Community Forensic LDA Arts Therapist
At a glance
- Band
- Band 7
- Contract
- Fixed-term
- Pattern
- Part-time
- Posted
- 18/09/2026
- Closes
- 01/10/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Arts Therapist (Art, Music or Dance Movement) to join the new Community Forensic LD/ASD Services. The role involves delivering high quality arts therapy provision across North East London to service users with Learning Disabilities/Autism discharged from secure forensic inpatient services. The successful candidate will work with a high degree of autonomy, use initiative in decision-making, and be skilled in scoping and forming links with other services. A comprehensive understanding of managing risk and relational security with this client group is essential.
Essential criteria
- oDegree in relevant area oMA ( or equivalent) in post title Arts Therapies modality oFor Art Therapist/Psychotherapist, Music Therapist and Dramatherapist : registration with HCPC
Desirable criteria
- oFor Dance Movement Psychotherapists: registration with ADMP UK oMembership of Arts Therapies professional Body oClinical Supervision Training oFurther training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area.
- oPost qualification experience as an Arts Therapist working with this client group in both group and individual work. oWorking with service users with challenging and/or unpredictable behavior. oClinical supervision of a trainee Arts Therapist oAssessing Service Users and making recommendations to a Multi-disciplinary team
- oProviding Arts Therapy teaching/training to a variety of audiences. oWorking as an Arts Therapist in a Multi-Disciplinary team oProviding Arts therapies as part of research or clinical trial oProviding Arts Therapies in both Acute and Community settings oProject management and evaluation supporting service development oSupervision and support of Arts in Health projects oFacilitation of reflective practice sessions for other disciplines eg: Nursing or Occupational therapy.
- Knowledge & Skills
- oExcellent written and verbal communication skills. oDeveloped interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed and maintained. oAbility to adapt and use a range of specialist skills in skills in individual and group based arts therapies assessments and interventions. oAbility to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times using a culturally competent holistic approach. oAbility to work both independently and as part of MDT. oAbility to assess and manage frequent distressing clinical interactions with clients who have serious mental health problems. oAbility to assess and manage exposure to potential hazards including frequent verbal aggression and risk of physical aggression while maintaining own, client and general public safety. oGood organizational and time management Skills. oLine management of more junior staff. oAbility to work with trauma and contain emotional impact through clinical supervision and team support systems. oAbility to assess risk and to work face to face with acutely unwell service users. oAbility to contain and work with organisational stress and 'hold' the stress of other oAwareness of needs and rights of service users
- Other
- oAbility to adapt to physical environment when dedicated therapy rooms are not available e.g. transporting materials, equipment etc and willingness to move furniture to set up a room (within Health and Safety parameters) oAbility to assess and manage frequently distressing clinical material with clients with serious mental health problems, some of whom have committed violent and/or sexual offences. oMental and emotional effort required to undertake intense concentration for clinical interventions on both a one-to-one and group basis. oActive involvement in ongoing professional and team development and a commitment to developing other team members oActive involvement in ongoing professional and team development and a commitment to developing other team members.
- oRecord of having published in either peer reviewed or academic professional journals and/or books oAbility to support the development of the profession through participation in professional bodies and activities
- Education/ Qualification/Training
- oDegree in relevant area oMA ( or equivalent) in post title Arts Therapies modality oFor Art Therapist/Psychotherapist, Music Therapist and Dramatherapist : registration with HCPC
- oFor Dance Movement Psychotherapists: registration with ADMP UK oMembership of Arts Therapies professional Body oClinical Supervision Training oFurther training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area.
- oPost qualification experience as an Arts Therapist working with this client group in both group and individual work. oWorking with service users with challenging and/or unpredictable behavior. oClinical supervision of a trainee Arts Therapist oAssessing Service Users and making rec
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 7 at £46,148 – £52,809 a year, across England.
This advert: £58,133 – £65,261 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 1d ago · Closes in 13d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Community Forensic LDA Arts Therapist
The closing date is 01 October 2026
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Arts Therapist (Art, Music or Dance Movement) to join our new Community Forensic LD/ASD Services. We are looking for someone who has excellent communication skills, who is able to work within an emotionally demanding environment to deliver high quality and effective arts therapy provision across North East London with LD/ASD service users discharged from secure forensic inpatient services. We need someone who can work with a high degree of autonomy, who can use initiative in making decisions, is skilled in scoping and forming links with other services and who also works well within teams. An ability to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of managing risk and relational security when working with this client group is essential.
The Forensic Community Learning Disability and Autism Service is an exciting venture for the ELFT Forensic Service, with an overarching aim of reducing the risk of offending or reoffending of adults with a diagnosis of Learning Disability and/ or Autism.
Main duties of the job
The team will provide a range of support across North East London, including complex case management and joint work with and consultation to numerous partner agencies s
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