Practitioner Psychologist
Salary: £57,000 – £67,000 (approximately equivalent to NHS Band 8a, dependent on experience)
Location: Cambian Group – Merida, Newmarket
Join us in shaping our Therapeutic Service
We are looking for a compassionate, creative and motivated Practitioner Psychologist to join our developing Specialist Mental Health Service (SMHS) at Merida.
This is a rare opportunity to be part of an evolving and ambitious therapeutic service supporting looked after children and young people with complex emotional and mental health needs. At Merida, we are committed to creating environments where young people feel safe, understood, connected and genuinely cared for — and where clinicians are empowered to innovate, collaborate and make meaningful change.
Our service supports young people who may not meet criteria for inpatient admission, but who require intensive therapeutic support within a psychologically informed residential setting. Many of the young people we support have experienced significant trauma, relational adversity and disruptions to care, and present with high levels of emotional distress and risk.
Merida consists of:
• Four residential homes on one therapeutic campus (supporting up to five young people in each home)
• A specialist intermediate home for short-term stabilisation and assessment
• An on-site school (Dunbroch School)
• Outdoor and therapeutic spaces that support holistic development and wellbeing
This is an exciting period of development for the service, with a newly developing clinical model, expanding MDT and strong focus on embedding trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming practice throughout the organisation. This is an ideal opportunity for a psychologist who enjoys dynamic environments, values authentic therapeutic relationships and wants to make a lasting difference in the lives of looked after young people. We are particularly passionate about clinicians who value relationship-based practice, curiosity, compassion and creativity in their work with young people.
About the Role
As Practitioner Psychologist, you will be a valued part of a multidisciplinary team including psychiatry, psychology, nursing, occupational therapy, education and residential care colleagues.
This is a varied and rewarding role where you will have opportunities to provide direct therapeutic work, consultation, reflective practice, formulation-led support, training and service development.
You will:
• Deliver evidence-based psychological interventions for children and young people
• Develop collaborative formulations and therapeutic care plans
• Complete assessments, including risk assessments and recommendations
• Support teams to integrate psychologically informed approaches into everyday care
• Provide consultation, training and reflective spaces for residential colleagues
• Help shape a therapeutic culture grounded in trauma-informed and strengths-based practice
• Supervise and support junior clinical colleagues
• Work collaboratively with external professionals, families and networks around the young person
• Contribute to innovative service development and clinical leadership initiatives
We would love to hear from psychologists who have:
• Experience working with care-experienced children and young people
• Experience within residential care, CAMHS, inpatient or complex mental health settings
• Confidence supporting young people who present with high levels of distress and risk
• Experience delivering DBT-informed approaches alongside at least one other therapeutic modality
• Skills in formulation, consultation and multidisciplinary working
• Experience or interest in supervision, reflective practice and service development
• A warm, collaborative and resilient approach to clinical work
Most importantly, we are looking for someone who is passionate about assisting with vulnerable young people’s healing journey, improving outcomes and who wants to help shape a genuinely therapeutic service.
At Merida, you will have the opportunity to:
• Be part of an evolving and ambitious specialist service
• Work within a highly collaborative MDT
• Influence service design and clinical culture
• Develop innovative therapeutic approaches within residential care
• Support young people to build safer, healthier and more hopeful futures
• Contribute to meaningful, systemic and relational change