MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• To provide Art Psychotherapy to pupils in the Senior School experiencing a range of emotional difficulties that might be impacting on their personal, social and educational life through individual sessions.
• To diversify the Wellbeing Team’s offer to incorporate sessions that are centred around the Arts
• To showing versatility within their practice, offering talking-based interventions where suitable and appropriate.
• To promote a supportive, safe, and inclusive environment that nurtures and allows pupil concerns to be explored.
• To think and work creatively in engaging young people to address their mental health difficulties.
• To work closely with Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing to promote positive wellbeing and mental health in the School.
• To maintain confidentiality in line with Highgate’s wellbeing protocols, (except in those circumstances in line with the School’s safeguarding practice and policies.
• To be responsible for the maintenance of their own professional development and show a commitment to continuing professional development (CPD)
  To maintain appropriate records and keep these secure, in line with the School’s data protection obligations
• To maintain appropriate links with the pastoral team, other Wellbeing Team members, Clinical Mental Health Lead and Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing to discuss matters related to Wellbeing provision
• To ensure ongoing review and evaluation of practice.
• To liaise with other members of staff responsible for the health and wellbeing and pastoral care of pupils as required
• To keep up to date record of attendance of sessions.
• To be alert to trends and patterns of behaviour among young people at School and communicate them to relevant staff. To be willing to identify ways in which the School community could respond to address such issues or problems
• In conjunction with other members of the Wellbeing Team, to contribute to the production of a termly and annual report on the use of the service and the types of issues being addressed.
• To attend meetings with the Deputy Head (Pastoral) and other pastoral staff as required and as appropriate within agreed confidentiality guidelines
• To play a role in the maintenance and promotion of a robust culture of Pupil Safeguarding and Welfare among all members of the Highgate School community, in accordance with national and School policies
• To provide consultation and supervision to staff, including guidance on support for pupils and training on the themes of emotional and mental health awareness, where appropriate
• To support the School’s initiatives to promote the wellbeing, health, pastoral care and personal development of pupils.
• To identify, in collaboration with the Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing and Clinical Mental Health Lead, the best-fit support for pupils and their peers who are dealing with co-occurring difficulties.
• To advise on, and sometimes facilitate, group pupil interventions in collaboration with pastoral team, e.g. for restorative conversations following friendship issues.
• To support the Pupil Wellbeing Practitioners in supporting pupils who access the Wellbeing Centre on a drop-in basis, when able.
• To attend weekly Wellbeing team meetings and fortnightly departmental planning meetings
• To assist in events organised by the Health and Wellbeing department to promote pupil health and wellbeing

The Art Psychotherapist may also be required by the Head to undertake any other appropriate duties, which may be needed from time to time.  These duties and responsibilities are intended as a guide and they are not exhaustive.

• Criteria
• How will these be tested or verified?
• Qualifications

• Essential:

  • Membership of a relevant and recognized professional body (UKCP, BACP, HCPC)
  • Qualified to work therapeutically with children and young people/adolescents.

   

  Desirable:

  • Membership of the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP)
• Experience

• Essential:

  • Demonstratable experience delivering Art Psychotherapy to children and young people
  • Capacity to deal sensitively with difficulties raised by pupils, in line with Highgate’s pastoral policies and sanctions system, working in partnership with Highgate’s designated staff in charge of pastoral care.
  • Demonstrable experience of working inclusively with the intersections of an individual’s identity such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and race.
  • Experience working with young people with marginalised aspects of their identity.
  • Working knowledge of Safeguarding and Child Protection issues and good practice, particularly relating to safeguarding obligations for schools (KCSIE).

   

  Desirable:

  • Experience working in a school setting, with proven understanding of the role of a psychotherapist within a school environment.
  • Experience delivering short-medium term interventions to young people.
  • Experience working with neurodiversity.
• Ability / Skills / Personal Attributes

• Essential:

  • Confident, calm and emotionally resilient when dealing with a range of stressful situations involving pupils, parents and staff.
  • An open, inclusive, and curious approach to pupils and their presenting needs.
  • Ability to work creatively and use a range of creative tools in engaging young people to explore their emotions.
  • Ability to work independently and manage caseload.
  • Friendly, sympathetic, sensitive,  discreet and supportive personality

   

  Desirable:

  • Willing to make a full contribution to the life of a busy co-educational independent day school.
  • An exemplary attendance record in his/her present and previous employment