DTC Group Analyst

Salary Range (Minimum to Maximum)

£47, 907 (pro rata)

Number of jobs available: 

2

Detail of reserve list:  

12 Months

Region:  

London, South East

City/Town  

Woking 

Building/Site  

HM Prison Send, GU23 7LJ

Grade:  

SEO

Organisation Grade for HMPPS: 

Band 7

Post Type:  

Permanent 

Working Pattern:  

Part time 0.6- 1 FTE

Role Type:  

Psychology

Job description  

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Two exciting positions have arisen for an experienced Group Analyst and Group Psychotherapist to join the Female Democratic Therapeutic Community at HMP Send. The DTC is an established 20 year accredited treatment programme, offering a range of group-based therapeutic interventions with the view to reducing risk of reoffending, increasing pro social attitudes and improving mental health.

We are able to offer contracts ranging from approximately 21 hours per week to full time.

The post holders will largely excel in the area of psychoanalytic, psychodynamic and psychotherapeutic models of treatment, risk assessment or be a specialist in a specific area such as working with group analysis, complex needs or personality disorder. At this level the post holder has the responsibility for the specialist contribution to clinical group processes, and is involved in the delivery of a therapeutic community intervention which includes working with women convicted of violent offences, overseeing the quality of group process, and delivery of staff supervision which includes helping the team think about parallel processes and group dynamics. The post holder would be part of a multi-disciplinary team that is both clinical, and operational.

Overview of the job 

This is a non-operational, prisoner facing job with clinical responsibilities. 

Summary 

The job holders covered by this job description are usually categorised as specialists in their field or those whose role requires significant additional experience, training and personal development. 

The focus of the work is based on therapeutic community principles, where the post holder provides specialist input into a dedicated multidisciplinary team to develop and maintain a treatment environment where attitudes and expressions, which would not normally be tolerated in prison, are accepted and used to give feedback to prisoners. This therapeutic dialogue leads to prisoner’s greater understanding of their usual behaviour and is based on psychotherapeutic principles. 

The job holder will largely excel in the area of psychoanalytic, psychodynamic and psychotherapeutic models of treatment, risk assessment or be a specialist in a specific area such as working with group analysis, complex needs or personality disorder. At this level the jobholder has the responsibility for the specialist contribution to clinical group processes, and is involved in the delivery of a therapeutic community intervention which includes overseeing the quality of group process and the delivery of staff supervision. 

The job holder will provide clinical specialist input and advice within the therapeutic community setting supporting operational staff and other clinicians in their approach to group psychotherapy. The post holder will be responsible for the effective delivery and facilitation of large and small structured therapeutic groups with prisoners, providing professional support and advice to all staff involved in these sessions. 

The job holder will be working with complex prisoners and prison staff and applying their experience and competence in the area of psychoanalysis to reduce the risk of harm and re-offending by undertaking complex treatment intervention with prisoners, conducting or contributing to research and delivering training for staff and group interventions for prisoners. 

This is a prisoner facing role with no line management responsibilities. 

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties 

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties: 

• Specialise in the clinical delivery of an accredited intervention (Democratic Therapeutic Community) ensuring that clinical requirements are adhered to and complement operational practice. 

• Facilitate large and small therapy groups, supporting co-facilitators and other staff engaged in these processes.

• Manage therapy group dynamics and support other staff such as officers to facilitate groups, providing clinical input and knowledge where required

• Ensures the integrity and effectiveness of the group sessions ensuring a range of professional standards are met in relation to the delivery of each session through oversight and supervision of other staff.

• Ensures that the delivery of treatment complies with the requirements of the programme and remains consistent with the underlying theoretical models and prescribed delivery style.

• Contribute to the effective implementation of the Democratic Therapeutic Communities accredited core model in the prison setting.

• Deliver individual and group clinical supervision to members of the staff team and develop the clinical abilities of staff who deliver group therapy. Contribute to the overall appraisal of staff with regard to competence and quality of intervention delivery.

• Support and supervise others in the team delivering supervisory processes.  

• Provide a specialist group analytic contribution to the adult female treatment service in the prison setting, working with women with significant offending behaviour and Personality Disorder referred to the Therapeutic Community, utilising information from a broad base group theory and methodology and integrating it into a psychological formulation of the client in the context of their family and wider social context.

• Promote clinical principles, supporting staff to these into practice in the way they communicate with and work with one another, modelling TC values and culture for other staff on the unit.

• Manage relationships with internal and outside agencies ensuring plans are developed for continuity of the offenders treatment upon transfer or release in liaison with other staff.

• Act as a “professional witness" in parole board hearings, multi-agency meetings, and other formal settings where specialist input is required, such as re-categorisation boards. May also act as expert witness in respect of court proceedings for Ministry of Justice. 

• Provide clinical formulation and implementation of plans for psychotherapeutic treatment or management of resident’s mental health problems based on current evidence-based best practice within the Therapeutic Community.

• Contribute to effective risk assessment and resulting risk management of complex, vulnerable or high risk prisoners, reporting on treatment and therapeutic progress in relation to criminogenic factors.  

• Develops and maintains expertise in the assessment and treatment of offenders and risk areas targeted by the programme.

• Provide specialist advice to decisions relating to progress in treatment for residents on the TC, continuation or termination of therapy and therapeutic dosage.

• Contribute to other offender management processes (usually with more complex cases in work such as Assessment, Care in Custody & Teamwork (ACCT) assessments and self harm or personality disorder assessments)

• Attend weekly clinical, community, staff team meetings, including administrative, assessment and academic meetings, and other service meetings as necessary for effective team working and service development needs.

• Integrate into the Therapeutic Community, engaging in all aspects of its community life, abiding by the rules of the constitution in line with other members, staff and residents. Ensure all members of the team adopt this approach.

• Ensure interactions between prisoners and staff is actively encouraged and constructive within the therapeutic environment.

• Monitor therapy practice through direct observation, feedback etc. to ensure that it meets the required standards in line with the post holder’s own professional body.

• Provide supervision, training, mentoring and support to trainee psychotherapists and those undertaking psychotherapeutic qualifications (e.g. Group Analysis training) where required. 

• Ensure the clinical effectiveness of own practice and of service functioning by participating in audit and development activities relevant to the service area 

• Remain informed of and critically evaluate current research to support evidence-based practice in own professional work and to contribute this perspective in the multi-disciplinary team. 

• Participate in the evaluation of the Service by working with colleagues in the design and development of service-related research and evaluation projects, as agreed with the Head of Department. 

• Contribute to the preparation for clinical external audit of the therapeutic community, including preparation of case studies, detailed self reviews and liaison with external agencies such as the community of communities. Act as a peer-reviewer consultant to other Therapeutic Communities outside of the prison service. 

• Provide specialist reports when requested for prisoners and to submit within the appropriate time framework.

• Maintain professional networks with other clinicians and TCs sharing best practice. 

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the Job Holder 

Candidate Application Information:

Experience

Candidates invited to Interview 

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.

During the interview, we will be assessing you on Behaviours and Strengths from the success Profiles framework.

Behaviours 

• Making Effective Decisions

• Leadership

• Communicating and Influencing

• Working Together

• Developing Self and Others

We recommend that you structure any examples as Situation, Task, Action and Result. For more information about the recruitment process and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

In the event of a large number of applications, we reserve the right to undertake the following processes:

• An automated online test where a benchmark must be passed to progress;

• A sift on the lead selection criteria. If this happens, the lead criteria will be the first one listed in the advert.
  
  
  

During the selection process, you may be asked to undertake an additional assessment (such as written test). If this is applicable you will be notified of this when you are invited to interview.

The STAR method

Using the STAR method can help you give examples of relevant experience that you have. It allows you to set the scene, show what you did, and how you did it, and explain the overall outcome.

Situation - Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand.

• Where are you?

• Who was there with you?

• What had happened?

Task - The job holder will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.

• What was the task that you had to complete and why?

• What did you have to achieve?

Actions - What did you do? The job holder will be looking for information on what you did, how you did it and why. Keep the focus on you. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution? Remember to include how you did it, and the behaviours you used. Try to use “I" rather than “we" to explain your actions that lead to the result. Be careful not to take credit for something that you did not do.

Results - Don’t be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Quote specific facts and figures. Explain how the outcome benefitted the organisation or your area. Make the outcomes easily understandable.

• What results did the actions produce?

• What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your goals?

• Was it a successful outcome? If not, what did you learn from the experience?

Keep the situation and task parts brief. Concentrate on the action and the result. If the result was not entirely successful describe what you learned from this and what you would do differently next time. Make sure you focus on your strengths.

Essential Skills/ Qualifications/ Accreditation/ Registration 

Qualified and registered clinician with an associated and relevant professional body e.g. BACP, BPS, BABCP, HCPC and UKCP. 

Have undertaken group analytic or psychotherapy training, including knowledge of psychotherapeutic models and effective models for treatment delivery and adherence to best practice models.

Qualification and experience in providing clinical supervision (preferably both group and individual) 

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh 

Additional Information  

Working Arrangements & Further Information

Some of MoJ’s, including NOMS, terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard working hours for this post are 21 - 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff. 

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment

Pension

-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

-The Prison Service is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. The Prison Service offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ 

Season Ticket Advance

-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

-The Prison Service offers a childcare vouchers scheme. The scheme enables staff to take part of their salary in the form of Childcare Vouchers. This is known as a Salary Sacrifice. The vouchers can then be used to help meet the costs of any form of registered or approved childcare for children aged 0-16. The vouchers are exempt from tax and National Insurance contributions 

Training

-The Prison Service is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and the Prison Service provide a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within NOMS

-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the Prison Service considers to be racist

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. 

There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Interview dates  

Interviews expected to take place in June 2025

Contact information  

Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about the role or what it is like working in our team. Contact Dr Rachel-Rose Burrell (Head of Psychotherapy) on Rachel-Rose.Burrell@justice.gov.uk.

Closing Date: May 30^th 2025 at 23:55 hours

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk. Please quote the job reference.

Level of security checks required  

Enhanced Baseline Standard

if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

Behaviours

• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others

Essential Experience

Possess a professional background in one of the following disciplines: Psychotherapy, Psychanalysis, Psychology, Psychiatry, Nursing

Experience in providing clinical supervision

Have undertaken psychotherapy or group analytic training, including knowledge of psychotherapeutic models and effective models for treatment delivery and
adherence to best practice models.

Technical Requirements

N.B these are the technical requirements for the group profile, please check the individual job description relating to this group profile for any job specific requirements and add if required.

Qualified and registered clinician with an associated and relevant professional body, e.g. BACP, BPS, BABCP, UKCP.

Qualification in Clinical Supervision

The job holder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

Additional Information  

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard working hours for this post are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.