Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Clinical and Therapeutic Practice

The postholder will provide a comprehensive, highly specialist therapeutic service to children at Oasis Restore Secure School, including psychological assessment, formulation and intervention, alongside advice and consultation to colleagues within the child’s multidisciplinary team.

The postholder will:

• Undertake specialist assessments using a range of appropriate information sources, including psychological and neuropsychological assessments, self-report measures, rating scales, structured and semi-structured interviews and direct or indirect observation.
• Develop psychological formulations that integrate complex clinical, developmental, historical, social and environmental factors.
• Formulate and implement evidence-based psychological treatment and management plans.
• Deliver a range of individual, family and group psychological interventions, adapting approaches according to the child’s needs and presentation.
• Evaluate treatment options and review interventions in response to progress, changing needs and clinical risk.
• Exercise autonomous professional responsibility for assessment, treatment and discharge where care is managed through psychologically based care plans.
• Contribute specialist knowledge of complex mental health presentations to multidisciplinary assessment and care planning.
• Provide advice regarding psychological aspects of physical and mental healthcare and treatment.
• Undertake risk assessment and risk management and provide specialist advice to colleagues regarding psychological aspects of risk.
• Undertake family therapy or systemic work with children and their carers where appropriate.
• Respond to urgent referrals and participate in relevant duty arrangements.

Trauma-Informed and Relational Practice

The postholder will contribute to the development of a trauma-informed and psychologically informed culture across ORSS.

This will include:

• Developing therapeutic relationships that recognise the individual experiences, strengths, needs and developmental stage of each child.
• Supporting children to express their views and ensuring their voice is incorporated into their care and service development.
• Considering diversity, culture, identity, gender and sexuality sensitively within assessment, formulation and intervention.
• Supporting residential and education colleagues to develop psychologically informed approaches to working with children.
• Participating in and contributing to Reflective Practice and staff support activities.
• Supporting the development and delivery of therapeutic activities and opportunities for expression, exploration and empowerment.

Multidisciplinary and Partnership Working

The postholder will work closely with healthcare colleagues and the wider ORSS team, including residential and education staff, families, carers and professionals within each child’s community network.

Responsibilities will include:

• Providing authoritative specialist psychological advice within multidisciplinary care.
• Contributing to formulation, diagnosis, treatment planning and risk management.
• Communicating complex and sensitive clinical information clearly and appropriately.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues where there are differing views or complex clinical and safeguarding considerations.
• Supporting a shared understanding of children’s psychological needs across the residential, education and healthcare environments.
• Contributing to the development of effective professional networks and collaborative working arrangements.

Supervision, Training and Staff Development

The postholder will contribute to the development of the wider workforce through:

• Providing professional and clinical supervision to Band 7 Highly Specialist Clinical Practitioners, Assistant Practitioners and other colleagues as appropriate.
• Providing teaching, training and consultation to healthcare, residential and education staff.
• Contributing to whole-school training and liaison programmes.
• Supporting pre- and post-qualification teaching within the relevant professional discipline.
• Participating in Reflective Practice and other activities supporting staff development and wellbeing.
• Sharing specialist knowledge and good practice within CNWL and, where appropriate, nationally.

Service Development, Governance and Quality Improvement

The postholder will contribute to the development and evaluation of psychological and therapeutic services at ORSS and across the Health and Justice Children and Young People Service Line.

This will include:

• Participating in audit, research and service evaluation.
• Supporting the development and implementation of evidence-based practice.
• Identifying opportunities for service development and innovation.
• Contributing to policy and practice development within the relevant professional discipline.
• Supporting clinical governance and maintaining high professional standards.
• Using research evidence and current professional guidance to inform clinical practice.
• Maintaining accurate and timely clinical records, reports and statistical information.
• Contributing to quality improvement and the ongoing development of the ORSS therapeutic model.

Professional Responsibilities

The postholder will:

• Work autonomously within professional standards, relevant legislation and CNWL policies and procedures.
• Maintain professional registration and undertake continuing professional development relevant to the role.
• Participate in regular professional supervision and appraisal.
• Maintain awareness of current developments in psychological and therapeutic practice, particularly in relation to children and young people in secure settings.
• Maintain high standards of clinical record keeping and professional self-governance.
• Work in accordance with Health and Justice security, health and safety and safeguarding procedures.
• Promote equality, diversity and human rights throughout all aspects of clinical and professional practice.
• Work flexibly in response to the developing needs of the service.

This job description provides an outline of the duties and responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be exhaustive. The role may develop over time in response to the changing needs of Oasis Restore Secure School, CNWL and the children and young people receiving care.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• A good honours degree in Psychology as accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). A recognised professional post-graduate qualification in Systemic Therapy, Family Therapy, Arts Therapies, Psychotherapy or relevant core mental health professional therapeutic training.
• Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, including specific models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, equivalent to that accredited by the BPS
• Evidence of post-qualification specialist training, experience and developing expertise in a specialist area of clinical practice.
• HCPC Registration.

Desirable criteria

• Pre- or Post-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
• Reflective practice training and experience
• Post-qualification experience and training in neurodevelopmental assessment and intervention in a forensic mental health setting.
• Completion of supervisor training course.
• Post-qualification training in a recognised psychological therapy for trauma
• Post-graduate training or experience in a forensic mental health setting.

Skills, Knowledge And Abilities

Essential criteria

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• Broad knowledge of models of assessment, management and treatment of children and young people in secure settings.
• Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other