Head of Therapeutic Services – Specialist Schools

Compass Associates are proud to be partnering with an ambitious and expanding specialist education provider to recruit a Head of Therapeutic Services, overseeing three specialist day schools across the North West. The schools support children aged 7–18 with a range of needs and backgrounds, including autism, ADHD, SEMH, additional learning needs, trauma, and Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). This is a newly created and exciting opportunity for an experienced Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Speech & Language Therapist or Psychotherapist with a strong clinical background supporting children within specialist education, alongside proven experience of providing strategic leadership.

Responsibilities

Providing strategic leadership across all therapy services; Leading, developing and embedding an evidence-based therapeutic model; Ensuring therapy provision consistently meets EHCP outcomes and regulatory standards; Providing clinical governance, quality assurance and risk oversight; Developing outcome measures to evidence therapeutic impact; Leading, mentoring and developing multidisciplinary therapy teams; Supporting recruitment, workforce planning and clinician development; Working collaboratively with Headteachers to ensure therapy is fully integrated within education; Developing new therapeutic initiatives and service innovations; Managing budgets, analysing performance data and driving operational efficiencies; Building relationships with external stakeholders including local authorities and sector partners; Acting as a senior ambassador for the organisation within the specialist education sector

Requirements

Must be an HCPC registered Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Speech & Language Therapist or Psychotherapist; Strong clinical background working with children and young people who have SEMH needs, autism, learning disabilities and backgrounds of trauma; Previous experience overseeing a multidisciplinary therapy team which support children; Strong strategic leadership skills including creating new therapeutic strategies, setting up new schools and using outcome measures; UK driving licence and own car; Willingness to travel across the North West