Job Description

Job Title: Assistant Psychologist

Band: 4

Responsible to: Health Team Manager

Department: Clare Lodge Health Team

Directorate: Children, Young People, and Families

Our Values
Behaviour How we will demonstrate this
behaviour
Professionalism We will maintain the highest By demonstrating compassion
standards and develop and showing care, honesty and
ourselves and others flexibility
Respect We will create positive By being kind, open and
relationships collaborative
Innovation We are forward thinking, By using evidence to shape the
research focused and effective way we work
Dignity We will treat you as an individual By taking the time to hear, listen
and understand
Empowerment We will support you By enabling you to make
effective, informed decisions
and to build your resilience and
independence

Job Purpose
Clare Lodge is a secure children’s home located on the outskirts of Peterborough. We
work within a trauma informed model of care with a group of children (12-18 females
only) who have been placed by the courts in order to secure their welfare and improve
their overall wellbeing. The unit is run by the local authority, and we operate as an in-
reach health team commissioned by NHSE and located onsite. Our work has developed
over the past 2 years, and we now have a large multi-disciplinary team consisting of
Psychiatry, Psychology, Nursing, AHPs and admin support. We are a supportive,
friendly, and committed team working within a wider team of local authority and
education staff. We are looking for like-minded staff to join us in helping us achieve
positive outcomes for the children placed with us.
 This post is for an Assistant Psychologist to be part of a multi-disciplinary team,
contributing to the effective implementation of the Attachment, Regulation Competencies
Framework at Clare Lodge. You will work under the supervision of a qualified
professional psychologist and the post will have a split between clinical work and
research and evaluation.

The ideal candidate will have a strong team work ethic, sense of accountability,
accompanied by an ability to work under considerable pressure at times. You should
possess excellent communication skills and be prepared to liaise with other
professionals as necessary.

We will provide the necessary support to ensure your development within your role. We
are keen to support and develop our staff through a clear career pathway and
encourage promotional opportunities within the Trust.

If you are looking for a new challenge, enjoy variety in your work and wish to be part of a
team striving to make a difference then we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical / Service Specific

1. To assist the delivery one to one/group interventions based on psychological
formulation.
2. Assist the multi-disciplinary team in meeting the needs of young people at Clare
Lodge through the formulation of care plans, attendance of relevant multidisciplinary
/multiagency meetings and support transitions and mobilities where indicated by the
formulation.
3. Support the implementation of the Attachment Regulation Competencies Framework.
4. To work alongside residential staff to support therapeutic interactions with the young
people.
5. Assist in clinically related administration, conducting audits, collecting data and
statistics, development of audit and/or research projects.
6. To work alongside the senior psychologist to complete testing for cognitive
assessments and report writing.
7. To undertake relevant assessments with young people and professionals.

Research & Service Evaluation

1. Obtain, collate and input data in order to provide the unit with high quality outcome
measures. This includes the BERRI, which is used across the unit.
2. To assist in the design, implementation and completion of audit and research
projects.
3. To undertake data collection analysis, production of reports and summaries using IT
and statistical programmes
4. To understand literature searches of evidence-based material and research to assist
the qualified clinical and counselling psychologists to deliver evidence-based practice
in their individual work and work with other team members.
5. To have a moderate awareness of and undertake research, service evaluation and
clinical audits as required.
Information Technology
1. Use Microsoft Office and iPad applications on a daily basis.
2. Use information technology to support in the completion of clinical tasks and
assessments and producing routine outcome measures.
3. Ensures that all records, manual and electronic, are kept in accordance with
guidance issued by CPFT.
4. Contribute to audits surveys as necessary to ensure service standards can be
accurately monitored.
5. Undertakes administrative tasks in relation to own work.

Training & Development

 To participate in regular supervision in accordance with good practice guidelines and
Trust policy.
 To participate in the Trust’s annual Appraisal process.
 To attend all relevant mandatory training as and when required to do so.

Quality & Patient Safety

 Protection of Children & Vulnerable Adults – To promote and safeguard the welfare of
children, young people and vulnerable adults.
 Implementation of NICE guidance and other statutory / best practice guidelines. (if
appropriate)
 Infection Control - To be responsible for the prevention and control of infection.
 Incident reporting - To report any incidents of harm or near miss in line with the Trust’s
incident reporting policy ensuring appropriate actions are taken to reduce the risk of
reoccurrence.
 To contribute to the identification, management and reduction of risk in the area of
responsibility.
 To ensure day to day practice reflects the highest standards of governance, clinical
effectiveness, safety and patient experience.
 To ensure monitoring of quality and compliance with standards is demonstrable within
the service on an ongoing basis.
 To be aware of the responsibility of all employees to maintain a safe and healthy
environment for patients/ clients, visitors and staff.

General
 To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues
in relation to both the specific client group and mental health.
 To comply with the Professional Codes of Conduct and to be aware of changes in
these. To maintain up to date knowledge of all relevant legislation and local policies
and procedures implementing this.
 To ensure that all duties are carried out to the highest standard and in accordance with
currently quality initiatives within the work area.
 To comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those
relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information
and to be aware of any changes in these.
 To comply at all times with the Trust’s Information Governance related policies. Staffs
are required to respect the confidentiality of information about staff, patients and Trust
business and in particular the confidentiality and security of personal identifiable
information in line with the Data Protection Act. All staff are responsible for ensuring
 that any data created by them is timely, comprehensive, accurate, and fit for the
purposes for which it is intended.

Equality & Diversity

The Trust is committed to equality and diversity and works hard to make sure all staff and
service users have access to an environment that is open and a free from discrimination.
As a Trust we value the diversity of our staff and service users, and therefore recognise
and appreciate that everyone associated with the Trust is different and so should be
treated in ways that are consistent with their needs and preferences.
Therefore all staff are required to be aware of the Trust’s Equality and Diversity Policy and
the commitments and responsibilities the Trust has to:
 Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct
prohibited by the Act.
 Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic
and those who do not.
 Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those
who do not.
We firmly believe that it makes good business sense to have a workforce representative
of the communities we serve and so encourage applications from all sections of the
community.

To be noted:
 This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities, and the post holder may be
required to undertake other duties, which fall within the grade of the job, in discussion
with the manager.
 This job description will be reviewed regularly in the light of changing service
requirements and any such changes will be discussed with the post holder.
 This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemption Order 1975)
and as such it will be necessary for a submission for disclosure to be made to the
Criminal Records Bureau to check for previous criminal convictions. The Trust is
committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff or users in line with its Equal
Opportunities Policy and policy statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders.
 Person Specification

Job Title: Assistant Psychologist

Band: 4

Responsible to: Health Team Manager

Department: Clare Lodge Health Team

Criteria Essential Desirable

 Further post graduate
Education /  An upper second-class
Qualifications training or a doctoral degree
honours degree or higher in
in relevant areas of
psychology
professional psychology,
 Entitlement to graduate
mental health practice and/or
membership of the British
research design and
Psychological Society
analysis.
 Experience of paid work in
Experience  Experience using databases
direct care provision.
or data-analysis.
 Experience of working with
 Experience of working with
children and adolescents.
people with mental health
challenges.  Experience of working in an
NHS mental health setting
 Experience of psychometric
testing and scoring.  Experience of assisting in the
production of audits or
service evaluation projects
 Experience of delivering
structured therapy
programmes
 Experience of completing
risk assessments
 Experience of report writing
 Experience of supporting
collation of research data as
part of routine service
delivery
 Experience using software
Skills & Abilities  Ability and willingness to
systems for databases or
reflect on work practice and
data analysis
be open to constructive
feedback
  Ability to manage stress and
to plan and prioritise
workload
 Ability to liaise with a clinical
team
 An understanding of the
needs and difficulties of
people with mental health
changes
 An ability to apply existing
psychological knowledge,
underpinned by theory to a
trauma focused context
 Ability to accept and use
supervision appropriately and
effectively
 Ability to recognise limits of
competence and seek
support when needed
 Ability to maintain a high
degree of ethical and
professional standards
Knowledge &  Able to demonstrate
Understanding commitment to high quality
care and service provision
 High level communication
skills (written and verbal)
including an ability to
communicate and work in
settings in which the
atmosphere may be highly
emotive.
 Ability to communicate
sensitive information to
patients, carers and
colleagues.
 An understanding of the
needs and difficulties of
people with mental health
challenges.
 An understanding of
Complex Trauma.
 An understanding of relevant,
evidence-based treatments
as detailed in NICE
guidance.
 Ability to understand
research materials.
 Ability to interpret research
data.
  To have knowledge of the
Attachment, regulation,
competencies framework.
 To have an awareness of the
SECURE STAIRS
framework.

Physical  To work in a secure

Requirements  environment.
 An interest in working with
Personal Qualities  An ability to interact
people with mental health
effectively with staff from all
problems or other disabilities.
disciplines.
 An ability to interact with
people with mental health
problems.
 Ability to work independently,
reliably and consistently with
work agreed and managed at
regular intervals.
Ability to travel across CPFT  A desire to explore a career
Other 
in Professional Psychology
locality sometimes at short
notice
 Ability to sit for long periods
 Positive approach
 Recognise people’s right to
privacy and dignity, treating
every person with respect
 Willingness to embrace
integrated model and new
ways of working.
 Willingness to be flexible in
approach and attitude
 Ability to accept and use
supervision appropriately and
effectively.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people
and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The
Trust believes in treating everyone with dignity and respect and encourages applications
from all sectors of the community. We guarantee an interview to candidates with disabilities
who meet the minimum essential criteria.