Family Systemic Psychotherapist – EB1: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

Join Our Dunstable CAMHS Team

We are looking for a creative, forward-thinking and motivated Systemic Family Therapist to join our friendly, supportive and highly skilled multidisciplinary Emotional and Behavioural CAMHS Team in Dunstable, part of the South Bedfordshire Specialist CAMHS Service.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a service that values collaboration, innovation and reflective practice. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where diversity is recognised and celebrated, and where we actively consider the impact of racial, cultural, social and economic contexts on the young people, families and communities we support. Our work is underpinned by compassion, respect and a shared commitment to delivering high-quality care. We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and would be happy to consider flexible working requests.

Main duties of the job

About the Role

The successful applicant will bring significant experience of working with young people, including within CAMHS, and a passion for systemic thinking and family-focused interventions.

You will provide systemic assessment and therapeutic interventions for young people experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties, working closely with their families, carers and wider support networks. The role includes undertaking generic CAMHS assessments where required and contributing to the wider multidisciplinary assessment and treatment pathway.

Working alongside our experienced Band 8A Systemic Psychotherapist, you will co-facilitate family therapy clinics and evidence-based systemic interventions, including groups such as Non-Violent Resistance if appropriate. You will work autonomously while remaining closely connected to a supportive team, demonstrating excellent organisational skills, clinical judgement and professional self-management. Parent carers, schools and partner agencies will play an important role in your work, and you will be expected to contribute effectively to multi-agency collaboration.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Post-graduate qualification in relevant mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice over a minimum of three years.
• Masters/Diploma level qualification (or its equivalent) in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy, accredited with UKCP.
• The Maintenance of UKCP Registration by attendance on short or long training courses to meet AFT CPD requirements.

Desirable

• Post-qualification training in one or more additional specialized areas of therapeutic practice

Experience

Essential

• Minimum three years practice in relevant first profession
• Assessed experience of working as a qualified systemic family psychotherapist for a minimum of 2 years, substantial previous relevant clinical experience, or newly qualified systemic psychotherapist with both substantial and significant previous relevant clinical experience and family therapy experience within the designated speciality where the post is located.
• Experience of specialist systemic assessment, formulation and intervention with clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
• Experience of working with a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse with a wide variety of client groups across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.

Desirable

• Experience of working with people (children and families) of all ages.
• Experience of the application of systemic psychotherapy in different cultural contexts.

Knowledge

Essential

• Highly Specialist skills in using a wide variety of systemic theories and interventions and the ability to use these appropriately in relation to client need and work setting
• Highly Specialist skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical &/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Highly Specialist skills in providing consultation to other professional groups.
• Ability to work in inpatient/family settings, managing the highly complex emotional relationships within and between the component parts of the family-hospital system in ways, which maximize the potential for therapeutic outcomes.
• Knowledge of child development/ mental health issues

Desirable

• Experience in supervision of counselling or nursing. A short course in supervision would be desirable. Highly Specialist skills for offering live supervision of multi-disciplinary colleagues.
• Highly Specialist skills in professional supervision; skills for offering live supervision to multi-disciplinary colleagues

Closing Date: 8 November 2026