ABOUT US

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is renowned for its commitment to providing exceptional care to children, young people, and their families. We are dedicated to creating a safe, supportive environment that promotes well-being and healing. We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly skilled Therapy Lead for Systemic Psychotherapy/Family Therapy to join our dynamic Tier 4 Service team at Sunflower House, part of the Sefton CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service). This is a rare opportunity for an experienced clinician to play a lead role in shaping and delivering specialist therapeutic interventions for young people and their families, making a profound difference to their lives.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated individual with the following:

• Postgraduate qualifications in a relevant mental health/social welfare profession, alongside a Masters/Diploma-level qualification in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy, accredited by the UKCP.
• Demonstrable practice experience over a minimum of three years in systemic family therapy, with a strong understanding of systemic theory and interventions.
• A proven track record in leading systemic therapy interventions for children, young people, and families with complex mental health needs, including experience with risk management and self-harm.
• Experience working in a multidisciplinary setting and with a range of childhood disorders, from acute to chronic stages.
• Expertise in offering clinical supervision and consultation, with a commitment to the professional development of trainees and staff.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, such as the Children Act 1989, Mental Health Act 1983, and the implications these have for clinical practice.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to share complex and sensitive information to a wide range of stakeholders.
• A commitment to continuous professional development (CPD), in line with the requirements set by the Association for Family Therapy (AFT).
• A deep understanding of the safeguarding and child protection frameworks within a CAMHS context.
• Experience in research, audit, and service evaluation, ensuring evidence-based practice underpins all interventions.

DESIRABLE SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

While not essential, the following will be beneficial:

• Post-qualification training in additional specialised areas of therapeutic practice.
• Experience of teaching and training others in systemic practice, as well as delivering training sessions to both professional and academic audiences.
• Expertise in the application of systemic psychotherapy in diverse cultural contexts.
• Experience of working in inpatient/family settings, with the ability to manage complex emotional dynamics within the family-hospital system.
• Evidence of involvement in clinical governance projects or audit work.

THE ROLE

As the Therapy Lead for Systemic Psychotherapy/Family Therapy within the Tier 4 Service, you will provide expert leadership in systemic practice, guiding assessments, formulating interventions, and delivering systemic family therapy. Your work will focus on children, young people, and their families facing complex mental health challenges, in both inpatient and community settings. This role requires a compassionate, skilled, and autonomous practitioner who can collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, offer consultation to colleagues, and provide supervision to trainees.
Your work will be guided by the principles of systemic psychotherapy, and you will play a key role in ensuring the integration of systemic thinking into the therapeutic processes. You will work across various systems, including the family, school, social care, and healthcare networks, to provide holistic care and improve outcomes for those referred to the service. You will be a central figure in ensuring the service delivers the highest standards of care, in line with best practice and evidence-based approaches.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

In this senior position, you will be responsible for leading and coordinating systemic family therapy assessments and interventions for a caseload of children, young people, and families. You will play a pivotal role in formulating intervention plans and ensuring the highest standards of therapeutic practice are maintained. Some of the core responsibilities include:

• Leading and coordinating specialist systemic psychotherapy assessments and interventions based on a variety of therapeutic models.
• Offering systemic family therapy using a broad range of evidence-based interventions.
• Providing consultation to multidisciplinary teams and external partners, sharing expertise and promoting systemic thinking.
• Actively contributing to the development and refinement of reflective and reflexive practices within the team and service.
• Delivering clinical supervision to colleagues and trainees, fostering professional development and continuous learning.
• Contributing to the ongoing development of service policies, audit, research, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Maintaining a diverse caseload, managing both acute and chronic childhood mental health issues, and supporting families in navigating complex emotional and relational difficulties.
• Participating in service evaluations and research activities to ensure evidence-based practice is at the core of the service’s work.
• Leading training and educational sessions for staff, providing ongoing professional development in systemic practice.

You will be expected to work collaboratively across a range of agencies and with a multidisciplinary team, providing a systemic lens to team discussions, case reviews, and service development. In addition, you will ensure that patient care is effectively coordinated, taking part in clinical review meetings such as CPA (Care Programme Approach) reviews and providing updates on ongoing family therapy progress. Your role will also include a focus on the development and delivery of training sessions related to systemic therapy, both internally and within the wider CAMHS network.