Assistant Psychologist

The Methodist Church in Britain; City Of London; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS discounts

Generous annual leave allowance

NHS pension scheme

Support for flexible working

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Leadership and managers programme

Internal staff network support groups

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain is seeking a committed professional to join the Autism and Learning Disabilities Team on a nine-month post. The role supports clinical psychologists with diagnostic assessments for autistic and learning-disabled young people up to 25, and their families, including ADOS observations.

You will contribute to training, audits, and evaluations, participate in research and service improvement, and manage data to monitor outcomes.

Qualifications

• BPS-approved degree in psychology at 2:1 or first class honours, or equivalent.
• Some clinical experience of assessing mental health and wellbeing needs.
• Experience of working in a mental health setting.
• Ability to manage a small clinical caseload under supervision, escalating cases as required.
• Knowledge of autism and the roles of CAMHS and professionals in services for children with disabilities.
• Understanding of safeguarding, equality and diversity, and NHS policy.

Responsibilities

• Support clinical psychologists and the multidisciplinary team, with emphasis on diagnostic assessment of young people with social communication and mental health concerns.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary autism assessments.
• Support waiting list oversight, referral coordination and evaluation of clinical support.
• Organise assessment clinics.
• Deliver and observe behavioural observations such as ADOS.
• Assist outcome monitoring, including managing databases and compiling reports.
• Take part in service-related research and audit.
• Take part in user involvement and quality improvement projects.

Skills

Caseload management

Autism knowledge

Safeguarding

Equality and diversity

NHS policy

Education

BPS-approved psychology degree 2:1 or first class honours

Job description

This nine-month post sits in the Autism and Learning Disabilities Team, a specialist mental health service for autistic and/or learning disabled young people up to 25 and their families. The core is supporting clinical psychologists with diagnostic assessment, especially where young people have social communication concerns, plus referrals and outcome monitoring. It also offers training in clinical assessment and intervention, audit and evaluation, and ADOS observation. Applicants need a 2:1 or higher in psychology and mental health experience.

What the job involves

• Support clinical psychologists and the multidisciplinary team, with emphasis on diagnostic assessment of young people with social communication and mental health concerns
• Contribute to multidisciplinary autism assessments
• Support waiting list oversight, referral coordination and evaluation of clinical support
• Organise assessment clinics
• Deliver and observe behavioural observations such as ADOS
• Assist outcome monitoring, including managing databases and compiling reports
• Take part in service-related research and audit
• Take part in user involvement and quality improvement projects

Qualifications

• BPS-approved degree in psychology at 2:1 or first class honours, or equivalent

Experience

• Some clinical experience of assessing mental health and wellbeing needs
• Experience of working in a mental health setting

Skills & knowledge

• Ability to manage a small clinical caseload under supervision, escalating cases as required
• Knowledge of autism
• Knowledge of the roles of other CAMHS and professional groups in services for children with disabilities
• Understanding of safeguarding
• Knowledge of equality and diversity
• Background understanding of the changing NHS and social care environment, and of relevant legislation and national and local policy

Other

• Participate in clinical supervision and contribute to practical training of other staff
• Willingness to promote mental health and wellbeing awareness
• Ability to work on own initiative and maintain confidentiality

Nice to have

• Further training or qualifications in learning disabilities or mental health
• Experience or training in ADOS, including formal training in diagnostic tools such as ADOS-2 and ADI-R
• Experience of working with children or adolescents
• Experience of working with autistic children and young people and their families

What’s offered

• NHS discounts
• Generous annual leave allowance
• NHS pension scheme
• Support for flexible working
• Health and wellbeing initiatives
• Leadership and managers programme and other development opportunities
• Internal staff network support groups