Job Description

Please note you must have right to work in the UK to apply for this position.
Due to current Home Office Guidelines, we are unable to sponsor this job role.
The Rainbow Mother and Baby Unit is a specialist 6 bedded unit. The unit provides mental health care and treatment for women during the late stages of pregnancy and up to one year after the birth of their baby.
The Rainbow Unit aims to:

• Deliver the highest quality of care to mothers and theirbabies in a safe, friendly and supportive environment.
• Maintain the safety of all mothers and their babies whilst treating the mother's mental illness.
• Offer support to the families and carers involved in the mother's and or baby's care.
• Help sustain the developing relationship between mother, baby and other family members

Through the understanding of the Peer Support Worker (PSW) in relation to lived experiences within inpatient settings, the hope and reflection of recovery can be promoted within perinatal services
An essential criteria of this role, is the right candidate must have personal lived experience as someone who has been challenged by Perinatal Mental Health concerns previously at inpatient status or been supported within community perinatal mental health services.
Main duties of the job
Using your own lived experiences, the role of the Peer Support Worker (PSW) is to support and understand the impact of accessing services when experiencing mental health challenges.
As a PSW, you will work collaboratively with service users and the wider MDT to support the implementing of care and promoting recovery.
You will provide support and understanding to care givers and family members whilst underpinning recovery principles and socially inclusive practice
PSW's can support in building therapeutic relationships with service users to promote choice, offer advocacy support and understanding of position through lived experiences of being admitted to a Mother and Baby Unit.
About us
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Details
Date posted
23 September 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 3
Salary
24,937 to 26,598 a year per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
364-A-9143-B
Job locations
The Linden Centre
Broomfield Hospital
Chelmsford
CM1 7LF
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Peer support worker, you will have a wide range of responsibilities.
working one to one and supporting service users or patients
helping to support individuals to develop goals
supporting people in care planning
helping people engage with activities
supporting group work
helping support people develop recovery plans
regular 1-1 meetings including review with supervisor to discuss any challenges and talk through sessions
meeting regularly with a small group of volunteers to discuss general topics, daily guidelines, and handovers.
participating in activities such as tutoring, mentoring, or creating and running a workshop for a class as volunteers or one-on-one meetings.
providing guidance, tutoring, and social support to volunteers, fellow students, or others interested in learning more about PSW.
coordinating volunteer opportunities with local non-profit organizations or community groups.
organizing support groups or peer-led clubs focused on PSW.
An essential criteria of this role, is the right candidate must have personal lived experience as someone who has been challenged by Perinatal Mental Health concerns previously at inpatient status or been supported within community perinatal mental health services. Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Peer support worker, you will have a wide range of responsibilities.
working one to one and supporting service users or patients
helping to support individuals to develop goals
supporting people in care planning
helping people engage with activities
supporting group work
helping support people develop recovery plans
regular 1-1 meetings including review with supervisor to discuss any challenges and talk through sessions
meeting regularly with a small group of volunteers to discuss general topics, daily guidelines, and handovers.
participating in activities such as tutoring, mentoring, or creating and running a workshop for a class as volunteers or one-on-one meetings.
providing guidance, tutoring, and social support to volunteers, fellow students, or others interested in learning more about PSW.
coordinating volunteer opportunities with local non-profit organizations or community groups.
organizing support groups or peer-led clubs focused on PSW.
An essential criteria of this role, is the right candidate must have personal lived experience as someone who has been challenged by Perinatal Mental Health concerns previously at inpatient status or been supported within community perinatal mental health services.
Person Specification
Education
Essential

• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development

Desirable

• Completed Peer Support Worker training
• Completed further training within mental health sector

Experience
Essential

• Ability to demonstrate personal knowledge of recovery from perinatal mental health challenges with lived experience
• Experience of working with people with mental health challenges and supporting them to access opportunities beyond mental health services
• Must have personal lived experience as someone who has been challenged by Perinatal Mental Health concerns previously at inpatient status or been supported within community perinatal mental health services.

Desirable

• Experience of positively sharing own life experiences, and personal recovery journey with service users, carers and others

Person Specification
Education
Essential

• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development

Desirable

• Completed Peer Support Worker training
• Completed further training within mental health sector

Experience
Essential

• Ability to demonstrate personal knowledge of recovery from perinatal mental health challenges with lived experience
• Experience of working with people with mental health challenges and supporting them to access opportunities beyond mental health services
• Must have personal lived experience as someone who has been challenged by Perinatal Mental Health concerns previously at inpatient status or been supported within community perinatal mental health services.

Desirable

• Experience of positively sharing own life experiences, and personal recovery journey with service users, carers and others

Skills Required