Senior Therapeutic Pastoral Lead

Are you a qualified Social Worker, Psychotherapist, Counsellor or Psychologist looking to make a lasting difference?
At Compass Community Schools, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their experiences or challenges. We are looking for an experienced Senior Therapeutic Pastoral Lead to join our specialist team and play a pivotal role in supporting children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
This is an exciting opportunity to combine advanced therapeutic practice with leadership, helping to shape whole-school therapeutic provision while working directly with children, families and professionals to improve outcomes.
Social Workers Encouraged to Apply
We are particularly keen to hear from qualified Social Workers with experience of safeguarding, family support, complex case management and multi-agency working. This role offers the opportunity to utilise those skills within a specialist SEMH school, supporting children and young people who have experienced trauma, adversity and disrupted relationships.
Applications are also welcomed from qualified Psychotherapists, Counsellors and Psychologists with substantial experience supporting children and young people with complex social, emotional and mental health needs.
About the Role
As Senior Therapeutic Pastoral Lead, you will lead and oversee the school's therapeutic and pastoral provision, ensuring support is effective, evidence-informed and responsive to pupil need. You will hold responsibility for complex cases, complete advanced assessments, deliver targeted interventions and provide professional guidance to colleagues across the school.
You will play a key role in helping children and young people develop emotional regulation, resilience, positive relationships and engagement with learning through trauma-informed, attachment-aware and restorative approaches.
Working closely with school leaders, families and external professionals, you will contribute to a therapeutic culture that promotes emotional wellbeing, belonging and educational success for every pupil., Lead and coordinate the school's therapeutic and pastoral offer.
- Complete advanced social, emotional and wellbeing assessments.
- Hold and manage complex cases involving trauma, attachment difficulties and SEMH needs.
- Deliver high-quality individual and group therapeutic interventions.
- Provide coaching, reflective practice and professional guidance to colleagues.
- Support crisis response, co-regulation and therapeutic planning.
- Work closely with families to strengthen relationships and promote positive outcomes.
- Collaborate with Social Care, CAMHS and other multi-agency partners.
- Contribute to Therapeutic TAC reviews, EHCP reviews, PEPs and safeguarding meetings.
- Monitor and evaluate the impact of therapeutic interventions and provision.

We are looking for a skilled and compassionate professional who has:

- A recognised professional qualification in Social Work, Psychotherapy, Counselling, Psychology or a related therapeutic discipline.
- Significant experience supporting children and young people with complex trauma and SEMH needs.
- Strong knowledge of attachment, trauma, neurodiversity and child development.
- Experience completing assessments, planning and reviewing interventions.
- Confidence working with safeguarding concerns and risk.
- Excellent communication and multi-agency working skills.
- The ability to support, challenge and develop colleagues.

Why Join Compass?
At Compass Community, our values of Courage, Integrity and Care underpin everything we do. We are committed to creating environments where children feel safe, valued and able to succeed.
When you join us, you'll benefit from:

- A comprehensive induction programme.
- Ongoing training and professional development opportunities.
- Clinical and professional supervision.
- A supportive therapeutic and multidisciplinary network.
- Opportunities to influence and develop whole-school therapeutic practice.
- The chance to make a genuine and lasting difference to the lives of vulnerable children and young people.

Safeguarding
Compass Community is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check.