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General Information

Salary
£50,303 pro-rata
Working Pattern
Part Time
Location
Aylesbury, Bicester
Region
Midlands
Closing Date
30-Jan-2025
Business Unit
Grendon & Spring Hill
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
SEO
Number of jobs available
2
Job ID
995

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Both vacancies are for 8.5 hours per week working on Thursdays only

Job Title:  RP : DTC Creative Psychotherapist

Group Profile:  Registered Practitioner

Organisation Level:  Functional Specialist

Band:  7

Overview of the job

This is a non-operational, prisoner-facing job within an establishment focusing on the therapeutic needs of prisoners

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 psychodynamic and psychotherapeutic models of treatment, particularly of a creative discipline such as Art Therapy or Psychodrama. 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 the provision of a specialist creative psychotherapy service within the therapeutic core model.

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 TC treatment. The job holder will deliver psychotherapy through a creative psychotherapy medium. This will be delivered in group sessions to prisoners as a primary mode of communication to tackle a wide range of difficulties, disabilities or diagnoses in a group environment.

The job holder will be working with complex prisoners and prison staff and applying their experience and competence in the area of creative psychotherapies 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.

Delivery of Creative Psychotherapy services by the post holder will aim to address specific offence related issues in more depth, overcome blockages to progressing treatment, consolidate the work of the DTC and promote pro-social creative expressions of emotion.

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 Creative Psychotherapy group sessions, and facilitate large community meetings, supporting co-facilitators and other staff engaged in these processes Provide a specialist creative psychotherapy contribution to the adult male treatment service in the prison setting, working men with significant offending behaviour and Personality Disorder referred to the Therapeutic Community, utilising information from a broad base of creative and complementary therapy theory and methodology and integrating it into a psychological formulation of the client in the context of their family and wider social context.
  • 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.
  • Manage therapy group dynamics and support other staff such as officers to facilitate groups, providing clinical input and knowledge where required
  • 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.
  • 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 assessments of referrals to the creative psychotherapy service, ensuring that this assessment aligns with risk management and treatment plans. 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.
  • Develop and maintain 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
  • Provide supervision, training, mentoring and support to trainee creative psychotherapists and those undertaking psychotherapeutic qualifications 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.
  • Provide a specialist contribution 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

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, Psychology, Psychiatry, Nursing

Experience in providing clinical supervision preferably both group and individual 

Completed relevant training in effective models of treatment and best practise

Technical Requirements

Qualified and registered clinician with an associated and relevant professional body e.g. BAAT, BACP and UKCP. This qualification will usually be a recognised as a post graduate qualification in Art Therapy (or similar) which would facilitate registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC).

Have undertaken further creative psychotherapy or mainstream psychotherapy training, usually at Masters level.

Qualification in Clinical Supervision.
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 full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

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

HM Prison & Probation Service  (HMPPS) 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. HMPPS 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

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS 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 HMPPS provides 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 HMPPS

-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please see our Disability Confident Scheme Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Contact Information
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com

Please quote the job reference 995.
 
Jo Augustus - DTC Lead Core Creative Psychotherapist- Jo.Augustus@justice.gov.uk

Application form stage assessments

Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Experience Questions
Experience Questions Application Form Question Word Limit
500
Specific licence requirements
Fully qualified Art Psychotherapist, Psychodramatist or Dramatherapist
HCPC or UKCP Registered to practice
Specific language requirements
Excellent verbal and written English
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Experience Questions
Technical
Technical Questions Application Form Question Word Limit
500
Fully qualified Art Psychotherapist, Psychodramatist or Dramatherapist
Specific qualification requirements
Fully qualified and HCPC or UKCP registered Art Psychotherapist, Psychodramatist or Dramatherapist

Interview stage assessments

Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Level of security checks required
Enhanced Baseline Standard (EBS)