12257 - Forensic or Clinical Registered Psychologist - Psychology Services - Youth Custody Services

Ministry of Justice; Brighton; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the United Kingdom is seeking a psychologist to work with offenders, manage risk assessments, and provide training and consultancy support. The role involves mentorship to trainee psychologists and conducting research to reduce re-offending. Ideal candidates will possess a strong background in psychology and be comfortable offering professional advice in a correctional environment. This position carries significant responsibilities and offers opportunities for personal professional development.

Qualifications

• Competence in psychology to work with offenders.
• Ability to provide supervision to trainee psychologists.
• Experience in delivering training and consultancy.

Responsibilities

• Offer professional advice on targets for offenders.
• Lead on risk assessment and management.
• Provide training and mentoring to staff.

Skills

Psychology expertise

Risk assessment

Mentoring

Research and analysis

Education

Qualification in psychology

Job description

Overview of the job

This is a non-operational offender facing job.

Summary

The job holder will be working with prisoners, people on probation and staff and applying their competence in psychology to reduce the risk of harm and of re‑offending by undertaking a range of work including risk assessment of prisoners, conducting research, providing consultancy and delivering training for staff and assessment and interventions for offenders. This job holder will be able to provide designated support and supervision to trainee psychologists.

This is non‑operational offender facing job with line management responsibilities. This role is non‑rotational.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

• Offer authoritative professional advice on targets and objectives for relevant offenders and advise on the best location for those offenders (both within the establishment or relocation to another category establishment)
• Offer professional opinion to teams conducting reports e.g. lifer reports, parole reports
• Develop strategy and plans of activity for some areas of operation e.g. manage the organisation of relevant programme assessments or manage assessment and interviews of those with an indeterminate sentence
• Provide consultancy support to colleagues such as the SMT or other teams in relation to psychology services and outcomes
• Conduct relevant research including data gathering and analysis
• Responsible for providing supervision to trainee forensic psychology staff
• Provide training, mentoring and support to trainee psychologists and other staff (e.g. interventions staff)
• Can be required to provide professional (designated) supervision of trainees, e.g. professional supervision to ensure that a trainee is able to develop through the key steps towards chartered and registered status
• Ensure staff are developed in accordance with key competencies and gateways and ensuring consistency across the team in the application of policies and procedures affecting staff and prisoners
• Lead on risk assessment and resulting risk management
• Participate in risk assessment of offenders to determine their risk of harm to self, others and the risk of re‑offending. May undertake Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) and self‑harm assessments
• Can be required to deliver and/or oversee the quality of programmes (treatment management). These will be of the more complex type requiring such qualified input
• Provide consultancy role on specialist area e.g. working with those convicted of sexual offending strategy or indeterminate sentenced prisoners (ISP) strategy
• Act as a negotiation adviser where suitable and competence has been demonstrated
• Act as a “professional witness” in parole board hearings, multi‑agency meetings, and other formal settings where psychology input is required. May also act as expert witness in respect of court proceedings for Ministry of Justice
• Maintain own continued professional development (CPD) and registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and are not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re‑examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.

Civil Service Success Profile Criteria