About this role
Job summary
We are looking for a Behaviour Support Practitioner, to work within the Lewisham Intensive Support Team, which is part of the Mental Health & Learning Disabilities Service (MHLD) . You will be expected to work directly and indirectly with people with learning disabilities, families, and carers providing person-centred specialist behavioural assessments and interventions, using a Positive Behavioural Support approach. The intensive support teams have been established to reduce the number of people with a learning disability being admitted to hospital or residing in out of area placements, minimising the length of stay when they are, and ensuring that care is person centered and delivered in the least restrictive environments. The goal of the clinical support is focused on the person and the whole network supporting that person, to develop and deliver support within the person's home and community. Where someone has been admitted to a hospital setting in-reach and liaison will be part of the role.
Main duties of the job
As a Behaviour Support Practitioner in the IST of the Lewisham Mental Health & Learning Disability Service (MHLD), you will be a member of a multi-disciplinary, multiagency community team working together primarily to:
To provide applied behavioural assessment and intervention for clients who are at risk of hospital admission or placement breakdown due to presenting behaviours that challenges services and pose risks to their well-being and quality of life, including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes. To employ the principles of Positive Behavioural Support in all aspects of clinical work. To participate in strengthening local services and developing capable environments though training, consultation and modelling.
The teams do this through the early management of identified complex situations. This will include detailed risk assessment and management underpinned by a positive behaviour support model.
About us
As a Behaviour Support Practitioner in our team, you will be part of a well-established group of around 20 Psychologists and Behavioural Support Practitioners, working across the MHLD services, which are led by Consultant Clinical Psychologists. Across the service, we provide a range of psychological assessments and interventions for people with learning disabilities and their networks. You will receive supervision from a qualified psychologist, and have opportunities to work jointly with psychologists and colleagues. You will be expected to make use of regular CPD sessions within the Trust, and to contribute to teaching, training and/or supervision initiatives aimed at developing PBS approach across and outside the Trust.
We currently have a permanent full time post in Lewisham IST based in the Old Town Hall in Catford.
Those seeking full-time or part-time work are encouraged to apply and state at the beginning of your application your preferences for working pattern and location.
We have close links with the Estia Centre and as we are part of a Clinical Academic Group within Kings Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre, research interests and joint initiatives aimed at improving the physical and mental health care for people with learning disabilities are encouraged. There are opportunities to help develop and deliver training and consultation to provider services and our mainstream mental health colleagues as part of your work.
Job description Job responsibilities
Job Purpose:
To provide applied behavioural assessment and intervention for clients at risk of hospital admission or placement breakdown who present behaviour that challenges services and poses risks to their well-being, including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes. To employ the principles of Positive Behavioural Support in all aspects of clinical work. To participate in strengthening local services and developing capable environments though training, consultation and modelling.
To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment. To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate. To participate in service evaluation, audit and research. To work as an autonomous professional within professional and Trust guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions with support of clinical supervisor. To plan and facilitate staff training and teaching, and presentations as appropriate
Person Specification
Experience/Knowledge Essential
Experience and knowledge of applied behavioural assessment and treatment of clients with a range of needs of a complex nature. Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience. Experience and knowledge of the practice of Positive Behavioural Support
Desirable
Lived experience of mental health or learning disabilities challenges.
Qualifications Essential
Bachelor's Degree followed by PG Diploma in Applied Behaviour Analysis, or Analysis
Abilities Essential
Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles. Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self as well as manage physical aggression directed at self, including use of de-escalation techniques and personal safety procedures as prescribed by Trust policies.
Sk Essential
To deliver Applied Behaviour Analysis and Positive Behavioural Support across cultural and other differences. To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information. To select and administer specialist assessment procedures, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
Desirable
Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address First Floor, Old Town Hall
Rushey Green
Catford
SE6 4RU
Employer's website https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)