Job summary
At Oakdale CIC we are seeking a highly motivated Clinical Psychologist to join our thriving adoption support service. In this role, you will be responsible for providing specialist trauma and attachment assessments, neurodevelopmental assessments, and therapeutic interventions for adopted children and their families. Opportunities for further training in both assessment tools and therapeutic interventions are available.
Main duties of the job
The role involves conducting specialist trauma-informed assessments for adopted children, young people, and adults (aged 4-25) along with their families or carers. This includes neurodevelopmental assessments for conditions like ADHD and Autism, particularly for those with early developmental trauma histories. Assessments are developed and communicated using conceptual and psychological frameworks, especially attachment theory, to children, parents/carers, social workers, and other professionals.
Providing compassionate care that emphasizes empathy, kindness, respect, and dignity is fundamental to this role. The professional must prioritize their workload effectively to achieve goals set in collaboration with the Clinical Psychologist and perform any other tasks deemed appropriate. This position requires a balance of independent initiative and collaborative efforts to ensure the highest standard of care and support for adopted children and their families.
About us
The Oakdale Centre Community Interest Company (CiC) was established over twenty years ago and is highly regarded as a professional therapy provider for adults as well as children and their families. As a not-for-profit organisation our focus is always on the goal of doing the best job we can to help people who come to us for therapy in their time of need.
Oakdale has recently enjoyed a period of growth within our adoption support service where we offer high quality assessments and interventions to adoptive children and their families across Yorkshire. Oakdale is also passionate about supporting families with neurodiverse children and offers holistic assessments to consider attachment and trauma, alongside neurodevelopmental conditions (ADHD, Autism and Learning Disabilities).
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Conduct specialist trauma-informed assessments for adopted children and young people (aged 4-25) with their families/carers.
2. Conduct trauma-informed neurodevelopmental assessments (ADHD, Autism) for children, young people and adults where there is a history of early developmental trauma.
3. To develop and formulate childrens presenting areas of difficulty or difference, and effectively communicate this to the child, parent/carer, social worker and other professionals as appropriate by drawing on conceptual and psychological frameworks, commonly using attachment theory.
4. Provide therapeutic interventions to support adopted children and their families.
5. To work collaboratively with post-adoption social workers, schools, and other professionals.
6. Interpret and integrate psychometric measures to assist with assessment, formulation, and evaluation of intervention.
7. To support the ongoing evaluation of all interventions provided within the adoption support service through ongoing support and guidance for colleagues around the use and interpretation of psychometric measures.
8. Participate in supporting the MDT in reviewing referrals and devising an assessment or intervention proposal for families.
9. Produce high-quality assessment and intervention summary reports, written from a strengths-based and formulation driven perspective.
10. Where appropriate provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients formulation and treatment plan.
11. To participate in regular clinical supervision.
12. To participate in service development initiatives.
13. To offer clinical supervision to an Assistant Psychologist.
14. To maintain accurate case records on Oakdales case management system, including clinical observations, clinical notes, tests and other associated data according to Oakdales operating procedures.
15. Be responsible for ensuring that any clinical activity and that of colleagues under your supervision are entering data in a timely and accurate way.
16. To provide all clinical assessments and interventions in line with Oakdales policies and operating procedures.
17. To maintain adherence to NICE guidelines and Oakdales clinical standards
18. Undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
19. The post-holder will provide compassionate care that is based on empathy, kindness, respect and dignity.
20. To prioritise own workload in order to achieve goals agreed and reviewed at intervals with the Clinical Psychologist.
21. Any other tasks deemed appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
22. Postgraduate doctorate qualification in clinical or counseling psychology (or equivalent)
23. HCPC registration as practitioner psychologist
Experience
Essential
24. Postgraduate doctorate qualification in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent)
25. HCPC registration as practitioner psychologist
26. A working knowledge of child and adult safeguarding legislation
27. Experience / knowledge of routine clinical outcomes monitoring
28. Experience / knowledge of clinical risk assessment
29. An excellent communicator with strong interpersonal and team working skills
30. The ability to use a computer competently, with a broad base of IT skills
31. The ability to work on your own initiative and prioritise workload
32. Strong literacy and report writing skills, with excellent accuracy and attention to detail
33. Passion for supporting individuals who have experienced early life trauma and their parents or families
Desirable
34. Knowledge of developmental trauma and in supporting families with children who are looked after/adopted
35. Experience of delivering specialist assessments in trauma and attachment, Autism, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, complex needs and/or challenging behaviours
36. Experience of managing complex caseloads and applying a range of interventions