Elfrida Rathbone Camden

Job description and Person Specification

Creative Therapist

Job title: / Creative Therapist
Salary: / NJC scp 26 -28 £13,436 - £14,219
Hours: / 17.5 hours per week – fixed term contract 12 month contract to start asap
Employed by: / Elfrida Rathbone Camden
Responsible to: /

Camden Futures Manager

Location: / Elfrida Rathbone Camden, Kentish Town
Job purpose: / To support ERC’s work with vulnerable young people aged over 18 years old and parents by delivering exploratory and expressive creative therapy sessions in 1:1 and small group settings on a weekly basis for a twelve month period.
This will include arts therapy and Books Beyond Words sessions. The project will enable expressive development, using non-verbal methods and a safe therapeutic relationship to build self-esteem, self-awareness, resilience and confidence.

Main Responsibilities

1.  Actively devise and deliver exploratory and expressive creative sessions to support young people and parents with emotional and mental health support needs using both 1:1 and groupwork approaches.

2.  Assess the eligibility of referrals and keep accurate service user records

3.  Plan and deliver sessions including writing risk assessments and providing session plans when requested.

4.  To coordinate and deliver a programme of Books Beyond Words group sessions aimed at young people and adults with a learning disability.

5.  To support and co-ordinate volunteer and sessional staff.

6.  Liaise with relevant ERC colleagues and external members of the multi-disciplinary network working with project participants to discuss progress and outcomes of creative therapy work.

7.  To collate baseline and exit data and any other monitoring information as necessary to measure the impact of the interventions delivered.

8.  To assist with publicity and outreach of Elfrida Rathbone Camden projects, liaising with relevant professionals, community groups and other networks where possible.

9.  To participate in both ERC and clinical supervision as required and undertake training to meet identified needs.

10.  To identify and report any safeguarding concerns, and at all times follow Elfrida Rathbone Camden’s Vulnerable Adults and Safeguarding Children policies and procedures.

11.  To always follow Elfrida Rathbone Camden’s Confidentiality, Equality and Diversity and Health and Safety policies and adhere to any other relevant organisation procedures.

12.  To carry out other duties as appropriate and required.

Person Specification

Qualifications / Essential / Desirable
1.  Degree, Diploma, or Certificate in Art, Music, Drama Therapy (or other relevant recognised qualification) / P
2.  Post-qualification experience / P
3.  Registration with Health and Care Professions Council / P
Knowledge and Experience / Essential / Desirable
4.  Experience of working in the community with people with a learning disability to support their social inclusion / P
5.  Significant experience of using creative therapy approaches to address the emotional and mental health needs of young people over 18 and adults / P
6.  Experience of using groupwork approaches to support communication and personal development / P
7.  Understanding of issues affecting parents’ mental health and well-being
8.  Experience of or ability to work with volunteers. / P
9.  Understanding of the importance of confidentiality in working with vulnerable people. / P
10.  Understanding of the importance of safeguarding and knowledge and understanding of using safeguarding processes. / P
11.  Commitment to working within an equal opportunities framework, and towards addressing barriers preventing access, inclusion and participation for service users. / P
Skills and Competencies / Essential / Desirable
12.  Excellent liaison skills and the ability to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team / P

Special conditions of service

Because of the nature of the post candidates are not entitled to withhold information regarding convictions by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975, as amended, pursuant to Section 4 (4) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Candidates are required to give details of any convictions on their application form and are expected to disclose such information at the appointment interview.

The postholder may be required to work outside normal hours, including occasional attendance at evening meetings or weekend events.

Knowledge and experience will be assessed through a candidate’s application form and for those applicants who are shortlisted through a written exercise or presentation and interview.

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JD&PS: Creative Therapist – November 2017