Clinical Psychologist Preceptorship

Job responsibilities

PALMS works across Hertfordshire, providing a specialist multi-disciplinary approach. PALMS is one of the Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) which offers individually tailored support for children and young people (CYP), aged 0-18 who have an intellectual disability and/or who are autistic, helping families to manage behaviours of concern, toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns which have not benefitted from community interventions and/or to support mental health needs which cannot be met with reasonable adjustment by other CYPMH services.

Interventions include intervention workshops, intervention groups, individual therapy, parent as therapist sessions, and a family clinic. PALMS aims to keep children and young people with their families thereby improving outcomes for all family members. PALMS predominantly applies narrative, systemic, positive behaviour, and bio-psycho social models adhering to the STOMP / STAMP and Transforming Care Agendas.

PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to service needs and personal circumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.

We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.

Afull valid driving licenceandaccess to a carinsured to use for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010). Applicants to be aware that PALMS work within the ULEZ zone and any charges due to non-compliant vehicles cannot be reimbursed by the Trust.

Interviews will be run either in person at one of our bases or using Microsoft Teams, full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.

Closing date:Midnight 19th April 2026

Interview date:27th April 2026

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology. Two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan development psychology as accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS
• Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
• Further specialist post-qualification training relevant to the Children and Young People and/or ASD and LD population
• Formal training in supervision of trainee clinical psychologist
• Evidence of continued professional development as recommended by the BPS

Other Specifications

Essential

• Willingness to uphold the Trust's values
• Eligible to live and work in the UK
• Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
• Willingness to travel to alternate locations to provide services

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with a wide variety of populations, across the whole course of presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the treat of physical abuse.
• Significant experience of working with people with an intellectual disability and with people who are autistic in a range of settings and/or significant experience of working with children and young people.
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and within the context of a multi- disciplinary care plan
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision of trainee clinical psychologists
• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working and inter-agency collaboration

Desirable

• Experience of service quality monitoring i.e. clinical audit, evaluative research etc.
• Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of applied behaviour analysis and positive behaviour support.

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
• Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and /or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
• Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
• Knowledge of child development, child and adolescent mental health and a range of therapeutic models
• Well developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups i.e. personality disorders, dual diagnosis, people with intellectual disabilities etc
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and national policies
• Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour

Personable Abilities

Essential

• Ability to work with children & young people whose behaviour is personally challenging
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships and boundaries with young people
• Ability to provide a therapeutic environment which contributes to young people's healthy development (including sexual)
• An interest in, and commitment to, working with children who have an intellectual disability and/or are autistic and/or have mental health difficulties.
• Values that match positive behaviour practices.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships
• Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently
• Ability and willingness to work flexibly including evenings and weekends.
• Good organisational skills and an ability to manage competing service demands.
• Capable of using initiative and maintaining professional boundaries
• Ability to concentrate for prolonged periods
• Ability to use supervision appropriately and effectively
• Ability to lead and work as part of a 'virtual team'

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).