Multisystemic therapy (MST) is an intensive family and community based intervention for children and young people aged 11-17, where young people are at risk of out of home placement in either care or custody due to their offending or having severe behaviour problems. The aim of MST is to break the cycle of anti-social behaviours by keeping young people safely at home, in school, and out of trouble.

Kirklees is developing an enhanced MST team to add to the existing standard MST provision. The new team will be based on the standard MST model, however developed specifically to meet the identified needs of the local area where there are young people aged 10-14 involved in or at risk of violence, gang involvement and criminal exploitation. As one of the first teams in the world to use this approach, research will correspond with the service delivery.

As an MST Supervisor*, you will bring your professional qualification and experience, and extensive supervisory experience to the MST service where you will manage and a team of up to 4 MST therapists. MST Supervisors work within the MST model under guidance and support of the MST Expert (MST-UK) to provide clinical supervision and oversight to therapists working intensively with families using the MST analytic process and principles. You will be qualified and experienced in directly providing and supervising a range of evidence-based therapeutic and behavioural models, and will have significant experience of working with young people and their families where there is challenging behaviour. You will be experienced and assured with holding clinical responsibility for cases, and having a senior lead role when working with other agencies and partners. Whilst not essential, experience and training in MST as a therapist or supervisor, holding a Doctorate and/or Master’s degree in relevant field, having formal academic research/dissemination experience, and/or change and project management skills would be desirable.

You will be positive, passionate and committed to making a difference to young people and their families; and also with the supervision and development of staff. You will enjoy a highly varied role, with a number of concurrent projects and tasks, with no two days the same. You will use your professional and personal skills to engage both directly with children and families and with all levels of professionals, and able to seamlessly switch between roles, responsibilities and audiences. You will be confident to manage risks in a calm and assertive manner, fostering an environment of support and resilience; and will embrace and lead service changes and developments.

You will highly value and have experience of delivering evidence-based practice and research, and will be keen to develop your own knowledge of interventions and supervisory skills within the MST model, as you in turn use these skills to develop the therapists in your team. You will enjoy working autonomously as a lead professional and manager of your team, but also value and appropriately seek the support and guidance of the Programme Manager and MST Expert as part of the comprehensive MST CPD process.

MST Supervisors role-model good practice by frequently working flexible and unsocial hours across Kirklees in a number of home, office and remote settings, and frequently lone working to meet the needs of families, therapists and partners. Supervisors are also expected to contribute to training, research, presentations, dissemination, and wider strategic MST and Kirklees Council initiatives and service needs. MST Supervisors will also provide cover support/supervision to other MST teams, 24/7 on-call support across teams on a rota basis (which is subject to an additional payment as per Kirklees Council policy), and may also be expected to a case load as and when required.

*Due to service changes, there are 2 MST Supervisor positions available: 1) Supervisor for the existing MST standard team and 2) Supervisor for the new enhanced MST team. Candidates will be considered for both positions unless it is clearly specified otherwise by the applicant on the application form. Whilst we will consider any preferences of the successful candidates, allocation to the team of their choice may not be possible depending on a cumulative evaluation of skills, experience, and service needs following the recruitment process.

We welcome applicants from a range of professional backgrounds including: Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist, Forensic Psychologist, Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker, Family Therapist.

Travel is an essential part of this job and therefore it would be extremely difficult for you to do your job effectively if you did not use a car for all or most of the time.  It is essential that you hold a full and valid driving licence and it is expected that you will either use a council vehicle or your own car (exceptions can be made for disabled applicants).

Kirklees Council honours previous service with the NHS when calculating the following:

• Annual holiday entitlement

• Sickness pay ,

• Maternity or paternity leave

• Notice period

• Pensions (subject to transfer in)  

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be required for this job.  A conviction may not exclude candidates from appointment but will be considered as part of the recruitment process.

In order to be considered for this job please demonstrate how you meet the Person Checklist as detailed on the attached Job Profile. CVs will not be accepted.