Clinical/Forensic Psychologist

Job responsibilities

The Model

ABLs innovative 6-stage Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) model offers a holistic person-centred approach to assessing and meeting the needs of children and young people and their families. We offer an intensive period of support, often over many months, with an average of 4-hours per day of contact time. Our intent is to bring about long-term behaviour-change and then to step back having equipped clients and/or their families to implement a consistent and sustainable behaviour-plan across all relevant settings:

1. Assessing and Understanding Risk

2. Client Story and Formulation

3. Behaviour Plan and Support Plan

4. Intervention

5. Maintenance

6. Outcomes and Reporting

We originally identified Learning Disability and Autism as the likely primary focus of the service. As the service has developed, however, we have identified significant unmet need and opportunity in areas including mental health, self-harm, suicide ideation, foetal alcohol syndrome, placement breakdowns, family dysfunction, eating disorders, criminal behaviours, and substance misuse.

The current staffing model for IPS anticipates one or more staff members working with an individual young person, child or family. Some cases require staff to client ratios of 2:1 or more and many cases rely on the availability of a range of high-level skills and competencies.

Our income is derived from agreed packages of support commissioned by Local Authorities or CCGs at prices determined by the level of delivery resource deployed in each case, as well as the amount of central resource (including psychological, managerial, administrative, educational, medical, and MDT support) required for safe delivery and a successful outcome.

Our Values:

The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are:

People Powered

Bold

Effective

Thoughtful

Job Purpose:

Working as part of the Intensive Personalised Support (IPS) management team, the Clinical/Forensic Psychologist is responsible for providing effective clinical guidance and support across all of IPS operations alongside our Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. The appointee will work with management colleagues and delivery teams to ensure that the service is at the cutting edge of excellence and that outcomes for clients are demonstrably better than would otherwise be the case.

In addition to providing robust clinical guidance to the IPS service, there will be opportunities to provide expert advice and support to other ABL services that are focused on behavioural change, as well as ample opportunities for career development.

Working primarily in adolescent mental health the Clinical/Forensic Psychologist will work within a supportive multidisciplinary framework and team including Behaviour Analysts and PBS practitioners that provide support in domestic, residential, educational, and vocational settings to people with learning disabilities, autism, and/or behaviour that challenges and adolescent mental health include suicide ideation and self-harm.

The Clinical/Forensic Psychologist will also assess needs, strive to reduce distress, and work to improve the psychological wellbeing of clients and/or their families who may have a variety of mental or physical health conditions.

As a person-centred company, who strive to develop individuals, we are open to applications from individuals who are still in training but near to qualification.

Duties and Responsibilities, whilst maintaining a focus on SAFETY:

1. To work in partnership with clients to assess their needs, difficulties or behaviours using a variety of methods, including psychometric tests, interviews, liaison with other professionals, and direct observation.

2. To work with individuals, including children, adolescents and adults, as well as families, couples and groups; liaising as necessary with other professionals such as social workers and GPs in order to deal with complex issues.

3. To co-develop psychological formulations in a way that is understandable to clients, their families, and the teams supporting them.

4. To deliver, exercising autonomous professional responsibility as appropriate, therapy and intervention for a range of difficulties, using appropriate standardised measures to assess and to monitor change.

5. To guide, supervise and/or support teams working with clients with complex behavioural needs, challenging behaviours, and/or emotional and psychological needs.

6. To work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team to facilitate and contribute to a psychological understanding of behaviours and presentations and to attend and fully engage with multi-disciplinary meetings.

7. An active member of MDT to support complex case discussions and share knowledge and best practice.

8. Be aware of new and innovative approaches to managing complex cases and new service developments and promote these effectively within the organisation.

9. To work and communicate effectively with colleagues and clients, as well as the systems and staff that support them and in which they function, whilst personally tracking and completing agreed actions within agreed timescales.

10. To develop and provide training to teams and other professionals to facilitate an understanding of psychological issues and to promote a psychological approach to their work.

11. To contribute, leading where appropriate, to the evaluation and improvement of service provision for clients and to the development of systems that support better outcomes.

12.Be able to contribute to the CPD of the service, through the dissemination of knowledge and skills.

13. Be able to contribute to the CPD of the service, through the dissemination of knowledge and skills.

14.Possess competence in assessing, formulating and working therapeutically with clients in the service area.

15.Have an up to date knowledge of legislation and its implications for the profession and the client groups we work with.

16. To maintain records, written and/or digital, enter timely and accurate data, and produce reports in accordance with professional and best practice guidance and ABL standards.

17. To engage with regular professional supervision, CPD, and appraisal and to maintain a comprehensive understanding of current developments in the field of Positive Behaviour Support and related disciplines.

In all of the above, the Clinical/Forensic Psychologist will understand and engage with all relevant Governance systems, particularly Caldicott and Information Sharing principles, Safeguarding, DATIX Incident Reporting, and Risk Registers.

This is a demanding job, but you will not be on your own. ABLs highly experienced and professional multi-disciplinary team of Health and Social Care professionals, Business Intelligence, Service Development, Governance, Finance and Business Development specialists are there to support.

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• - Knowledge of and expertise of implementing Positive Behaviour Support strategies
• - Clinical therapy skills - Experience using CBT skills to address a range of clinical and/or forensic issues. An awareness of other modalities and how they may be applied to the current population.
• - Be able to identify and proactive resolve problems and challenges within the service.
• - Able to ensure that psychological understanding is accessible to all including teams and users of the service
• - Knowledge and understanding of NICE guidelines and best practice interventions for a variety of conditions
• - Excellent team working skills-the ability to not only work 1:1 but have confidence in working systemically across teams and services. Consulting and liaising with other professionals to ensure holistic, seamless, and collaborative services
• - Able to identify, innovate and implement new ideas that support service users
• - Ability to develop and deliver training
• - Current awareness of national and regional health and social care policy and delivery issues for people with learning disabilities and family carers
• - Able to work with clients and their families to enable long lasting strong relationships
• - Ability to write high quality reports
• - Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work closely with a range of staff in a multi-disciplinary team (MDT)
• - Ability to analyse and disseminate complex information to a range of audiences, and to provide written and verbal reports
• - Actively acts as a role model in own behaviour and fosters a non-discriminatory culture.
• - Maintain high quality in all areas of practice including effective team working; using a range of evidence based psychological approaches

Desirable

• - Have an up to date knowledge of legislation and its implications for the profession and the client groups we work with.

Job Specific Requirements

Essential

• - Values driven, ambitious to improve the lives of people across all ABL Healths services
• - Ability to access supervision appropriately as per professional guidelines
• - Enthusiastic and committed to the principles of positive behaviour support.
• - Quality driven and able to challenge
• - Diligent and well organised
• - Sound values base in respect of the rights of vulnerable people, particularly those who present with behavioural challenges
• - Effectively communicates, at both written and oral level, complex and sensitive information, taking into account the recipients.
• - Maintains the highest standards of integrity when communicating with staff, clients, family, carers and other professionals.
• - Positive attitude, resilient and innovative.
• Effective time and organisational skills; able to plan, manage and prioritise own workload

Qualifications

Essential

• - Doctorate (or equivalent) in Clinical/Forensic Psychology
• - Registered with the HCPC
• - 2 years post qualification experience
• - Able to assess, formulate and deliver appropriate interventions to afford behavioural change
• - Working with and supporting people whose behaviour is described as concerning or challenging
• - Evidence of continued professional development

Desirable

• - BPS Chartered
• - Qualification and experience in supervising others
• - Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (or Higher)
• - Family Therapist
• - Mental Health Qualification

Experience

Essential

• - 2 years post qualification experience
• - Experience of working with children and young people with a Learning Disability and or Autism and those that may be socially excluded
• - Experience (either pre-training, on training, or subsequently) of working with clients with complex needs that are relevant to the population in the service area.
• -

Desirable

• - Experience of working cross-organisation to achieve outcomes

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).