Job summary
Brandon Centre is seeking a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist with an interest in developing Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) to join our partnership with Depaul UK in Islington, supporting young people aged 18 to 25 in supported accommodation. This is a distinctive opportunity to use your psychological expertise in a creative, relational and system-focused role that can make a real difference to young people facing homelessness, trauma, care experience, displacement and other forms of adversity.
A central part of the role will be to develop and embed PIE across four Depaul UK Islington young people's services. You will provide consultation, reflective practice, training and psychologically informed support to staff teams, helping to strengthen trauma-informed practice and build a nurturing, relational service culture. Your work will help frontline colleagues feel more confident, resilient and better equipped to respond to the emotional and mental health needs of vulnerable young people.
This role would suit a psychologist who enjoys working beyond traditional clinic-based models and is motivated by partnership working, service development and innovation. You will join a well-established charitable organisation with a strong commitment to young peoples mental health, and contribute specialist expertise in a way that is practical, collaborative and impactful.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will lead the development of PIE across four of Depaul UKs Islington services for young people, helping to shape a more psychologically informed and trauma-informed approach within hostel and supported accommodation settings. They will work closely with frontline staff and managers to strengthen understanding of young peoples emotional and mental health needs, and to support a relational, reflective and resilient staff culture.
The role includes delivering consultation, reflective practice and training, as well as offering specialist psychological input to support staff in their day-to-day work with young people facing multiple disadvantage. The postholder will help staff think through complexity, risk, transitions and engagement, while also contributing to service development, partnership working and the ongoing review of practice. They will play an important role in translating psychological ideas into practical, useful support within a busy service environment.
This is a varied role that combines clinical thinking, workforce development and system-level influence, with the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the wellbeing of both young people and the staff who support them.
About us
Brandon Centre is a well-established charity with a long history of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people and families. Since 1969, we have provided accessible, high-quality services that respond to the psychological, emotional and social needs of young people, with a strong commitment to inclusion, compassion and respect.
Our work is grounded in clinical expertise, innovation and partnership. We offer counselling and psychotherapy for young people, support for families, and consultation and training for professionals and organisations working with young people. We are committed to delivering services that are thoughtful, relational and responsive to the communities we serve.
Brandon Centre is a friendly and welcoming place to work that prioritises, and is deeply passionate about, the young people it supports. We have a strong local reputation for providing a very high standard of therapeutic intervention. You will be joining a skilled, committed and reflective team with a strong sense of purpose. We value collaboration, professional curiosity and kindness, and we aim to create a culture in which staff feel supported, respected and able to develop.
Benefits of working here include:
35-hour working week
25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
3 additional days over the Christmas period when the Centre is closed
BUPA Employee Assistance Programme
NEST pension
Strong focus on clinical supervision and staff support
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Description
Clinical or Counselling Psychologist
BRANDON CENTRE | For
counselling and psychotherapy for young people
Depaul UK Islington Partnership
Job title
Clinical or Counselling Psychologist
Project
Brandon Centre partnership with Depaul UK: Islington Young Peoples
Supported Accommodation Pathway
Salary
£50,273 - £54,499 pro rata per annum depending on experience
Contract
Fixed-term until 31 March 2032
Hours
7 hours per week / 0.2 FTE
Working
pattern
7 hours per week across Depaul UKs Islington sites, with flexibility
as required for meetings, training, consultation and reflective practice
Location
Across Depaul UK Islington supported accommodation sites, with
attendance at Brandon Centre and partnership meetings as required
Reports to
Clinical Director
Accountability
Clinical Director
A. Job Summary
This is an exciting
opportunity for a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist with a strong interest
in consultation, training and reflective practice in young peoples supported
accommodation settings. The postholder will provide Brandon Centres specialist
psychological input to Depaul UKs Islington services for young people aged 18
to 25, including care-experienced young people, young people experiencing
homelessness, unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people, and young people
leaving youth offending institutions.
The role will support
staff teams and organisational systems to embed the Psychologically Informed
Environment (PIE) model across Depaul UKs Islington services. Brandon Centres
agreed contribution is 7 hours per week of psychology input to strengthen
trauma-informed practice, staff confidence, mental health knowledge, reflective
capacity and resilience through consultation, supervision, reflective practice
and training.
The postholder will
help staff think psychologically about young peoples experiences, needs and
behaviour, facilitate access to counselling and treatment where appropriate,
and contribute to service development within agreed partnership boundaries.
Depaul UK is the lead
partner and retains responsibility for operational delivery, referrals,
safeguarding leadership, support planning, health triage and day-to-day service
management. The postholder will work collaboratively within that framework
while contributing Brandon Centres specialist psychological expertise.
B. Brandon Centre Overview
The principal
objective of Brandon Centre, since it was founded in 1969, has been to provide
a professional, accessible and flexible service which responds to the
psychological and social needs of young people under the age of 25.
Brandon Centre
provides counselling and psychotherapy for young people, systemic integrative
treatment for families, parenting programmes, and consultation and training for
other charities working with young people.
C. Principal Duties and
Responsibilities
1. Consultation
-
To provide
regular consultation and guidance to Depaul UK staff, including frontline
workers, key workers and senior staff, to support psychologically informed work
with young people.
-
To provide
psychologically informed formulation and specialist advice to staff regarding
young peoples emotional and mental health needs, without taking on direct
clinical responsibility for Depaul UKs operational case management, support
planning or risk management processes.
-
To advise
on appropriate responses, referral pathways, and the psychological aspects of
risk, safety, emotional distress and behaviour within staff members roles and
organisational procedures.
-
To
facilitate access to mental health support for young people where appropriate,
in line with Brandon Centres agreed role in the partnership.
2. Training and workforce development
-
To design
and deliver mental health, trauma-informed and Psychologically Informed
Environment training, tailored to different staff roles and levels of
responsibility.
-
To
strengthen staff mental health awareness, PIE capability, practical skills and
resilience, including understanding trauma, attachment, emotional regulation,
relational dynamics and the impact of adversity and transition.
3. Clinical supervision and
reflective practice
-
To provide
regular clinical supervision and reflective practice to staff, helping them
navigate the emotional demands of their work and remain thoughtful, containing
and effective in supporting young people.
-
To support
staff to think psychologically about change, endings, move-on and
discontinuity, and to contribute to reflective learning after significant
incidents or challenging events in line with Depaul UK procedures.
4. PIE development and
trauma-informed practice
-
To support
the development and embedding of a Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) across four of Depaul UKs Islington services for young people, with particular emphasis on relationships
between young people and staff.
-
To
contribute to PIE-related developments, including reflective practice, staff
training, psychologically informed consideration of the physical environment,
and review of service practices, procedures and pathways.
-
To promote
trauma-informed, relational and developmentally attuned ways of working that
recognise distress and behaviour as meaningful communication.
-
To use
young peoples feedback, lived experience and perspectives, alongside staff
reflection and service data, to inform the ongoing development of PIE within
the service.
5. Partnership and multi-agency
working
-
To work
collaboratively and constructively with Depaul UK as lead partner in the
delivery of the Islington Young Peoples Supported Accommodation Pathway.
-
To
understand and operate within the agreed division of responsibilities between
Brandon Centre and Depaul UK, including in relation to safeguarding, referrals,
staff briefings and handovers, support planning, health triage, reporting, data
sharing and on-site procedures.
-
To attend
agreed project management meetings and contribute to communication, monitoring,
learning and service development across the partnership.
-
To liaise
with partner agencies, referrers and other professionals as appropriate,
supporting joined-up and psychologically informed working.
-
To
participate, where relevant and feasible, in the Camden and Islington Trauma
Informed Network and other provider forums when the specific topic is pertinent
and resourcing allows.
6. Equality, diversity and inclusion
- To promote
inclusive, anti-discriminatory and culturally informed practice in all aspects
of the role.
- To support
staff to recognise the impact of race, religion, nationality, disability, age,
gender, sexual orientation, class, culture, migration history and other
protected or marginalised identities on young peoples experiences, engagement,
mental health and experiences of trauma.
- To
contribute to an environment that is respectful, inclusive, relational and
responsive to the diversity of young people and staff.
7. Safeguarding, risk and
professional practice
-
To follow
Depaul UK safeguarding policy and procedures while working on site and to share
safeguarding concerns with Depaul UK as part of normal working practice.
Brandon Centre staff will also have access to Brandon Centres internal
safeguarding and clinical support structures.
-
To
identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding, welfare and risk concerns
in line with organisational, professional and statutory requirements.
-
To
maintain clear professional boundaries, sound judgement and appropriate
confidentiality in a complex multi-agency and supported accommodation
environment.
-
To work in
accordance with HCPC and/or other relevant professional codes, standards and
ethical frameworks.
8. Monitoring, evaluation, reporting
and information governance
-
To
maintain accurate, timely and confidential records in accordance with Brandon
Centre policies, professional standards and agreed partnership arrangements.
-
To use
relevant systems to record consultation, training and reflective practice
activity and to contribute to monitoring, reporting and evaluation
requirements.
-
To
contribute to data collection, feedback, outcome monitoring and service
learning, and to support use of this information to improve practice.
-
To work in
line with data protection requirements and agreed data-sharing arrangements,
recognising that Brandon Centre and Depaul UK are joint data controllers for
the project.
9. Supervision, service development
and professional responsibilities
-
To engage
in regular professional supervision and continuing professional development in
line with service requirements and the standards of the postholders
professional body.
-
To
maintain and develop specialist knowledge and skills relevant to consultation,
training and psychologically informed practice within young peoples supported
accommodation and related services.
-
To
contribute to service development and quality improvement within Brandon
Centres contribution to the Depaul UK partnership.
-
To work
autonomously within the remit of the role, while recognising the limits of own
competence and making appropriate use of supervision, consultation and support.
-
To attend
relevant meetings and partnership activity as required, work flexibly and
collaboratively in a developing partnership, and undertake other duties
commensurate with the role in discussion with the line manager.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Description
Clinical or Counselling Psychologist
BRANDON CENTRE | For
counselling and psychotherapy for young people
Depaul UK Islington Partnership
Job title
Clinical or Counselling Psychologist
Project
Brandon Centre partnership with Depaul UK: Islington Young Peoples
Supported Accommodation Pathway
Salary
£50,273 - £54,499 pro rata per annum depending on experience
Contract
Fixed-term until 31 March 2032
Hours
7 hours per week / 0.2 FTE
Working
pattern
7 hours per week across Depaul UKs Islington sites, with flexibility
as required for meetings, training, consultation and reflective practice
Location
Across Depaul UK Islington supported accommodation sites, with
attendance at Brandon Centre and partnership meetings as required
Reports to
Clinical Director
Accountability
Clinical Director
A. Job Summary
This is an exciting
opportunity for a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist with a strong interest
in consultation, training and reflective practice in young peoples supported
accommodation settings. The postholder will provide Brandon Centres specialist
psychological input to Depaul UKs Islington services for young people aged 18
to 25, including care-experienced young people, young people experiencing
homelessness, unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people, and young people
leaving youth offending institutions.
The role will support
staff teams and organisational systems to embed the Psychologically Informed
Environment (PIE) model across Depaul UKs Islington services. Brandon Centres
agreed contribution is 7 hours per week of psychology input to strengthen
trauma-informed practice, staff confidence, mental health knowledge, reflective
capacity and resilience through consultation, supervision, reflective practice
and training.
The postholder will
help staff think psychologically about young peoples experiences, needs and
behaviour, facilitate access to counselling and treatment where appropriate,
and contribute to service development within agreed partnership boundaries.
Depaul UK is the lead
partner and retains responsibility for operational delivery, referrals,
safeguarding leadership, support planning, health triage and day-to-day service
management. The postholder will work collaboratively within that framework
while contributing Brandon Centres specialist psychological expertise.
B. Brandon Centre Overview
The principal
objective of Brandon Centre, since it was founded in 1969, has been to provide
a professional, accessible and flexible service which responds to the
psychological and social needs of young people under the age of 25.
Brandon Centre
provides counselling and psychotherapy for young people, systemic integrative
treatment for families, parenting programmes, and consultation and training for
other charities working with young people.
C. Principal Duties and
Responsibilities
1. Consultation
-
To provide
regular consultation and guidance to Depaul UK staff, including frontline
workers, key workers and senior staff, to support psychologically informed work
with young people.
-
To provide
psychologically informed formulation and specialist advice to staff regarding
young peoples emotional and mental health needs, without taking on direct
clinical responsibility for Depaul UKs operational case management, support
planning or risk management processes.
-
To advise
on appropriate responses, referral pathways, and the psychological aspects of
risk, safety, emotional distress and behaviour within staff members roles and
organisational procedures.
-
To
facilitate access to mental health support for young people where appropriate,
in line with Brandon Centres agreed role in the partnership.
2. Training and workforce development
-
To design
and deliver mental health, trauma-informed and Psychologically Informed
Environment training, tailored to different staff roles and levels of
responsibility.
-
To
strengthen staff mental health awareness, PIE capability, practical skills and
resilience, including understanding trauma, attachment, emotional regulation,
relational dynamics and the impact of adversity and transition.
3. Clinical supervision and
reflective practice
-
To provide
regular clinical supervision and reflective practice to staff, helping them
navigate the emotional demands of their work and remain thoughtful, containing
and effective in supporting young people.
-
To support
staff to think psychologically about change, endings, move-on and
discontinuity, and to contribute to reflective learning after significant
incidents or challenging events in line with Depaul UK procedures.
4. PIE development and
trauma-informed practice
-
To support
the development and embedding of a Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) across four of Depaul UKs Islington services for young people, with particular emphasis on relationships
between young people and staff.
-
To
contribute to PIE-related developments, including reflective practice, staff
training, psychologically informed consideration of the physical environment,
and review of service practices, procedures and pathways.
-
To promote
trauma-informed, relational and developmentally attuned ways of working that
recognise distress and behaviour as meaningful communication.
-
To use
young peoples feedback, lived experience and perspectives, alongside staff
reflection and service data, to inform the ongoing development of PIE within
the service.
5. Partnership and multi-agency
working
-
To work
collaboratively and constructively with Depaul UK as lead partner in the
delivery of the Islington Young Peoples Supported Accommodation Pathway.
-
To
understand and operate within the agreed division of responsibilities between
Brandon Centre and Depaul UK, including in relation to safeguarding, referrals,
staff briefings and handovers, support planning, health triage, reporting, data
sharing and on-site procedures.
-
To attend
agreed project management meetings and contribute to communication, monitoring,
learning and service development across the partnership.
-
To liaise
with partner agencies, referrers and other professionals as appropriate,
supporting joined-up and psychologically informed working.
-
To
participate, where relevant and feasible, in the Camden and Islington Trauma
Informed Network and other provider forums when the specific topic is pertinent
and resourcing allows.
6. Equality, diversity and inclusion
- To promote
inclusive, anti-discriminatory and culturally informed practice in all aspects
of the role.
- To support
staff to recognise the impact of race, religion, nationality, disability, age,
gender, sexual orientation, class, culture, migration history and other
protected or marginalised identities on young peoples experiences, engagement,
mental health and experiences of trauma.
- To
contribute to an environment that is respectful, inclusive, relational and
responsive to the diversity of young people and staff.
7. Safeguarding, risk and
professional practice
-
To follow
Depaul UK safeguarding policy and procedures while working on site and to share
safeguarding concerns with Depaul UK as part of normal working practice.
Brandon Centre staff will also have access to Brandon Centres internal
safeguarding and clinical support structures.
-
To
identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding, welfare and risk concerns
in line with organisational, professional and statutory requirements.
-
To
maintain clear professional boundaries, sound judgement and appropriate
confidentiality in a complex multi-agency and supported accommodation
environment.
-
To work in
accordance with HCPC and/or other relevant professional codes, standards and
ethical frameworks.
8. Monitoring, evaluation, reporting
and information governance
-
To
maintain accurate, timely and confidential records in accordance with Brandon
Centre policies, professional standards and agreed partnership arrangements.
-
To use
relevant systems to record consultation, training and reflective practice
activity and to contribute to monitoring, reporting and evaluation
requirements.
-
To
contribute to data collection, feedback, outcome monitoring and service
learning, and to support use of this information to improve practice.
-
To work in
line with data protection requirements and agreed data-sharing arrangements,
recognising that Brandon Centre and Depaul UK are joint data controllers for
the project.
9. Supervision, service development
and professional responsibilities
-
To engage
in regular professional supervision and continuing professional development in
line with service requirements and the standards of the postholders
professional body.
-
To
maintain and develop specialist knowledge and skills relevant to consultation,
training and psychologically informed practice within young peoples supported
accommodation and related services.
-
To
contribute to service development and quality improvement within Brandon
Centres contribution to the Depaul UK partnership.
-
To work
autonomously within the remit of the role, while recognising the limits of own
competence and making appropriate use of supervision, consultation and support.
-
To attend
relevant meetings and partnership activity as required, work flexibly and
collaboratively in a developing partnership, and undertake other duties
commensurate with the role in discussion with the line manager.
Person Specification
Personal Qualities and Other Requirements
Essential
- Commitment to Brandon Centre values of compassion, inclusion and respect
- Ability to work independently and manage a varied workload across multiple sites
- Ability to work collaboratively and constructively within a partnership model
- Emotional resilience and ability to remain thoughtful, containing and reflective in the face of distress, complexity and uncertainty
- Flexible, creative and professionally boundaried approach to consultation-based work
- Ability to build trusted, dependable and collaborative working relationships across teams and partner organisations
- Good reflective capacity, including awareness of own competencies and appropriate use of supervision and support
- Commitment to reflective practice, supervision and continuing professional development
- Willingness and ability to work in person across Depaul UKs Islington sites and within agreed on-site procedures
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working psychologically with young adults with a range of emotional and mental health difficulties in community-based or equivalent settings
- Experience of working with young people affected by trauma, homelessness, care experience, migration, refugee or asylum experiences, placement instability, social exclusion or multiple disadvantage
- Experience of providing consultation, training and/or reflective support to staff teams
- Experience of supporting staff teams to embed psychologically informed or trauma-informed approaches in day-to-day practice
- Experience of working collaboratively in partnership with voluntary sector, housing, youth, supported accommodation or multi-agency services
- Experience of contributing to service development, monitoring, evaluation or outcome measurement
Desirable
- Experience of working in hostels, supported accommodation, homelessness services or PIE settings
- Understanding and experience of issues related to refugee care and homeless young people
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Knowledge of trauma-informed, attachment-informed and psychologically informed approaches in work with vulnerable young people
- Knowledge of the Psychologically Informed Environment model and its application in supported accommodation or related settings
- Ability to provide psychologically informed consultation and guidance to staff supporting young people with complex needs
- Ability to deliver high-quality clinical supervision, reflective practice and training
- Ability to formulate complex emotional, relational and systemic presentations clearly and usefully
- Ability to support staff to think psychologically about trauma, adversity, transition, rupture, endings and move-on
- Ability to advise on referral pathways and the psychological aspects of risk without losing sight of professional boundaries and role remit
- Knowledge of safeguarding, confidentiality, consent, information governance and professional boundaries in partnership and multi-agency settings
- Understanding of homelessness, supported accommodation and the developmental needs of young people moving towards independence
- Ability to communicate complex psychological ideas clearly, accessibly and appropriately to different audiences, including frontline staff, managers and partner professionals
- Ability to maintain appropriate records and contribute to data collection, monitoring and reporting
- Knowledge of culturally responsive, anti-discriminatory and inclusive practice
Qualifications
Essential
- UK-recognised doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology with substantial relevant experience
- Registration with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Additional formal training relevant to trauma, attachment, consultation, supervision, group facilitation or psychologically informed environments
Person Specification
Personal Qualities and Other Requirements
Essential
- Commitment to Brandon Centre values of compassion, inclusion and respect
- Ability to work independently and manage a varied workload across multiple sites
- Ability to work collaboratively and constructively within a partnership model
- Emotional resilience and ability to remain thoughtful, containing and reflective in the face of distress, complexity and uncertainty
- Flexible, creative and professionally boundaried approach to consultation-based work
- Ability to build trusted, dependable and collaborative working relationships across teams and partner organisations
- Good reflective capacity, including awareness of own competencies and appropriate use of supervision and support
- Commitment to reflective practice, supervision and continuing professional development
- Willingness and ability to work in person across Depaul UKs Islington sites and within agreed on-site procedures
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working psychologically with young adults with a range of emotional and mental health difficulties in community-based or equivalent settings
- Experience of working with young people affected by trauma, homelessness, care experience, migration, refugee or asylum experiences, placement instability, social exclusion or multiple disadvantage
- Experience of providing consultation, training and/or reflective support to staff teams
- Experience of supporting staff teams to embed psychologically informed or trauma-informed approaches in day-to-day practice
- Experience of working collaboratively in partnership with voluntary sector, housing, youth, supported accommodation or multi-agency services
- Experience of contributing to service development, monitoring, evaluation or outcome measurement
Desirable
- Experience of working in hostels, supported accommodation, homelessness services or PIE settings
- Understanding and experience of issues related to refugee care and homeless young people
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Knowledge of trauma-informed, attachment-informed and psychologically informed approaches in work with vulnerable young people
- Knowledge of the Psychologically Informed Environment model and its application in supported accommodation or related settings
- Ability to provide psychologically informed consultation and guidance to staff supporting young people with complex needs
- Ability to deliver high-quality clinical supervision, reflective practice and training
- Ability to formulate complex emotional, relational and systemic presentations clearly and usefully
- Ability to support staff to think psychologically about trauma, adversity, transition, rupture, endings and move-on
- Ability to advise on referral pathways and the psychological aspects of risk without losing sight of professional boundaries and role remit
- Knowledge of safeguarding, confidentiality, consent, information governance and professional boundaries in partnership and multi-agency settings
- Understanding of homelessness, supported accommodation and the developmental needs of young people moving towards independence
- Ability to communicate complex psychological ideas clearly, accessibly and appropriately to different audiences, including frontline staff, managers and partner professionals
- Ability to maintain appropriate records and contribute to data collection, monitoring and reporting
- Knowledge of culturally responsive, anti-discriminatory and inclusive practice
Qualifications
Essential
- UK-recognised doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology with substantial relevant experience
- Registration with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Additional formal training relevant to trauma, attachment, consultation, supervision, group facilitation or psychologically informed environments
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
