Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is growing and changing. We provide specialist mental health, learning disability and community services across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, and we’re hiring people who want to shape what comes next. Formed on 1 April 2020 through the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, we’re now focused on the future with a new Trust Strategy and our Best for the Black Country programme. What we do · Adult and older adult mental health · Children and young people’s mental health · Specialist learning disability services · Community healthcare for children, young people and families in Dudley Why join now · We’ve got real momentum right now. New strategy, clear priorities and our Best for the Black Country work mean things are moving in the right way, fast. · Our values aren’t just posters. People are genuinely compassionate, take responsibility, treat you with respect and help you feel confident and empowered. · You’ll be looked after. Flexible working, family-friendly policies, supportive teams, proper wellbeing support and chances to learn with coaching and development. · There’s room to grow. Loads of services to explore and real space to try ideas and be heard. · It’s a good place to live. Friendly diverse communities, easy transport, good schools and colleges, shopping, food, lots to do, plenty of green space and a lower cost of living than many other city regions. What it’s like to work here You’ll join friendly, skilled teams who look out for each other. We plan together, share caseload pressures, and celebrate wins. New starters get a warm welcome and clear induction; early careers colleagues have preceptorship and buddying; experienced staff can lead, teach and innovate. You’ll have space to do good work, speak up, and see the difference you make. Who we are We’re 4,000 colleagues from many backgrounds, committed to improving health and wellbeing for our communities and for each other. If you’re excited about the role but don’t tick every box, please apply. We value potential and transferable experience. Job overview Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and young people in care? We are looking for a dedicated and innovative Band 7 Psychologist to join our dynamic Looked After Children’s Team. This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of a trauma-informed service, providing specialist psychological support to some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community. If you thrive on collaboration, value creativity in clinical practice, and want to help shape positive futures, we’d love to hear from you. As part of a multidisciplinary team, you will provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation, and intervention for children and young people with complex developmental, emotional, and relational needs. You will work closely with carers, social workers, and other professionals to deliver trauma-informed care. This role offers the chance to provide consultation and training to colleagues and partner agencies and support the implementation of evidence-based approaches. You will also have opportunities for clinical supervision and professional development. Advert Provide specialist psychological assessments for children and young people in care, using a range of evidence-based tools and approaches. Develop and deliver individualised formulations and interventions, tailored to complex developmental, emotional, and relational needs. Offer consultation and advice to carers, social workers, and other professionals to support trauma-informed care planning. Contribute to multidisciplinary team working, ensuring psychological perspectives inform decision-making and care pathways. Deliver training and workshops for staff and partner agencies to enhance understanding of attachment, trauma, and resilience. Participate in service development and quality improvement projects, helping shape innovative approaches for looked after children. Provide clinical supervision to assistant psychologists and trainees, supporting their professional growth. Maintain accurate clinical records and reports, ensuring compliance with professional and organisational standards. Engage in audit, research, and evaluation activities to inform best practice and improve outcomes for children and young people. Working for our organisation Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is an organisation that cares for their staff. There is an extensive wellbeing offer to encourage staff to look after their emotional wellbeing and mental health. The Trust have a staff app that all staff have access to that also lists discounts that staff have access to in the high street. All psychologists and psychological therapists sit under the professional leadership of the Professional lead for psychology. There is a yearly 'Enhancing Connections' event for all psychologists and psychological practitioners across the Trust to meet for training, wellbeing and networking. CPD and training is important as part of professional development. Detailed job description and main responsibilities Please ee Job description and Person Specification for a full description of tasks and responsibilities as well as qualifications and competencies required for this post. Only applications meeting the person specification will be short listed. Applying and timelines We may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of applications, so please apply soon. We shortlist after the closing date and will contact shortlisted candidates usually within two weeks. If you haven’t heard by then, you haven’t been shortlisted. Please check your email for updates and contact Recruitment for feedback. Pay and contracts Most NHS roles are paid under NHS Agenda for Change. With us - your starting point is set against the advertised band and your relevant NHS service, with progression through annual increments. Medical and Very Senior Manager roles follow separate national pay frameworks, not Agenda for Change. Details are provided in each advert and during recruitment. Standards and checks · Clinical posts up to and including Band 4 are expected to hold the Care Certificate. If you don’t have it yet, we’ll support you to complete it in post. · Some roles require a Standard or Enhanced DBS check under part V of the Police Act 1997. Having a criminal record won’t automatically prevent employment. We consider the role and individual circumstances. · We are an equal opportunities employer, offer flexible working, and are a smoke free Trust. Inclusion, equality and adjustments · We are an equal opportunities employer and offer flexible working. · We are an anti-racist, disability-inclusive and LGBTQ-inclusive Trust. · We welcome applications from under-represented groups and people with lived experience relevant to our services, including Black and Asian colleagues, Disabled people (including non-visible disabilities such as neurodiversity and mental health) and LGBTQ people. · Disabled applicants can request consideration under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme where essential criteria are met. You can ask for reasonable adjustments at every stage of the process. Our culture and values Best for the Black Country is our improvement journey. We share a clear vision and values, lead with compassion and visibility, listen to every voice, keep improving what we do and take ownership for delivery. You’ll feel it in how teams support each other and in the impact your work has on local people. If you want to contribute, learn and progress, this is a great time to join us.