Child & Adolescent Therapist

Child & Adolescent Therapist
Therapeutic Children's Residential Care | North West London (NW9 & HA8)

Location: North West London (NW9 & HA8)
Contract Type: Permanent, Part-Time
Hours: 16 hours per week across 2 days (flexibility required)
Salary: £35,000 - £36,000 FTE

About the Organisation

Our client is an established provider of therapeutic residential care for children and young people who have experienced significant adversity, trauma, and disruption in their lives.

They are seeking a compassionate and experienced Child & Adolescent Therapist to support two of their residential homes in North West London. This is an opportunity to become an integral part of a therapeutic team, helping to shape and deliver meaningful support for young people whilst contributing to a trauma-informed culture across the services.

The Role

This is not a traditional clinic-based therapy role.

The young people often engage best through relationships, shared activities, creativity, and flexible approaches rather than formal therapy sessions. The organisation is therefore seeking a therapist who can adapt their practice to meet children where they are emotionally and developmentally.

You will work across two nearby children's homes, supporting approximately seven young people in total. Alongside direct therapeutic work, you will provide consultation, guidance, and reflective practice to residential staff, helping to embed therapeutic thinking throughout the homes.

The role offers variety, autonomy, and the opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of children who have experienced trauma, attachment disruption, and complex life experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver therapeutic support and interventions to children and young people living in residential care.
• Build trusting therapeutic relationships with young people who may be reluctant to engage in traditional therapy.
• Adapt therapeutic approaches to meet individual needs, including activity-based, creative, and relationship-focused interventions.
• Undertake individual therapeutic sessions using evidence-based approaches appropriate to each young person's presentation.
• Support young people with emotional regulation, self-esteem, attachment difficulties, trauma, anxiety, loss, and other emotional challenges.
• Provide therapeutic consultation and support to residential care staff.
• Facilitate reflective practice sessions and contribute to staff development.
• Help promote a trauma-informed and attachment-aware culture across both homes.
• Attend relevant meetings and contribute to care planning and risk management processes.
• Maintain accurate and timely records in accordance with professional and organisational standards.
• Work collaboratively with social workers, education providers, families, healthcare professionals, and external agencies where appropriate.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of therapeutic services within the organisation.

About You

The organisation is looking for someone who combines strong therapeutic skills with warmth, flexibility, and confidence in working within a residential environment.

You will ideally have:

• A recognised qualification in Counselling, Psychotherapy, Play Therapy, Counselling Psychology, Art Therapy, Dramatherapy, Creative Therapy, or a related therapeutic discipline.
• Registration or accreditation with a recognised professional body such as BACP, UKCP, NCPS, HCPC, or equivalent.
• Experience working therapeutically with children and young people.
• Knowledge of attachment theory, developmental trauma, and trauma-informed practice.
• Experience supporting looked after children, care-experienced young people, or young people with complex emotion