TESS Therapeutic Support Practitioner

THERAPEUTIC & EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICE (TESS)

Grade C – TESS Therapeutic Support Practitioner
3 x full-time posts (36.5 hours per week)

TESS is an emotional wellbeing service that provides assessment and a wide range of individual, dyadic and group interventions to Birmingham’s children in care, parents, foster carers, separated young people seeking asylum, and care leavers up to the age of 25. The service also offers consultation and support to professional and care networks.

We are seeking to recruit three Therapeutic Support Practitioners with a focus on supporting young people who have experienced early adversity and who present with attachment and complex trauma-related difficulties. This includes teenagers, care leavers and young people aged 16+ living independently.

You will be joining a friendly, supportive, well-established and highly regarded multi-disciplinary team, including clinical psychologists, systemic family therapists, play and art therapists, and therapeutic social workers trained in a range of approaches (e.g. DDP, CBT, systemic practice). The service utilises a range of models to best meet the needs of care-experienced children and young people and encourages creative and innovative practice.

We work with children, young people and care leavers who live both within Birmingham and out of the city, and who come from a wide range of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Our workforce reflects the diversity of the families we support. Young people accessing the service present with a broad range of needs, including separation and loss, emotional and behavioural difficulties, neurodevelopmental needs, mental health concerns, and developmental trauma. The ability to work collaboratively within a team and across agencies is essential for this role.

As a Therapeutic Support Practitioner, you will work as part of the wider team to deliver practical support and guidance. This will include outreach work, relationship-based support, social and emotional development, and helping young people to access community resources and opportunities.

Post structure:

• One post will sit within a team focused on early support, providing short-term interventions to children and young people under 18, alongside support to their families and networks.
• Two posts will focus on supporting young people aged 16–25, including care leavers and separated young people seeking asylum. A key element of these roles will be supporting young people through the TESS Drop-In provision and working alongside the therapeutic team to improve emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, and resilience.

We are looking for individuals who have experience of working with care-experienced young people or young adults, who are positive, passionate and committed to making a difference. You will need to demonstrate an interest in evidence-based practice and a willingness to develop your knowledge and skills.

In order to be considered for this role please include a CV demonstrating how you meet the competencies required as outlined in the attached person specification.  

For more information, please contact Davinia Burrell, TESS Team Manager, via: [email protected]  or Sherril Rheeston-Duffy, TESS Team Manager  [email protected]   

• We pay your Social Work England registration fee
• We pay your DBS application fee and reimburse your update service fee
• A generous annual leave package of 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 5 years of service and 35 days after 10 years of service.
• Early finish every Friday!
• Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme which gives you the chance to drive a brand-new car for an affordable fixed monthly amount as part of a salary sacrifice initiative. With no deposits or credit checks required a range of all-inclusive driving packages
• Free on-site parking at our offices on One Avenue Road (Aston) and Lifford House (Stirchley). We also provide onsite electric car charging ports which are free to use!
• Full access to our amazing internal employee benefits scheme including, Occupational Health services, Rewards Schemes, Benefits discounts (including the Blue Light Card), Health & Fitness and Personal Wellbeing support and much more!
• Flexible and hybrid working policy - we are well adapted to a hybrid model of working which includes a combination of time spent in the office and at home and we offer a variety of working patterns, to support the needs of the Trust and to ensure a positive work/life balance for our employees
• You will receive a generous local government career average pension scheme in line with the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Discounted gym memberships with Pure Gym and Nuffield Health

Help us to change children and young people’s lives!

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work - be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment - enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development - benefit from tailored development programs, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits - take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, Local Government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people.

We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development.

Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people.

The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people.

We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.