Job Description

Your New Organisation

Southend-on-Sea City Council’s new Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) consists of subject-matter experts specialising in domestic abuse, drug and alcohol support, mental health support for adults and children and systemic family therapy.MDT workers bring specialist knowledge and therapeutic insight. Their expertise is instrumental in engaging families in direct intervention and supporting sustainable change.

The MDT team is situated within frontline social work teams. The interventions from MDT are delivered within the community and/ or in the families’ homes.

This is an exciting time for Children’s Social Work, and we are seeking experienced, motivated and passionate individuals to join the new dynamic Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT).

Led by the Team Manager, you will help create the conditions for sustainable change, working alongside a diverse team of subject-matter experts.

Your new role

The new team are looking to appoint a full-time, permanent Systemic Family Therapist to provide specialist systemic psychotherapy across a range of community settings. You will support practitioners and managers working with families experiencing significant challenges, offering expert consultation, guidance, and direct therapeutic intervention.

This is an exciting opportunity to do more than just practice systemic therapy, it is an opportunity to shape, develop and create new ways of practising. This role will give you the chance to use your skills directly with families, offering targeted interventions mainly within family homes. You will deliver trauma-informed work aimed at reducing risk, strengthening resilience, and facilitating positive behavioural or relational change within families. A key aspect of the role involves leading and supporting the development of robust risk assessments, ensuring risks to children and vulnerable adults are identified, analysed, and addressed.

This is a pivotal post within the new service and will play a vital role in improving the quality of assessments, decision-making, and interventions across children’s services.

The multi-disciplinary team will work alongside the Family Help teams as part of the Families First transformation in children’s services. You will be working with families open on high-end child in need plans (CIN) and child protection plans (CP). The aim of working at this level is to address the needs and risks presented with interventions that reduce the likelihood of children entering care.

This service will provide you with the opportunity to effect positive change and offer support to families in our area.

Other key responsibilities

• Deliver specialist systemic psychotherapy and trauma-informed direct work with children and families.
• Provide expert consultation and reflective practice sessions for practitioners and managers.
• Lead and support high-quality risk assessments, care planning, and safety planning.
• Promote a whole family, systemic approach as part of a wider therapeutic service.
• Model relational, strengths-based, and evidence-informed practice across Children’s Services.
• Help embed systemic principles organisation-wide, ensuring children remain at the centre of all interventions.
• Work collaboratively within multi-agency environments, contributing to improved safeguarding and risk management.

Whilst this position is predominately on site at Southend City Council, working from home options are available, but will depend on the needs of the team.

What you'll need to succeed

To be shortlisted for this position, it is essential that you have a degree in Family & Systemic Psychotherapy and hold a UKCP registration.

You will have extensive experience of working within children, young people and families facing emotional, relational, or social complexity.

Have a strong ability to work within multi-agency environments, applying a systemic lens to safeguarding, child development, trauma, and family functioning.

Be warm, reflective, and collaborative communication and interpersonal skills with families in need of support.

What you'll get in return

When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training. A full list of benefits provided by Southend Council can be viewed on the "Why Work For Us?" tab.

What you need to do now

If you are interested in this role, please click 'apply online' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV.

If you would like a copy the Job Description, please Click here

If you are wanting further information that isn't in the JD, please contact Nathalie Nathalie.s@hays.com

Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to.

All applicants for this role will require an enhanced DBS check.

The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief.