Job summary
We are delighted to be recruiting to a fixed-term (1 year) Band 8a Senior Clinical Psychologist post within the Early Child Development (ECD) Pathway in Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD).
This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified Clinical Psychologist with experience in neurodevelopmental assessment to join a dynamic, multidisciplinary team supporting children in their early years across Devon. The role will contribute directly to reducing autism assessment waits, working alongside colleagues to deliver compassionate, timely and holistic care.
If you are a compassionate Clinical Psychologist who thrives in multi-agency environments and wants to be part of an evolving and purposeful early years service, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
As a Senior Clinical Psychologist within the ECD Pathway, you will:
Play a key role in delivering and supporting autism assessments for children under 5.
Work in close partnership with a multi-agency team, including paediatricians, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and early years practitioners.
Lead and contribute to multidisciplinary formulation and diagnostic discussions.
Provide consultation and psychological insight within a neurodevelopmental framework.
Contribute to service development and support system improvement in neurodevelopmental care.
Travel across Devon to work from bases inSouth, North and Mid Devon, ensuring equitable access and consistent practice.
This post is ideal for someone with strong skills in neurodevelopmental assessment and a passion for early child development, who is confident working within multidisciplinary teams and ready to make a meaningful impact in a fixed-term role.
We Offer
A supportive, innovative, and growing pathway focused on early years care.
Opportunities to deepen clinical expertise in autism assessment and neurodevelopmental formulation.
Regular clinical supervision, CPD opportunities, and access to professional networks across CFHD.
A flexible working culture, with hybrid options available where appropriate.
A chance to contribute to meaningful service improvement, helping to shape sustainable approaches to early years assessment.
About us
Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) comprises an Alliance of NHS organisations working together to improve health outcomes for children and young people in Devon.
CFHD provides integrated care and treatment for children and young people across physical and mental health which are provided by Torbay and South Devon Foundation Trust and Devon Partnership Trust. We are working closely with other organisations and providers to ensure we deliver locality and county-wide based integrated access to all of our services, based on the i-Thrive Framework.
CFHD works closely with our local universities of Plymouth, Exeter & the Peninsula Medical School where we support students in clinical training placements and in addition support our own staff to undertake post graduate training.
Our integrated care and treatment has been developed and refined in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers.
Our children and young people say
We would like the people who work for Children and Family Health Devon to be understanding, patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make us feel safe and comfortable. It is important that they use their skills and experience to listen carefully in a non-patronising and non-judgemental way. When staff are positive and friendly, they help to create an environment that is informal and without pressure.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent e.g. Masters level qualification in Clinical Psychology if qualified before 1996.
- Active registration as a Practitioner Psychologist with the HCPC.
- Post qualification specialist therapy/assessment training relevant to children and young people.
- Post qualification training or proven equivalent experience in supervision
Experience
Essential
- Experience of undertaking specialist psychological assessments and therapeutic interventions for CYP with a wide variety of mental health problems and/or neurodiversity and/or learning disability, reflecting all levels of clinical severity; including risk assessments of self-harming/dangerous/challenging behaviour.
- Experience of teaching and/or training
- Experience of delivering clinical supervision
- Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality
Desirable
- Experience of work in psychological interventions with children, young people and their families in a range of service settings or agencies
- Experience in undertaking leadership roles within clinical psychology services in the NHS, and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi-disciplinary, multi-agency contexts
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Essential
- Specialist knowledge of child development and the impact of adverse childhood experiences.
- Broad knowledge of psychological services; and of the services in the NHS where psychology is applied to the needs of children and young people
- Knowledge of psychometric assessment tools and their appropriate use
- Detailed understanding of relevant legislation (e.g. Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity, Section 25 of the Childrens Act)
- Advanced psychological assessment and formulation skills including risk assessment.
- Ability to travel across the geographical service area as required
Desirable
- Knowledge and experience of undertaking neurodevelopmental assessments, including Autism assessments
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent e.g. Masters level qualification in Clinical Psychology if qualified before 1996.
- Active registration as a Practitioner Psychologist with the HCPC.
- Post qualification specialist therapy/assessment training relevant to children and young people.
- Post qualification training or proven equivalent experience in supervision
Experience
Essential
- Experience of undertaking specialist psychological assessments and therapeutic interventions for CYP with a wide variety of mental health problems and/or neurodiversity and/or learning disability, reflecting all levels of clinical severity; including risk assessments of self-harming/dangerous/challenging behaviour.
- Experience of teaching and/or training
- Experience of delivering clinical supervision
- Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality
Desirable
- Experience of work in psychological interventions with children, young people and their families in a range of service settings or agencies
- Experience in undertaking leadership roles within clinical psychology services in the NHS, and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi-disciplinary, multi-agency contexts
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Essential
- Specialist knowledge of child development and the impact of adverse childhood experiences.
- Broad knowledge of psychological services; and of the services in the NHS where psychology is applied to the needs of children and young people
- Knowledge of psychometric assessment tools and their appropriate use
- Detailed understanding of relevant legislation (e.g. Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity, Section 25 of the Childrens Act)
- Advanced psychological assessment and formulation skills including risk assessment.
- Ability to travel across the geographical service area as required
Desirable
- Knowledge and experience of undertaking neurodevelopmental assessments, including Autism assessments
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).
