Job responsibilities
ClinicalResponsibilities
1.1 To provide expertise in a highly specialist clinical area which will contribute to services for Looked After Children. 1.2 To work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team. 1.3 To work as an independent and autonomous professional within BPS guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work. 1.4 To select and administer highly specialist psychological assessments including specialised psychometric assessment (including skilled manipulation of test material), neuropsychological assessments, self-report measures, as appropriate), structured observations, clinical interviews, and to interpret and integrate this highly complex data. 1.5 To formulate psychological treatment plans that are specific to each child and family, based upon an analysis of complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes contributing to the presentation, and selectively drawing on appropriate conceptual and theoretical models. 1.6 To deliver evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcome and modifying and adapting interventions drawing on a range of theoretical options. 1.7 To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans. 1.8 To be responsible for the provision of specified highly specialist psychological services with a range of care settings including mental health clinics, primary care, social services, education, residential units and family homes. 1.9 To be responsible for psychological interventions with parents/foster carers of referred children with a range of problems including behaviour and emotional disorders and difficulties, relationship difficulties, depression, eating difficulties, attachment disorders and difficulties, post-traumatic stress disorders and difficulties, enuresis/encopresis, aggression, self-harming, substance misuse or other risky behaviours to themselves and others. 1.10. To provide highly specialist psychological consultation and supervision to colleagues and others and to contribute to a psychologically informed framework within the service. 1.11 To communicate skilfully, tactfully and sensitively highly complex, sensitive and potentially distressing information with children, young people, parents, carers and colleagues taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication. 1.12 To provide psychological support to children and families who are experiencing (or have experienced) serious emotional trauma, bereavement, relationship difficulties or placement disruption, and also to provide support to parents, carers and staff working with such clients. 1.13 To travel to children's homes, community placements, and educational, social services or mental health settings within Lambeth as appropriate for the effective delivery of clinical services. 1.14 To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry and recording. 1.15 To ensure that all services provided are acceptable and accessible to the diverse communities which make up the catchment area of the service. 1.16 To develop and introduce effective interventions for Looked After Children, including emotional, behavioural and social support programmes for the children and their carers and to work towards more effective rehabilitation back to birth families where appropriate. 1.17 To act as care co-ordinator for a range of cases including high risk and extremely complex, ensuring the provision of a care package appropriate for the clients needs, co- ordinating the work of others involved, and to monitor progress in the course of multi- disciplinary interventions. 1.18 To provide specialist reports for court and to contribute to statutory Social Services Core Assessment procedures within a time-limited framework.
Teaching and Training
2.1 To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior clinical psychologist according to Trust guidelines. 2.2 To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within the Children Looked After Mental Health Team by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology and Child Protection and by developing and by implementing knowledge gained in practice. 2.3 To provide professional clinical and research supervision as well as managerial supervision to qualified clinical psychologists, assistant psychologists and trainee psychologists for all aspects of their work. 2.4 To provide specialist clinical and/or research placements to trainee clinical psychologists as 2.5 To provide advice, consultation, training and supervision to staff and parents/carers within the Looked After Children network across a range of settings including mental health clinics, primary care, social services, education, residential units and family homes. 2.6. To plan and undertake teaching and training of pre and post- qualification psychologists as appropriate. 2.7 To provide supervision for the psychological work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate.
Management, Policy and Service Development
3.1 To identify any aspects of CLAMHS which need to be improved and to advise service and professional managers on appropriate changes. 3.2 To contribute to the development and improvement of CLAMHS or other organisational issues through taking a lead role on appropriate service related projects. 3.3 To manage the workload of qualified, assistant and trainee psychologists. 3.4 To assist in the short-listing and interviewing of qualified and assistant psychologists as required. 3.5 To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and developing services for Looked After Children. 3.6 To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the Trust and Directorate clinical governance committee and to act as clinical governance linkworker as agreed by the Children Looked After Mental Health
Research and Service Development
4.1 To contribute to the development of services for Looked After Children through initiating and undertaking service evaluation and audit. 4.2 To undertake computer-based literature reviews and carry out research relevant to the service and/or Looked After Children in general and provide advice and supervision to other staff undertaking these. 4.3 To contribute to the development of outcome measurement and participate in the implementation of the use of same. 4.4 To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through service feedback, presentations and published articles. 4.5 To utilise psychological theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual psychological work with children and families, and work with other team members. 4.6 To participate in agreed audit projects and to participate in service improvement based on the findings.
General
To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice with children and families, and of relevant legislation and policies. 5.2 To examine independently and critically all aspects of work to ensure they comply with the British Psychological Societys Code of Conduct, the Division of Clinical Psychology Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures. 5.3 To maintain record keeping as required by the professional codes of practice of the BPS as well as Directorate policies and procedures. 5.4 To participate fully and implement standards devised from Trust's clinical and research governance
