Job summary
Hounslow CAMHS Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is seeking to recruit 3 Assistant Psychologists to work within our schools-based early intervention mental health team. We support children/young people (CYP) with mild-to-moderate low mood, anxiety and behaviours that challenge within mainstream school settings. We offer a range of interventions and work in a creative way to support our mainstream schools to implement a Whole School Approach to mental health.
We are seeking 3 enthusiastic applicants who have an interest in working with CYP within educational settings, who are flexible and creative and interested in service development and improvement. You will be joining a welcoming schools based mental health team in Hounslow, West London NHS Trust who are committed to service improvement, staff well-being, and who value diversity and inclusion in our workforce.
Main duties of the job
This role involves embedding the Whole School Approach (WSA); through co-facilitating workshops for parents and staff, delivering targeted and universal groups to primary and secondary school pupils and providing evidence based interventions where possible. There is also an expectation to support with service evaluations and audits of the interventions offered within the team, and preparation of data for quarterly data submissions. There are also ample opportunities to work on service development within the team, supporting the roll out of new approaches, and monitoring its impact.
The post holder will receive regular supervision from a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist within the team who will ensure adherence to professional guidelines and the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
- Work experience with families, children or adults with mental health difficulties and/or neurodevelopmental conditions
- Experience of clinically relevant research or audit.
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience of working within a Health, Education or Social Care setting.
- Experience of teaching and training, or group work.
- Experience of working with families from different cultural contexts.
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems, other disabilities, and social difficulties.
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health and social care context
- An understanding of psychology applied to health and social care
- Experience using computers for databases or data-analysis, for example Excel, SPSS for Windows
Desirable
- Knowledge of the issues of conducting research/evaluation in the context of multi-agency teams.
- Knowledge of using Routine Outcome Measures
Skills
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- Ability to communicate and relate well to children, young people parents and carers
- Ability to plan and organise own workload
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
Desirable
- High standard of report writing.
- Experience of having written research and/or evaluation reports and papers
Personal qualities
Essential
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
- An ability to interact with children, young people and families who have complex needs and may be hard to engage.
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
- Willingness to work flexibly when necessary
- Commitment to working collaboratively with team colleagues to support innovative ways of working.
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multi-cultural framework, with people with a diverse range of backgrounds.
- An interest in working with people with social and mental health/health difficulties or disabilities.
- An interest in service development and research and a passion for evidence-based practice.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
Desirable
- A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
- Work experience with families, children or adults with mental health difficulties and/or neurodevelopmental conditions
- Experience of clinically relevant research or audit.
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience of working within a Health, Education or Social Care setting.
- Experience of teaching and training, or group work.
- Experience of working with families from different cultural contexts.
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems, other disabilities, and social difficulties.
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health and social care context
- An understanding of psychology applied to health and social care
- Experience using computers for databases or data-analysis, for example Excel, SPSS for Windows
Desirable
- Knowledge of the issues of conducting research/evaluation in the context of multi-agency teams.
- Knowledge of using Routine Outcome Measures
Skills
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- Ability to communicate and relate well to children, young people parents and carers
- Ability to plan and organise own workload
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
Desirable
- High standard of report writing.
- Experience of having written research and/or evaluation reports and papers
Personal qualities
Essential
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
- An ability to interact with children, young people and families who have complex needs and may be hard to engage.
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
- Willingness to work flexibly when necessary
- Commitment to working collaboratively with team colleagues to support innovative ways of working.
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multi-cultural framework, with people with a diverse range of backgrounds.
- An interest in working with people with social and mental health/health difficulties or disabilities.
- An interest in service development and research and a passion for evidence-based practice.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
Desirable
- A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology
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).
