Senior PsychologistNHS

Job summary

At YMCA Robin Hood Group, we provide warm, loving, Ofsted registered homes across the East Midlands and Yorkshire where the children in our care receive the therapeutic care they need to heal and thrive.

As a not-for-profit organisation, children are always our priority.

Our unique, trauma-informed, therapeutic care model sets us apart, putting well-being before profit every time.

We are seeking a Senior Psychologist to join our in-house team. You will be instrumental in ensuring the children in our care receive the highest level of support but also support our staff by delivering training and supervision to ensure their well-being and growth.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a passionate, values-led Senior Psychologist to join our childrens residential care service, to provide a high-quality therapeutic and psychological service to children in our homes. Due to the unique nature of our work, this role would suit someone from an education, counselling or forensic psychology background.

The primary purpose of this role will be to promote the mental health, safety and wellbeing of children in our care.

Key aspects of the role are supporting our teams to recognise and address the needs of children in our care through consultation, reflective practice, training and development and providing therapeutic support to young people where appropriate.

Whilst this role is primarily within the Childrens Residential Service, you will also lead on a really exciting pilot project with a local secondary school to support young people with their mental health and wellbeing. We hope this will lead to further projects where we can replicate this programme with other schools, benefiting more young people in our local community.

Job description

Job Title -Senior Psychologist

Department -Clinical Services

Responsible to -Chief Operating Officer

Location - Based at our main office in Newark, with regular travel between our locations across Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire and on occasion, country wide (with ability to drive and access to own vehicle)

Hours -37.5 hours per week (additional hours, weekend and bank holiday working may be required to fulfil requirements of the post)

Salary -£67,000 per year

Job Purpose

The Senior Psychologist leads the clinical services team. The team primarily provides assessment and therapy for children and consultation and training for care teams in childrens homes. The team also promotes a trauma-informed approach in supported housing services and other YMCA services and delivers a schools wellbeing service.

Overall Responsibilities:

• Responsible for managing and continuing to develop clinical services in therapeutic childrens residential care, ensuring high-quality assessments, therapy and therapeutic care of children in our care. This is delivered directly by the clinical services team, and indirectly through consultation with and training of care teams
• Delivery of the schools wellbeing programme, and any other therapeutic programs aligned to YMCA RHG's objectives
• People management responsibility for the psychologists and therapists in the Clinical Services team

Principal Clinical, Strategic & Operational Responsibilities:

• Responsible and accountable for the clinical care provided by the YMCA Robin Hood Group (YMCA RHG)
• Lead the development of effective clinical governance within the YMCA RHG, including clinical audit, complaints management, policy writing and other quality assurance measures across the entire organisation
• Provide operational management to the clinical services team, undertaking regular one to ones, setting clear objectives, monitoring progress, ensuring appropriate cover, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality service, whilst acting as a role model and demonstrating strong leadership
• Be responsible for workforce planning including recruitment and selection and retention within clinical services
• Take responsibility for the professional education, development, and training of all clinical staff and other staff requiring clinical support
• Maintain, develop, and nurture the current therapeutic and psychological services within Childrens Residential Care and Supported Housing, including oversight of and direct involvement in psychological assessments, placing and matching new referrals, interventions, clinical reflections and consultations to the care teams, and other associated duties
• Support the development of new services within Childrens Residential Care offering new therapeutic environments and homes, as well as additional therapeutic services for the community and other areas of the business
• Deliver the YMCA RHG schools wellbeing programme, empowering school staff to use a trauma-informed approach to support children
• Raise the profile of YMCA RHG Residential Services and Clinical Services among the wider community and professional communities, providing the highest standards of care and opportunities for shared learning and development
• Ensure that effective systems are in place to continuously review and evaluate services and to plan for improvements in relation to the Ofsted inspections and Childrens Homes Regulations, and any other regulatory bodies and requirements (including but not limited to HCPC, BACP, UKCP services or accreditations and any future CQC registration)
• Work closely with psychologists, therapists, mental health professionals, and operational professionals within our services and embed a trauma informed approach across our services, including development of further support for our staff
• Devise and deliver training and workshops to staff across the organisation.
• Represent YMCA RHG at sector/regional/national events
• Take the lead role for clinical risk management, ensuring policies and practices comply with legislation and quality standards
• Facilitate a culture of learning throughout the services

Legal Framework

Work within the parameters of the HCPC, the Childrens Home Regulations (England) 2015, the Childrens Act 1989/2004, Care Standards Act 2000, Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, Equality Act 2010 and associated guidance including Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 and Every Child Matters.

Line Management Responsibility

All members of the Clinical Services team including psychologists and/or therapists.

Responsibilities for all Staff, Casual Workers, and Managers

Ambassador for YMCA Robin Hood Group

To act as an advocate and ambassador of the group; promoting and exemplifying the groups values, mission, vision, and ethos and to positively and proactively protect the groups reputation.

Other Duties

To undertake any other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by your Line Manager. To work in a flexible way to ensure that workload is completed and to undertake any other jobs commensurate with the seniority of the post.

Discretion to Act

To exercise discretion in the performance of the duties of the post, to use best practice and to ensure the effective and efficient use of resources.

Relationships and Confidentiality

To establish, maintain and enhance team-working with colleagues and staff of the group and to keep confidential all information about individuals and the business of the group. Any breach of confidentiality will be treated seriously and may lead to dismissal.

Health and Safety

To adhere to the groups Health and Safety policies at all times.

Our Values

Character counts. We are committed to building teams of staff and volunteers who share our uncompromising dedication to supporting one another and our community.

We Seek Out

We never stop looking for ways to transform lives for the better.

We Welcome

We respect, support, and protect without fail. Everyone is included, and everyone belongs.

We Inspire

We build and rebuild peoples confidence in their own strength, and foster conviction in everyones potential.

We Speak Out

We stand up for whats right, advocate when needed, and encourage people to find the power of their own voice.

We Serve Others

We are committed to the wellbeing of others in mind, body and spirit, and to fair and equitable opportunities for all.

Our North Star An expression of our YMCAs mission, vision and values. Every team within our YMCA is united under one shared ambition our North Star. We will work relentlessly to ensure all children and young people:

• Have the developmental relationships and close connections that help them discover who they are
• Develop the strengths and abilities to shape their own lives
• Learn how to engage with and contribute to the world around them

YMCA Robin Hood Group is committed to promoting diversity and practicing equality of opportunity alongside ensuring the protection of children and adults at risk. A completed application form will be required during the recruitment process and will be cross checked against the CV provided. Any discrepancies or gaps in employment will require verification as part of the offer process. The recruitment process aims to create and maintain a safe workforce and contains robust vetting procedures. The successful applicants will be appointed subject to references, relevant DBS check and other pre-employment checks. To be successful in your application, you will be subject to a rigorous safer recruitment process and must adhere to a strict code of conduct regarding your behaviour at all times.

All positions are subject to subject to references, relevant DBS check and other pre-employment checks.

About us

Our Clinical Services team work relentlessly to provide looked-after children the therapeutic care they need to recover, grow and thrive.

We work with compassion and dedication to create and deliver nurturing clinical care, with homes, environments and support that enable children to build connections, discover their strengths and shape their own futures.

We also extend our services across the organisation and with local partners to support the overall wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.

We recognise each child as an individual, with their own interests, challenges and ways of understanding the world. Our department meets children where they are and provides the psychologically informed care that they need to grow their capabilities and engage and contribute to the world around them.

If you are driven by the empowerment and children who have faced significant trauma - and are committed to unlocking their development and wellbeing - this is where your work can make life-changing impact.

YMCA Values, North Star and Ethos To support and embody our group values: We Serve, We Inspire, We Welcome, We Seek Out and We Speak Out. To work with dedication towards our shared North Star strategy, for the positive development of all children and young people.