Start for Life Clinical Officer LBS-011

Job Category : Social & Health Care Qualified

Location : Sumner House, Southwark Council

Hours Per Week : 36.00

Start Date : Immediate Start  

Start Time : 09:00

End Time : 17:00
Salary: £186.49

This is an exciting opportunity to support Southwark’s integrated Family Hub model and Start for Life programme.  As a Start for Life Clinical Officer, you will deliver high-quality mental health assessment, advice, and evidence-based therapeutic interventions to infants (0–2 years old) and their parents with mild to moderate needs. You will work within a systemic framework, embedded across Family Hubs, Children and Family Centres, and Early Help services. Your work will include both 1:1 and group interventions focused on supporting parent-infant mental health and relationships. This role requires someone with a mental health qualification who is able to conduct both assessments and evidence-based therapeutic interventions. We have funding for this role until end of March 2026. 

About You:

We’re looking for someone who:

Holds a relevant mental health qualification such as United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) or British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists (BACP) or British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP) or Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) – as a mental health nurse

Has experience and passion for working with infants (0–2) and their families.

Is skilled in engaging families who may face barriers to accessing services.

Has strong knowledge of child development, parenting practices, and parent-infant mental health.

Is experienced in delivering therapeutic interventions with both adults and parent-infant dyads.

Understands the challenges faced by families in diverse urban communities.

Is ready to begin as soon as possible to support the success of the programme.

Knowledge, including educational qualifications:

Mental health qualification which provides eligibility for registration with an organization such as:

•          United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

•          British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists (BACP)

•          British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP)

•          Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) – as a mental health nurse

•          Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) – as a practitioner psychologist or art/occupational therapists

Must be able to provide evidence of continuing professional development

Knowledge of therapeutic services that offer support to children and their families 

Knowledge and understanding of child development, parenting capacity, environmental factors and risk and protective factors

Knowledge and understanding of current issues and best practice in relation to children’s social work and therapeutic interventions

Knowledge of roles and responsibilities of key children’s agencies

Knowledge and understanding of a range of psychological interventions and methodologies and commitment to the systemic approach

Knowledge of adult mental health disorders and relevant services

Experience:

Experience of delivering evidence based therapeutic services to  children and within a relevant setting ideally with experience of working within a children’s social care setting and ideally providing formal reports to the family or youth justice courts

Experience of assessment and therapeutic work with adults

Experience of successfully working in an anti-discriminatory way including addressing issues of racism, inequality and injustice

Aptitudes, Skills & Competencies:

Ability to collate and analyse complex information, and produce and present quality reports in a variety of different settings, including courts and review meetings

Ability to evaluate the quality of services provided and produce recommendations for improvements

Ability to build professional relationships with children and their families that promote positive outcomes

Computer literacy skills at a level to maintain case records within information management systems

Ability to work closely and support other practitioners, and maintain effective working relationships