Early Support Pathway
The Early Support pathway within TESS provides timely, short‑term therapeutic intervention and early relational support aimed at strengthening placements, stabilising care responses, and supporting the emotional needs of children and young people. The Under 12s Project helps children aged 12 and under transition from residential settings into stable, family‑based care. This part of the service is fast‑paced, creative and highly relational.
Key responsibilities
- Short‑term, focused therapeutic work for children and young people
- Early relational support to parents, carers and residential teams
- Consultation and guidance to the broader network around the child
- Advice on care responses, emotional regulation and trauma‑informed practice
- Collaborative early formulation to guide planning, stabilisation and future intervention
- Flexible and brief interventions designed to reduce escalation and promote placement stability
- Deliver high‑quality, trauma‑informed, attachment‑focused interventions
- Provide early and brief therapeutic support to children, young people, parents, carers and residential staff
- Offer consultation, advice and emotional support to the care network
- Contribute to therapeutic assessments, early formulations and care planning
- Use creative engagement approaches including play‑based, relational and non‑traditional methods
- Support emotional regulation, resilience and stabilisation
- Work collaboratively across multi‑agency networks—including social care, health, education and residential services
About the role
This role combines direct therapeutic work with parents/carers and children, short‑term interventions with young people, and trauma‑informed consultation to the professional and care network. You will receive regular individual and group supervision, access to training and CPD across established therapeutic models, and work within a strong staff wellbeing and reflective practice culture that values innovation, creativity and practitioner development.
Qualifications
- Have experience supporting children and young people in care
- Bring (or wish to develop) therapeutic skills grounded in trauma‑informed, attachment‑based and relational approaches
- Feel confident working with emotional complexity, risk and uncertainty
- Value creativity, collaboration and reflective practice
- Can build strong, trusting relationships with young people, carers and professionals
- Are passionate about early support, short‑term intervention and consultative practice
- Are motivated by evidence‑based practice and ongoing learning
- Bring curiosity, compassion, reflective capacity and a commitment to developing your therapeutic practice
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 an appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. 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, depending on the nature of the position and the circumstances surrounding the offence.
Benefits
Generous benefits include a competitive reward package, generous leave allowance, local government pension scheme and additional benefits. You will also enjoy a supportive environment, career development opportunities, tailored training, supportive supervision and a collaborative team ethos grounded in trauma‑informed relational practice.
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