The role

Make a Real Difference in the Lives of Vulnerable Children and Families

Are you a skilled and compassionate Clinical Practitioner looking for an opportunity to drive meaningful change? Do you want to use your expertise to shape innovative, trauma-informed approaches that improve the lives of children and young people? If so, Southwark Council wants to hear from you.

At Southwark Council, we are committed to improving the lives of children, young people, and families across the borough. Our Children & Families Division plays a vital role in safeguarding and supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our community. We work tirelessly to ensure that children grow up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment, with access to the right services at the right time.

Our Clinical Services Team is at the heart of this mission, providing expert consultation and therapeutic support to social work and youth offending teams. This is an opportunity to be part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team that is shaping the future of children’s services in Southwark.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and dedicated Clinical Practitioner to provide expert clinical consultation, therapeutic assessments, and direct intervention to children, young people, and families. Working within a systemic framework, you will play a critical role in enhancing the skills of social workers and youth offending practitioners, ensuring that emotional and mental health needs are identified and effectively addressed.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the provision of therapeutic consultation and intervention, supporting children, families, and professionals.
• Assessing risk and protective factors, helping to develop safe, effective intervention strategies.
• Providing specialist clinical assessments and evidence-based therapeutic interventions to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and their families.
• Delivering training and guidance on clinical theories, assessment techniques, and therapeutic approaches to social workers and youth justice teams.
• Producing high-quality, analytical reports to inform care planning, court proceedings, and multi-agency decision-making.
• Establishing strong relationships with children and families, helping to build trust and resilience.

• Collaborating with local NHS services, including the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, to ensure access to specialist support.
• Responding to child protection concerns in line with statutory safeguarding procedures.
• Delivering services flexibly across different settings, including homes, schools, and community locations, to meet the needs of families.

About You

We are looking for a skilled and compassionate Clinical Practitioner who is committed to making a lasting difference in the lives of children and families. You will have:

• A recognised therapeutic qualification and professional registration with one of the following: UKCP, BACP, BABCP, NMC, or HCPC.
• Proven experience delivering evidence-based therapeutic interventions within children’s social care, youth offending, or similar settings.
• A strong understanding of child development, family dynamics, and systemic approaches to intervention.
• The ability to assess complex situations, provide clear recommendations, and produce high-quality reports for professionals and the courts.
• A commitment to anti-discriminatory and trauma-informed practice, ensuring services are inclusive, culturally sensitive, and accessible.
• The ability to build and maintain professional relationships that promote positive change and resilience for children and families.
• Flexibility to work across different settings, ensuring that services are responsive to the needs of the community.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a forward-thinking and ambitious team that is dedicated to delivering high-quality, impactful services for children and families. If you are passionate about making a real difference and thrive in a collaborative, multi-agency environment, we would love to hear from you.

Apply now and be part of a team that is driving meaningful change in Southwark.

This post requires a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) DBS check at Enhanced level.

Recruitment timetable

Advert close: 5th March

Shortlisting date: 11th March

Interview date: 1st April

Should you have any questions or want to know more about the role, please contact:

Dr Aili Nidsjo (Clinical service manager YJS) – .uk

Dr James Hanley (Clinical service manager care) – .uk

Regina Swii (Clinical service manager safeguarding) – .uk

Subject to current staffing, we are sometimes able to offer preceptorships to candidates who do not have a required registration but are already enrolled on a course that leads to a required registration. These preceptorship posts are banded at Grade 10 but we provide support to candidates to complete their registration whilst in role and then move directly into the substantive Grade 11 role. If you are interested, please send an email to enquire. 

In addition to to the basic salary; Registered Mental Health Professional retention payment of 10% of the annual basic salary (pro-rata for part time staff), subject to annual review.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria: