Assistant Psychologist

Caudwell Children; Keele; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Caudwell Children seeks a dedicated professional to support the Psychology Team in delivering effective clinical services to children and families. This permanent role involves assessment and intervention tasks, working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team. Candidates should have a degree in Psychology and experience with children, demonstrating strong communication and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Eligible for graduate membership of the BPS.
• Experience of working with children.
• Relevant clinical and research skills.

Responsibilities

• Support the child journey through the charity.
• Carry out assessment and therapeutic intervention tasks.
• Attend and contribute to meetings and forums.

Skills

Team-working

Communication

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Information technology

Education

Honours degree 2:1 or above in Psychology

Job description

This is a permanent post supporting the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), specifically the Psychology Team, in the delivery of effective clinical services through assessment, intervention and ongoing support to children, young people and families accessing the service.

You will support the child journey through the charity and the autism diagnostic assessment pathway working as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, Learning Disability Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Paediatrician, Assistant Psychologists, Clinical Assistants and charity volunteers. The role also will involve close collaborative working with the Registered Manager, Children and Family Services Department, Applications Department and Volunteer Department and providing support into those services as required.

About Caudwell Children

Established in 2000, Caudwell Children is a national charity that works to transform the lives of disabled children and their families, enabling them to challenge the barriers they face throughout childhood by providing practical and emotional support. The Charity is going through an exciting period of growth having recently opened a new state-of-the-art facility for multi-disciplinary therapy programmes for childhood disability and research of neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism, within the grounds of Keele University. It provides a state-of-the-art base for the Charity’s therapies and an environment where ground-breaking research can be undertaken, potentially changing the way some disabilities are treated, and affecting millions of people around the world. This is a fantastic and exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and fast-moving Charity at a time when it will attract national and international attention.

Main Duties

• Support the child journey through the charity.
• Carry out assessment and therapeutic intervention tasks with children and families as directed. This will include the delivery of psychological assessment and interventions under the supervision of HCPC registered psychologists.
• Prepare rooms in readiness for sessional work in line with relevant programmes.
• Be involved in the delivery of training to parents and staff, both internal and external.
• Support the team with the production of resources and materials that support the programme.
• Attend and contribute to meetings and forums (including MDT meetings) relating to an individuals and families, as appropriate.
• Support the implementation of individual and group interventions within the program, making modifications using own initiative as necessary to suit child needs.
• Assist with ad hoc administrative tasks, e.g., answering telephone, email and on-line enquiries, scanning, record keeping, stock control, data spreadsheets, etc.
• Demonstrate empathy with children, families and carers, maintaining sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of the child, the families and their carers, including in the context of distressing information regarding the nature of the child’s difficulties and implications of assessment results.
• Demonstrate/develop knowledge of specific assessment and therapeutic approaches and develop skills to assist/carry out these approaches.
• Develop strategies to support children who may be in distress or displaying behaviour that poses challenges to others.
• Report any on-site incidents affecting staff, users or visitors in accordance with the Charity’s policy.
• Undertake data collection and analysis, produce reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
• Undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research in order to promote evidence based clinical practice.
• Contribute as required to projects relating to service development, evaluation and research.
  
  

General

• To work in accordance with national guidelines applicable to your role and the wider clinical service.
• Demonstrate commitment to ongoing personal and professional development, maintaining professional portfolio’s and training profiles.
• Keep up to date and integrate any relevant new initiatives, regulations and legislation as appropriate to your role.
• Where appropriate, develop and maintain links with other professionals in the same specialist field of work.
• Keep comprehensive and accurate records in relation to your role and in accordance with organisational policies and procedures as well as local, professional and national guidelines.
• Attend training as appropriate to the role, applying knowledge gained to the workplace.
• Engage in Support and Supervision sessions, where appropriate, to reflect on practice enhancing communication and quality of service.
• To work effectively and collaboratively as a member of the team, building and maintaining good working relationships with all colleagues, stakeholders and professionals from external agencies.
• Contribution to any robust service monitoring and achievable action plans that deliver results.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and non-statutory bodies, including CQC, ISO 9001 and the Health & Safety Executive.
• Adhere to all Caudwell Children policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate commitment to Caudwell Children’s mission, vision and values.
• To work in accordance with own level of competence, training and experience.
• On occasion and when necessary, work flexible hours to meet the needs of the business.
• Willingness to travel in order to meet the needs of the post.
  
  

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Honours degree 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent.
• Eligible for graduate membership of the BPS.
• Experience of working with children.
• Relevant clinical and research skills.
• Knowledge of childhood developmental milestones.
• Excellent team-working and communication skills.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Information technology skills, Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint etc.
• An openness and willingness to learn new skills and to put these into practice.
• A personal commitment to the organisation’s values and principles.
• A commitment to the principles and practice of continual improvement and the provision of personalised services.
• A commitment to uphold the rights of children; vulnerable and disabled people.
• A commitment to the organisation’s approaches to equality and diversity.
• A positive can-do attitude.
• Ability to demonstrate a flexible approach to work.
• Able to meet the physical requirements of the role after reasonable adjustments have been made for illness or disability.
• Undertake personal and professional development in order to meet the changing demands of the role.
• Able to travel to meet the needs of the role.
  
  

Desirable Criteria

• Further post-graduate qualification in a relevant area.
• Experience in the use of psychometric assessments.
• Experience of working in an MDT.
• Experience of therapeutic contact.
• Experience of training others.
• Experience working with autistic and neurodivergent children.
• Knowledge of Safeguarding principles and their application when working with children and families.
• Knowledge of other neurodivergent diagnoses e.g. ADHD.
• Knowledge of Health, Education and Social Care.
• Experience working with volunteers and students.
• Experience of working in the Charity/Third Sector.
• Experience of working in ISO regulated organisations.
• Experience of working in CQC regulated organisations.
  
  

Disclosure and barring service checks

The Charity is committed to safeguarding children and young people and therefore adopts a safer recruitment approach through a robust recruitment and selection process. All posts within the Charity are subject to DBS checks, in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). This role is eligible for Enhanced with Bared Lists DBS check.

Equal opportunities

Caudwell Children is a Disability Confident employer committed to offering an interview to all applicants who meet the minimum criteria and declare they have a disability as defined in the Equality Act 2010. We are committed to creating a diverse environment and will not discriminate for any reason against any person because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex or sexual orientation. We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background and other underrepresented groups.

Location:

Caudwell International Children’s Centre (CICC)

Hours

37.5 hours per week

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