Background

The Maypole Project supports children and young people with complex medical needs and their families across the UK. Our vision is that all families with a child with complex medical needs will have access to our support from diagnosis, for as long as they need.

Our unique model provides emotional and wellbeing support through counselling and therapy services for parents/carers, siblings and other adults involved in caring for a young person with complex medical needs. We provide counselling and play therapy for children and young people with complex medical needs, a youth club, buddying and activity programmes which are also open to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The Maypole Project has been providing vital services to families for over 21 years and is in an exciting phase of development. We are recruiting a qualified and experienced Child Therapist to meet the growing demand for support, and to grow and extend our provision to meet the needs of more families who would benefit from our unique model of support.

Overall purpose:

To provide appropriate, professional and responsive therapeutic support to children (the child/ren who have complex medical needs and/or their siblings) in 1:1 sessions through the integration of counselling with therapeutic creative and play skills. 

Role responsibilities:

Children, who have been assessed by an experienced member of the project’s counselling team, and with parental consent, will be referred on to the post holder who will:

·        Work to The Maypole Project Model of Support for children and young people, providing therapeutic support through an integration of counselling with therapeutic creative and play with a caseload as agreed, relative to hours at a minimum of 5 clients per 7 hour working day.

• Undertake The Maypole Project mandatory in-house training (20 hours)
• Attend a training update session at least once per annum
• Contact the client’s parent/guardian organising an initial 1:1 meeting with them to talk through the issues their child faces and agree the time, location and frequency of sessions in line with Maypole Support office guidelines/room availability where applicable.

·        Set up and clear away the therapy room that has been tailored to each individual client’s needs.  

• Attend monthly group supervision (2 hours)
• Complete client notes and The Maypole Project paperwork as required
• Liaise with their Line manager or the Clinical Supervisor in case of questions/difficulties
• Follow The Maypole Project policies and guidelines including staff code of conduct at all times.
• Attend service-wide activities including family activity events and fundraising events

Support:

You will have support from our Children and Young People’s Therapies service manager for clinical oversight and day-to-day issues and a supervisor for Clinical advice/direction.  Attendance at monthly Clinical Supervision is mandatory.

Location:   

Initially based at our premises in Orpington with some remote provision and possible travel to schools, hospitals, hospices and clients’ homes.