Job Overview
The Clinical Psychologist provides psychological assessment, intervention, and consultation within a residential child care setting. The role focuses on supporting children and young people with complex emotional, behavioural, and developmental needs—often linked to trauma, attachment difficulties, or adverse childhood experiences.
Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, the Clinical Psychologist contributes to creating a therapeutic environment that promotes emotional wellbeing, resilience, and positive outcomes for children in care.
Responsibilities
- Conduct comprehensive psychological assessments of children and young people.
- Develop trauma-informed psychological formulations to guide care planning.
- Use standardised assessment tools to evaluate emotional, behavioural, and cognitive functioning.
- Deliver evidence-based therapeutic interventions (e.g., CBT, trauma-focused therapy, attachment-based approaches).
- Provide individual and group therapy tailored to the needs of young people.
- Support crisis intervention and risk management where required.
- Work collaboratively with residential care staff to develop and review care plans.
- Provide consultation and psychological guidance to staff teams.
- Contribute to multi-agency meetings (e.g., social services, education, health professionals).
- Deliver training to residential staff on psychological principles, trauma-informed care, and behaviour management strategies.
- Support staff to understand and respond to complex behaviours effectively.
- Promote a psychologically informed environment (PIE).
- Ensure all work complies with safeguarding and child protection policies.
- Assess and manage risk relating to self-harm, aggression, or vulnerability.
- Maintain accurate clinical records and reports in line with professional standards.
- Track outcomes of therapeutic interventions and care approaches.
- Contribute to service evaluation and quality improvement initiatives.
- Maintain accurate case documentation and reporting standards.
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent recognised qualification).
- Registration with a relevant professional body (e.g., HCPC in the UK).
- Experience working with children and young people, particularly those in care or with complex trauma.
- Strong knowledge of attachment theory, trauma, and developmental psychology.
Desirable
- Experience in residential child care or looked-after children services.
- Training in specific therapeutic models (e.g., EMDR, DBT, systemic therapy).
- Experience working within multi-agency frameworks.
A full job description is available upon request.
Pay: £41,517.66-£68,269.34 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
