91567 - Counselling Psychologist- Psychology Services- Youth Custody Directorate
Youth Custody Service Registered Counselling Psychologists
To build upon the existing Counselling Psychology Service for children in custody, Psychology Services for HMPPS Youth Custody Service (YCS) are currently recruiting HCPC Registered Counselling Psychologists to be based in HMYOI Werrington (Stoke-on-Trent) and HMYOI Wetherby (Yorkshire).YCS is a geographically dispersed directorate which accommodates all boys and girls under 18 years in custody across England and Wales in a variety of different settings. YCS Psychology Services provide a spectrum of services across all sites and has staff based in all YOIs.
Successful applicants will be part of an established team committed to working with children in custody which includes Counselling, Forensic, Clinical, Occupational and Educational Psychologists plus Family Therapists. Successful applicants will have no line management responsibilities and will work alongside the current Senior Counselling Psychologist and our team of Counselling Psychologists in Training placements.
YCS collaborates with NHS England in the delivery of the SECURE STAIRS framework for integrated care and the post-holder will be part of a vibrant multi-agency team driving forward a trauma-informed approach for working with often the most complex children in our society.
Whilst motivation and the required resilience to work with children is essential, experience of working with children is only desirable as full training and support will be provided plus ongoing opportunities for CPD. Successful applicants will also be part of the wider HMPPS Psychology Services Group (PSG) which creates a range of opportunities across other populations and functions.
All HCPC Registered Counselling Psychologists are therefore encouraged to apply or for an informal discussion please contact YCS Psychology Services who will put you in touch with one of the team – we look forward to hearing from you YCS.Psychology@justice.gov.uk
Overview of the job
This is a non-operational offender facing job.
Summary
The job holder will be working with prisoners, people on probation and staff and applying their competence in psychology to reduce the risk of harm and of re- offending by undertaking a range of work including risk assessment of prisoners, conducting research, providing consultancy and delivering training for staff and assessment and interventions for offenders.This is non-operational and non rotational offender facing job.
This job holder will be able to provide designated support and supervision to trainee psychologists.
Responsibilities, Activities and Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
Offer authoritative professional advice on targets and objectives for relevant offenders and advise on the best location for those offenders (both within the establishment or relocation to another category establishment)
Offer professional opinion to teams conducting reports e.g. lifer reports, parole reports
Develop strategy and plans of activity for some areas of operation e.g. manages the organisation of relevant programme assessments or manages assessment and interviews those with an indeterminate sentenceProvide consultancy support to colleagues such as the SMT or other teams in relation to psychology services and outcomes.
Conduct relevant research including data gathering and analysis
Responsible for providing supervision to trainee forensic psychology staff
Provide training, mentoring and support to trainee psychologists and other staff (e.g. interventions staff).
Can be required to provide professional (designated) supervision of trainee’s e.g. professional Supervision to ensure that a trainee is able to develop through the key steps towards chartered and registered status.
Ensure staff are developed in accordance with key competencies and gateways and ensuring consistency across the team in the application of policies and procedures affecting staff and prisoners
Lead on risk assessment and resulting risk management
Participate in risk assessment of offenders to determine their risk of harm to self, others and the risk of reoffending. May undertake Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) and self-harm assessments.Can be required to deliver and/or oversee the quality of programmes (treatment management). These will be of the more complex type requiring such qualified input
Provide consultancy role on specialist area e.g. Working with those convicted of Sexual Offending Strategy or Indeterminate Sentenced Prisoners (ISP) Strategy
Act as a negotiation adviser where suitable and competence has been demonstrated
Act as a “professional witness” in parole board hearings, multi-agency meetings, and other formal settings where psychology input is required. May also act as expert witness in respect of court proceedings for Ministry of Justice.Maintain own Continued Professional Development (CPD) and registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.