Job summary
We are delighted to be advertising for a full time Assistant Psychologist to support the work of Schools Mental Health Innovation and the Maudsley Education Consultation Service (MECS). This is a new role in a developing area within Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust.
There is exciting work already happening in our SLaM boroughs within Mental Health Support Teams in schools, as well as creative work co-occurring within schools led by National and Specialist CAMHS Teams. Part of the Schools Innovation and Consultation work is to support coordination and sharing of good practice across all these existing teams, but also to develop new innovations where there are gaps. One innovation is MECS - a collaboration between educators, CAMHS clinicians, other school mental health and wellbeing providers (including MHSTs), researchers, parents and students, and youth-focused community organisations. It involves the implementation of a comprehensive mental health needs assessment to inform mental health and wellbeing priorities for education providers. The Teacher Exchange for Advice and Support (TExaS) project is a research project that aims to help teachers support the CYP in their classrooms who have mental health difficulties through providing training and practical support via an online platform. This work is led by a Consultant Psychiatrist and senior researchers in Kings College London.
Main duties of the job
Although the key tasks for this postholder will be within the schools' work, they will have supervision with a Consultant Clinical Psychologist from MECS and have opportunities to develop their clinical skills within the Croydon Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service under a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and with a cohort of psychology peers.
The postholder will have two roles: to support the development and implementation of school mental health innovations; and to develop their clinical experiences in a community team with some opportunities in a national and specialist CAMHS team.
The first role will include coordinating (with senior support) clinical school innovation projects and research work in schools. This will involve attending meetings with NHS and education and charitable organisations, meeting school stakeholders (parents students, and staff) and will require good liaison skills and team working. Part of this role will also include conducting focus group work with teachers and school staff, to inform the development of an online psychoeducation programme for staff to support student mental health.
There will be additional new school innovations, which the post holder would support. There will be scheduled opportunities for clinical development in a community CAMHS team (Croydon) alongside a cohort of psychology peers.
About us
The postholder will do some home working within this role. They will be required to travel to various schools, community mental health services in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark and to the Maudsley for meetings. This is the location of the Trust headquarters at Denmark Hill, less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2) and is within walking distance from the beautiful green spaces of Ruskin park and the vibrant high-street that offers great shopping opportunities and with a wide range of restaurants.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To support coordination of schools work across the CAMHS borough teams and National and Specialist Services and Kings College academic department. This will include setting up and attending meetings, writing minutes, liaising with mental health colleagues and teachers and developing relevant resources.
- To support new schools innovations work with MECS, including the TExaS project, involving running focus groups, developing training materials, supporting development of the online platform for teachers. Other innovations may include for example supporting school governor training by preparing resources.
- To support the pilot and implementation phases of the Maudsley Education Consultation Service ensuring smooth collaboration between schools, the MECS team and community engagement partners.
- To gain clinical experience in Croydon CAMHS. This includes supporting team assessments, writing summaries and contributing to diagnostic reports, and supporting clinical interventions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To support coordination of schools work across the CAMHS borough teams and National and Specialist Services and Kings College academic department. This will include setting up and attending meetings, writing minutes, liaising with mental health colleagues and teachers and developing relevant resources.
- To support new schools innovations work with MECS, including the TExaS project, involving running focus groups, developing training materials, supporting development of the online platform for teachers. Other innovations may include for example supporting school governor training by preparing resources.
- To support the pilot and implementation phases of the Maudsley Education Consultation Service ensuring smooth collaboration between schools, the MECS team and community engagement partners.
- To gain clinical experience in Croydon CAMHS. This includes supporting team assessments, writing summaries and contributing to diagnostic reports, and supporting clinical interventions.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A First-class or Upper-second-class Bachelors degree with Honours in Psychology or an equivalent conversion course that is accredited by the British Psychological Society and confers the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society.
Experience
Essential
- Sufficient post-graduate experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs in CAMHS.
- Post-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits.
- Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience.
Desirable
- Experience of working in/ with schools.
- The Trust encourages and welcomes applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges. We see this as valuable and recognise the positive impact this experience can have on the work we do.
Understanding and Knowledge
Essential
- Graduate level knowledge of psychological research methodology and statistical analysis.
- Good theoretical knowledge of the problems experienced by and needs of young people and of methods of assessment, treatment and support.
- Awareness of racial and diversity issues, e.g., through attendance at relevant training.
Desirable
- Good theoretical knowledge of qualitative research methods.
- A good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and skills in statistical data analysis (SPSS).
Skills
Essential
- Skills in relevant psychological assessment and interventions that enable working as a pre- qualified practitioner with clinical supervision.
- Well-developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex information to clients, families, teachers and colleagues.
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data.
Desirable
- Skills in providing or supporting teaching and training provided by psychologists or others to other professional groups.
- Skills in working clinically in the NHS or in educational settings.
- Skills and experience in publishing and disseminating research.
- Skills in developing or using online platforms to support people with mental health problems.
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work effectively within a multi- disciplinary team, participating in effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- Ability to identify and follow relevant clinical governance procedures.
- Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions.
- Ability to communicate complex, sensitive or contentious information to people.
- Ability to manage verbal abuse and hostility directed at self.
Desirable
- Ability to carry out research or clinical audit and familiarity with research methods relevant to treatment evaluation.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A First-class or Upper-second-class Bachelors degree with Honours in Psychology or an equivalent conversion course that is accredited by the British Psychological Society and confers the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society.
Experience
Essential
- Sufficient post-graduate experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs in CAMHS.
- Post-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits.
- Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience.
Desirable
- Experience of working in/ with schools.
- The Trust encourages and welcomes applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges. We see this as valuable and recognise the positive impact this experience can have on the work we do.
Understanding and Knowledge
Essential
- Graduate level knowledge of psychological research methodology and statistical analysis.
- Good theoretical knowledge of the problems experienced by and needs of young people and of methods of assessment, treatment and support.
- Awareness of racial and diversity issues, e.g., through attendance at relevant training.
Desirable
- Good theoretical knowledge of qualitative research methods.
- A good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and skills in statistical data analysis (SPSS).
Skills
Essential
- Skills in relevant psychological assessment and interventions that enable working as a pre- qualified practitioner with clinical supervision.
- Well-developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex information to clients, families, teachers and colleagues.
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data.
Desirable
- Skills in providing or supporting teaching and training provided by psychologists or others to other professional groups.
- Skills in working clinically in the NHS or in educational settings.
- Skills and experience in publishing and disseminating research.
- Skills in developing or using online platforms to support people with mental health problems.
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work effectively within a multi- disciplinary team, participating in effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- Ability to identify and follow relevant clinical governance procedures.
- Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions.
- Ability to communicate complex, sensitive or contentious information to people.
- Ability to manage verbal abuse and hostility directed at self.
Desirable
- Ability to carry out research or clinical audit and familiarity with research methods relevant to treatment evaluation.
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.
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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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.
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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
