and staff.
• Ability to empathise in a complex, sensitive or emotional environment.
• Sensitivity to and ability to deal with hostility and antagonism in a constructive manner.
• Ability to sensitively and effectively communicate complex and highly sensitive information.
• Ability to effectively manage endings and service transitions which may evoke strong emotions and reactions for service users.
• Ability to recognise own limits and seek appropriate support and supervision. Ability to organise own workload effectively, prioritising a complex range of tasks and responsibilities to meet agreed deadlines.
• Good IT skills and sound understanding of Word, Powerpoint, Access and Excel.
• Good organisational skills.
• Ability to propose, plan, implement and evaluate psychological interventions and service developments.
• Demonstrable skills in clinical outcome evaluation, audit, research and/or clinical governance.

Desirable

• Ability to clearly and concisely convey psychological principles and concepts.
• Knowledge and skills in use of statistical software platforms for data analysis (e.g. R-studio, Statistica, SPSS).

Closing Date: 6 September 2026