Practitioner Psychologist

NHS; Catford; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health service provider in Catford seeks a Clinical Psychologist to deliver specialist psychological assessments and interventions to young people in the Youth Justice System. The role includes clinical supervision, policy development, and working within a dedicated team to improve psychological services. Candidates should have a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and clinical registration with HCPC. The position offers a competitive salary and full-time hours.

Qualifications

• Evidence of working as a clinical specialist with complex mental health issues.
• Experience in supervising assistant and trainee psychologists.
• Post-qualification experience addressing diversity within local communities.

Responsibilities

• Provide highly specialist psychological assessments and interventions.
• Contribute to team clinical functioning and culturally competent services.
• Implement policies and propose service improvements.

Skills

Deliver psychological therapy across cultural differences

Select and administer specialist psychological assessments

Provide teaching and training to other professional groups

Education

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent

Clinical Registration as a Clinical Psychologist with HCPC

Job description

Job Summary

To provide a highly specialist psychology service to young people who are held within the Youth Justice System or who are at risk of offending including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.

Main Duties

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist in assessment and intervention of sexually harmful behaviour, violence risk assessment using SAVRY/SAPROF and neurodevelopmental assessment where required.

To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.

To work as an autonomous professional within BPS and HCPC guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.

To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.

About Us

The ARTS Forensic CAMHS Team is a small but highly regarded team co-located with the Youth Justice Service within the wider local authority Integrated Adolescent Service based in Catford, London Borough of Lewisham. The team is part of Lewisham CAMHS and has a long history of providing innovative approaches to working with the complex and traumatised young people involved in the criminal justice system. The postholder will be well supported within the Psychology & Psychotherapy framework within Lewisham CAMHS and the South London & Maudsley Trust. The team consists of a Clinical Service Lead, Senior Clinical Psychologist and CAMHS Therapist. A Consultant Child & Adolescent Forensic Psychiatrist is with the team on Tuesdays.

Details

Date posted: 04 November 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8a

Salary: £64,156 to £71,148 a year inclusive of HCAS

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 334-CLI-7534261

Job locations: Catford Old Town Hall, Catford Road, Catford, SE6 9SE

Responsibilities

• KR 1: Clinical and Client Care – Provide highly specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients in the ARTS Team including AIM assessment and intervention for sexually harmful behaviour, violence risk assessment and neurodevelopmental assessment (ADHD & cognitive assessment). Provide culturally appropriate interventions with carers or families of referred clients. Assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans. Act as mixed care coordinator and therapist; taking responsibility for assessment, intervention and care coordination on a mixed caseload.
• KR 2: Contributing to team or service clinical functioning – Contribute to the effective working of the team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service. Deliver accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities. Proactively challenge discrimination and support development of culturally competent services. Advise other members on specialist psychological care. Liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals to develop and review care plans. Utilize theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence‑based practice.
• KR 3: Policy and service development – Implement policies and procedures in own area of work, propose improvements. Participate in service development projects. Engage service users in planning and delivering services.
• KR 4: Care or management of resources – Take care of Trust equipment and physical resources, ensure sufficient resources by estimating future needs and ordering supplies.
• KR 5: Management and supervision – Allocate and/or provide clinical supervision to junior psychologists, supervise trainee applied psychologists, contribute to appraisal, recruitment and provide supervision for multidisciplinary staff.
• KR 6: Teaching and training – Undertake occasional teaching and training of pre‑ and post‑qualification psychologists and specialised training of other professions. Develop knowledge and skills base within the team, disseminate research via presentations and published articles.
• KR 7: Record‑keeping and information governance – Record all information per Trust policies, maintain highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, including electronic data entry.
• KR 8: Research and development – Initiate, undertake, support and supervise complex service evaluation and audits. Conduct appropriate research within scope, provide expertise in specialist research areas, implement outcome measurement and assessment.
• KR 9: Maintaining professional standards and CPD – Receive regular supervision, maintain CPD in line with BPS, HCPC, and Trust requirements, keep up‑to‑date knowledge of developments, comply with HCPC and BPS standards.
• KR 10: General – Travel to home visits, prisons, other teams and services as appropriate; manage risk of aggressive behaviour; respond professionally to emotionally distressing situations.

Person Specification

Qualifications – Essential

• Clinical psychologist: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent
• Clinical Registration as a Clinical Psychologist with HCPC

Qualifications – Desirable

• Training in AIM Assessment & Intervention
• Training in use of SAVRY, SAPROF or MACI
• Supervision Training

Experience – Essential

• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist with a range of young people presenting with complex mental health, emotional and behavioural difficulties
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment for clients with complex needs
• Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists
• Post‑qualification experience supporting work with and addressing diversity within local communities

Experience – Desirable

• Experience of working with young people who perpetrate sexually harmful behaviour
• Experience of working with young offenders

Knowledge – Essential

• Knowledge of theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for young people with complex mental health and trauma
• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and evidence base for treatments including emotional instability, trauma, ADHD, depression and anxiety
• Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics in ADHD
• Knowledge of legislation relating to the client group, mental health, child and adult protection, and equalities

Knowledge – Desirable

• Knowledge of complex trauma and trauma‑informed approaches

Skills – Essential

• Deliver psychological therapy across cultural differences
• Select and administer specialist psychological assessments, integrating complex data from multiple sources
• Provide teaching and training to other professional groups

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer Details

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Catford Old Town Hall, Catford Road, Catford, SE6 9SE

Website: https://www.slam.nhs.uk/