Job Summary
Come and join our expanding psychological therapies team within a passionate and friendly service.
The Specialist Perinatal Service is a well-established multidisciplinary community team providing a range of tailored approaches to meet the mental health needs of women, birthing people, and their families in the perinatal period.
Our core purpose is to work with women/birthing people to address their mental health needs and mitigate any impact on the unborn baby and infant. We aim to provide a timely, integrated, high quality, and effective service.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will support the work of the psychological therapies team undertake initial assessments and direct therapeutic work with women/birthing people experiencing a wide range of moderate to severe mental health problems, often relating to complex trauma or attachment difficulties.
There are also opportunities for indirect working, including supervision, consultation, and training to both colleagues within the Specialist Perinatal Service and wider systems, including PETALS (the maternal mental health service), maternity services, perinatal NHS Talking Therapies (formerly IAPT), specialist psychotherapy services and parent-infant mental health services.
The post offers an incredibly supportive team working environment. The successful post holder will receive regular and consistent line management, clinical and professional supervision, and develop relationships with established psychologists and psychological therapists (family therapy, CBT, IPT) working within the service who regularly meet for ongoing CPD, discussion of clinical / professional issues and invaluable peer support. There are also opportunities for professional development and additional internal training is actively encouraged and supported.
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate basis for registration (GBR) with the British Psychological Society
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people with mental health problems
- Experience of working independently and liaising with other healthcare workers
Desirable
- Experience of working in perinatal or maternity settings.
- Experience of working with psychological trauma
- Experience of using outcome measures to evaluate clinical outcomes and client satisfaction
- Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of psychology applied to mental health care
- Knowledge of key models of psychological therapy, including CBT
Desirable
- Knowledge of using computers for databases and data analysis
- Knowledge of key policy and legislation in relation to perinatal mental health
Skills & Abillities
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in an appropriate way
- Ability to produce reports under supervision to a high standard
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems
- An ability to organise time effectively
- An ability to use initiative and to work under supervision
- An ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and to liaise effectively with other professionals
Other requirements
Essential
- Ability to support the delivery of teaching and training to other professionals.
- Ability to travel to a range of locations in a timely and efficient manner.
Desirable
- Personal experience of mental health problems
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework
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.
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).
Closing Date: 30 June 2026
