Art Therapist - Self Employed - 2 days per week

Art Therapist 

General information

Hopewell School in an independent specialist SEMH School based in East London. At Hopewell we are expanding our successful Therapy Department and are hoping to recruit a several part-time positions, one of them for a proactive and enthusiastic Occupational Therapist (hours, days and salaries to be agreed with the successful candidates). 

Hopewell has two sites; the school is situated in Dagenham and provides education for pupils aged 7 to 19 years who have EHC Plans. Our second site is motorvations@hopewell which is a specialist vocational centre based in Romford and offers a range of vocational experiences, courses and qualifications.

Children and young people come to Hopewell for a number of reasons. The majority of which are associated with young people struggling with the challenges of ASD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, opposition defiance disorder and conduct disorder. Others have suffered traumatic experiences which have impacted on their learning and behaviour.

To support the pupils’ individual needs Hopewell, have a team of specialist therapeutic staff who are based on the school site. They work with the young people and their families/carers in a number of ways, through individual therapeutic work, group and family work as well as leading on targeted interventions across the school.

By empowering our pupils, building their self-confidence and enabling them to develop their individual strengths we endeavour to provide them with the skills they need to lead constructive and fulfilling adult lives.

The post

This part-time post is suitable for practitioners looking to extend their clinical experience within the field of Autism, Learning Disabilities, Emotional/behavioural/social Difficulties as well as Trauma, and work within a specialist educational setting. 

The selected candidate will be required to work closely with the other professionals providing support to students; reporting to the Head of Therapy.

At least two years’ experience within this field in a relevant setting is advisable as you will need to feel confident working as the only Art Therapist within the therapy team. 

JOB DESCRIPTION

As an Art Therapist you will need to:

§  Conduct Art Therapy sessions with patients using various forms of visual art such as drawing, painting, clay modelling, ceramics... 

§  Carry out individual student assessments.

§  Work holistically to plan and deliver therapy programmes that are appropriate for young people between ages of 7 and 19, based on their goals, needs, and preferred artistic expressions.

§  Offer timetabled 1:1 and small group interventions.

§  Offer psychoeducation sessions to parents and carers, suggesting strategies and coping skills to help them deal with difficult situations.

• Attend meetings and case conferences to share ideas, expertise and good practice.

§  Liaise with other professionals including those in medicine, healthcare and social services. Referring 

§  Refer patients to other health professionals and therapists when needed (CAMHS, Psychiatrist…)

§  Keep up to date with administration tasks, such as maintaining records, and writing reports, letters and reviews of assessment and treatment.

• Keep detailed records about the progress of your patients and any observations you make during the sessions.
• Maintain Art Therapy space and materials.
• Complete comprehensive reports and formal documents as required for individual students and following reviews.
• Offer training and advice to the education team.
• Support the development of outstanding autism practice throughout the service. 

The successful candidate will be required to:

§  Have experience of working with students with very complex needs.

§  Have good written and spoken communication skills, good interpersonal skills and be able to work well within a staff team.

§  Be aware of her/his own strengths and areas for development and be proactive in filling their own gaps in knowledge, keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in the field by attending seminars, lectures, and workshops.

§  Have experience in supervising, as it will be offered to teaching staff and other members of the team.

§  All applicants must be fully-qualified Art Therapists, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as well as holding membership of the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT).

Proof of membership and a recent Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) will be required upon successful appointment.

OTHER SKILLS

You'll need to have:

§  Strong observation and listening skills.

§  Ability to gain your clients' trust, facilitate learning and encourage participation.

§  Capacity to empathise with people who have difficulties in communicating feelings and thoughts.

§  Ability to work effectively with individuals and in groups.

§  Creativity and imagination.

§  Planning and organisation skills to manage a caseload of clients.

§  An understanding of client confidentiality and dealing with sensitive issues.

§  A flexible and resourceful approach to work.

§  Sensitivity, emotional stability and an ability to recognise your own strengths and weaknesses.

§  Ability to remain calm in distressing or emotionally charged situations.

 In return we offer:

§  Full support from a multidisciplinary team.

§  Individual and/or peer supervision.