Open Positions

 

Clinical Psychologist (recently qualified)

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Do you want to work with children, young people and families? This is an exciting opportunity to work across two highly successful multidisciplinary teams, both based at our main office in Huddersfield. We are seeking a highly motivated and dedicated psychologist to work within, and contribute to the development of both teams.  

 

The Socrates Multidisciplinary Assessment and Review Team (SMART) is an established team that specialises in undertaking assessments with children and young people with complex presentations. This includes autism spectrum conditions (ASC), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Sensory Processing Differences and learning difficulties. The team is committed to putting the best interests of the child/young person first and in gaining a better understanding of their needs through comprehensive assessment, diagnosis (if appropriate) and developing needs led plans. Our assessments follow best practice recommendations including NICE guidelines. They involve consideration of differential diagnoses (such as attachment difficulties/speech and language difficulties, learning difficulties) and children/young people are observed in more than one setting. The team includes a range of  experienced professionals including clinical psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and an educational practitioner. We also undertake some assessments jointly with a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. The team is also supported by an assistant psychologist and SMART team assistant. The SMART team are commissioned to undertake assessments in a variety of ways including self-funded assessments, those commissioned through health insurance companies, referrals from local authorities and we have also previously completed contacts for a variety of local NHS teams. The families of all children and young people who are given a diagnosis are offered a follow up appointment to ask any questions and sign post to appropriate support and we are also asked to provide additional post diagnostic support or therapy.            

 

Socrates Psychological Services has a long and established history of supporting children, their families and carers and the teams around children to thrive. We have specialised in supporting children who are looked after or who have experienced developmental trauma. We have also provided services to SEMH schools and residential schools within the west Yorkshire area, helping teaching staff within their role. We are proud that our outcomes include reduction of restrictive practices within these settings and an increased understanding of why children have SEMH needs within the services we support. Some of this comes from the dyadic developmental approach, therapeutic parenting approach and trauma informed schools approach. We are keen for a recently qualified clinical psychologist to join our existing team which consists of consultant clinical psychologists, play therapists, IPT therapists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists.

 

Part time working will be considered but we are looking for someone who can work a minimum of 3 days. Salary would be in the range of £44,000 -£50,000 per year pro rata dependent on years qualified and level of experience.

 

Main duties of the role

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• To contribute to the provision of screening appointments for neurodevelopmental conditions including the provision of verbal and written feedback and appropriate recommendations for next steps.

• To participate in high quality multidisciplinary assessments for autism and ADHD with children and young people up to their 19th birthday. This might include undertaking developmental histories, observations both in clinic and in school/other social settings, use of self-report measures and questionnaires, undertaking and interpreting cognitive assessments, use of the QBCheck, participating in diagnostic discussions and feedback appointments.   

• Production of high-quality assessment reports with recommendations for ongoing support.

• The clinician will provide a range of psychological interventions for children, young people, adults and families. This will also include school staff and multiagency working with social and care services.

• To provide evidence based psychological interventions, providing psychologically informed evaluation, formulation, decisions and treatment plans.

• To work closely with other agencies to provide evidence-based consultation and interventions. This can be one off consultations or it can be longer term consultation and interventions.

• To ensure effectiveness within your own caseload as well as supporting and supervising other practitioners within Socrates psychological services and the wider services we work with.

• To adhere to nice guidelines for any assessments completed and interventions provided.

• To participate in the anticipated service development that will accompany this role. Although this is an existing service we hope that any new psychologists will be able to, with support and supervision, take on and develop their own specific role according to their interest.

• To provide training and supervision to staff and team members as requested. The team have previously provided training around understanding autism and working with children and young people with autism, therapeutic parenting training to staff teams, training around attachment and bonding and have a rolling program of school staff training regarding different topics as requested by the schools.

• To contribute to audit and research undertaken within the teams.  

• To provide governance for all clinical input and outcomes.

 

Person specification

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Essential

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• Post graduate doctoral qualification in any psychology field (clinical, counselling, forensic or educational).

• HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist.

• Experience of specialist assessment and intervention with a variety of different client groups across a range of different settings such as outpatient, inpatient, primary care and community settings.

• Experience of undertaking assessments/clinical histories that include consideration of developmental milestones.

• Previous experience of working with children/young people with autism/ADHD/learning disabilities and their families.

• Experience of undertaking observations of children/young people in school, other social settings or in psychology appointments.  

• Knowledge of the difficulties faced by children and the systems around children who have experienced developmental trauma, adoption or being looked after.

• Well developed skills to communicate effectively both orally and in a written format in order to share complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information with children/young people, their families and other professionals.   

• To be comfortable working in a fast paced and varied role.

• A good understanding of safeguarding, risk assessment and the legislation and guidelines around these.

• Therapy skills gained through doctoral level education for example CBT, ACT, CAT.

 

Desirable

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• Experience of working within a neurodevelopmental assessment service.

• Experience of autism/adhd specific assessment methods such as the DISCO, ADI-R, ADOS-2, QBCheck.   

• A good understanding of the educational system.

• A good understanding of the work of social workers, residential care home staff and foster carers.

• A knowledge of therapeutic parenting.

• A knowledge of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy.

• Experience of delivering training.

• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team.

• Experience of delivering evidence based MDT assessments and a knowledge of differential diagnosis.

 

What we offer

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• Working across two friendly and supportive teams.

• A specific work space.

• Dedicated full time administrative support.

• Free car parking.

• Kitchen with good facilities.

• Dedicated clinic space.

• Team social events.

• Supervision from a range of specialists to suit your needs.

• General team CPD events and training.

• In the future there is also the potential for specific training to be completed such as in the ADOS-2/ DDP.

 

For informal discussion about the role please contact with Dr Samantha Walker, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and DARTS team lead or Dr Amanda Gill, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and SMART team lead. 

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