CAMHS Assistant Psychologist (N&S AAFS)NHS
Job summary
We are seeking an assistant psychologist to join our specialist CAMHS team of psychologists. The post holder will assist in the delivery of specialist assessment, formulation, intervention, and consultation for young people who present with high levels of risk (to self, to others, and/or from others). They will take on a variety of roles/duties, including:
o Clinical support (comprehensive assessments of risk, diagnostic/cognitive assessments, psychological interventions including CBT, DBT, AIM)o Research support (research projects/bids, service development, publications, literature reviews)o Administrative support (managing databases, clinical governance, preparing resources, arranging appointments)o Team duties (e.g., participation in reflective practice, consult, anti-racism and anti-oppression group, team meetings)
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will assist practitioner psychologists in their work with young people and families, who present with high-risk behaviours. This includes supporting the delivery of evidence-based assessment, including psychometrics, cognitive assessments, structured risk assessment; contributing to formulations of risk; delivering adapted individual/group interventions (e.g. CBT/DBT/AIM) for the young person, parent/carer, and/or professionals; and assisting in teaching/consultation to professionals. The post-holder will further be required to produce high-quality clinical resources and contribute to written assessment reports (including for court) and related service developments/audit/research projects, as well as support the team with clinical governance and their coordination of referrals/discharges.The post-holder will require highly developed verbal and written communication skills and show initiative to work independently under close supervision of a psychologist. They should be committed to providing high standards of care, and an ability to think creatively about overcoming barriers (individual/systemic) to engagement.
Job description
The post-holder will assist practitioner psychologists within the Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service to deliver a high-quality service to young people and their families across the UK. The key responsibilities and duties are outlined below:CLINICAL CARE To deliver clinical work as required by the service, under the direct guidance/close clinical and professional supervision of a practitioner psychologist. This will include assisting the team in the delivery of specialist assessments and interventions with young people with complex mental health difficulties and high risk/offending behaviour. To assist with preparation of written reports for CAMHS, professionals, and court referrers (including reviewing and summarising relevant background information), under the close supervision of a practitioner psychologist. To administer, score, and interpret the findings of cognitive and psychometric assessments, in addition to completion of standardised structured assessments of risk (including violence, harmful sexual behaviour, and child criminal/sexual exploitation). To support in the organisation, delivery, and write-up of clinical/informant interviews of young people, their families, and their professional networks. To organise and deliver direct therapeutic work with young people, parents/carers, and/or professional networks (e.g., CBT, DBT, AIM, reflective practice), under the close supervision of a practitioner psychologist. This can also include group interventions/workshops. To develop clinical resources to support the team to deliver clinical intervention to young people and their families. To organise and cofacilitate consultations with professionals around high-risk behaviours and concerns, under the close supervision of a practitioner psychologist. To attend and contribute to clinical meetings with professionals (e.g., social workers, teachers, placement staff, mental health professionals). To support the team in their coordination of referrals and discharges, including the presentation of cases and leading on the communication with families. To participate in clinical supervision with a qualified psychology colleague. To assist in clinically related administration as required (e.g. meeting minutes, arranging contact with families and professionals).RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT To contribute to research proposals and funding bids for the service. To support the service in the organisation, planning, delivery, and evaluation of scientific research and systematic reviews, including data collection and analysis, literature reviews, statistical analysis, and write up, under the close supervision of a practitioner psychologist. To contribute to the dissemination of the teams research and service evaluation findings (e.g., written and oral presentations, posters, published articles). To support the team to carry out relevant service evaluation and audit projects (e.g., patient experience, Tendable audit). To support the team to develop innovative and high-quality projects to improve service development. To attend and contribute to the teams monthly journal club. To be willing to work with Experts by Experience to co-produce and co-facilitate any service-related research projects.TEACHING AND TRAINING To support qualified psychologists in the delivery of teaching and training (e.g., to students/trainees at the IOPPN, professional groups, newly recruited staff/trainees). To participate in demonstrating work methods to newly recruited Assistant Psychologists and to support their development of necessary skills.TEAM EXPECTATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS Attending and contributing to the weekly team meeting (e.g., updating team members on known risk information and/or any clinical issues). Attending and contributing to team reflective practice. Attending and contributing to team consult (e.g., bringing self/clients for discussion, delivering mindfulness exercises, being an observer, recording meeting minutes). Attending and contributing to the teams Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression group. Attending and contributing to case presentation meetings. To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse and minoritized backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.INFORMATION AND CLINICAL GOVERNANCE To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures. Under the supervision of the practitioner psychologist, to maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry. To maintain any service databases through the regular inputting of data, as well as performing appropriate data analysis and producing reports as required. To support the team to maintain good clinical governance across their work (e.g., notifying and supporting in the completion of risk assessments, care plans, outcome measures, and other data quality indicators).
About us
The Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service is a national, specialist service within the SLAM NHS Foundation Trust. We work with young people aged 10-18, their families, carers and professional networks, offering evidence-based assessment and intervention using CBT, DBT and systemic models. Many of the young people in our service present with emerging personality difficulties, complex trauma and/or neurodiversity (autism, ADHD and/or intellectual disability),whose complex needs may exceed what is available to them within their local CAMHS services.The team is currently made up of clinical psychologists, a forensic psychologist, a social worker, DClinPsy trainees, MSc students and assistant psychologists. The team is actively involved in research and we have close links with the IoPPN, King's College London, and their Doctoral Training Programme in Clinical Psychology. We regularly take trainees on placement, provide teaching to the cohorts, and supervise research theses.