Senior Counselling Psychologists Youth Custody Service

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Overview of the job

This is non-operational prisoner facing job

Summary

The job holders covered by this job description are usually categorised as specialists in their field or those whose role requires significant additional experience, training and personal development.

The job holder will largely excel in the area of individual prisoner risk assessment or be a specialist in a specific area such as working with sex offenders. At this level the jobholder may have responsibility for the key specialist tasks involved in the delivery of a programme or related individual case management which would also entail overseeing the quality of delivery and supervision. They will also provide direction and support for other supervisors. This is a non-operational and non-rotational job.

The job holder will be working with complex prisoners and prison staff and applying their experience and competence in the area of psychology to reduce the risk of harm and re-offending by undertaking complex risk assessment of prisoners, conducting research, providing consultancy and delivering training for staff and interventions (individual and group) for prisoners.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

Reviews cases and reconsiders the professional advice given by other psychologists on the potential release of serious prisonersConducts full case reviews on difficult cases and offers authoritative advice on next steps relating to sentence planSpecialises in delivery of psychology services in settings such as therapeutic community wingsLead and supervise and facilitate group sessionsOffers professional opinion to multi functional teams conducting offender reports e.g. risk reports, parole reports on high risk or vulnerable prisonersDevelops and/or strategies such as sex offender or indeterminate sentence prisoner assessment and intervention strategyDelivers and supervises (treatment management) the delivery of more complex programmes e.g. healthy sexual functioningProvides consultancy support to colleagues such as an establishment Senior Management Team (SMT) in relation to psychology services and outcomesConducts relevant research including data gathering and analysisAct 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 JusticeResponsible for managing and providing professional supervision to trainee forensic psychology staffProvides supervision, training, mentoring and support to trainee psychologists and where relevant other staff such as interventions staffAssist in national specialist tasks such as training on courses related to their specialist disciplineProvides professional supervision to support a trainee in developing through the key steps towards chartered and registered status. This may be as a coordinating or designated supervisorEnsures 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 offendersLeads on risk assessment and resulting risk management of complex, vulnerable or high risk prisoners. Will be competent to undertake the full range of risk assessments including the more complex risk assessments. Gives feedback of the assessment to the prisoner and other stakeholdersContributes to other offender management processes (usually with more complex cases in work such as Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) assessments and self harm or personality disorder assessments)Provides consultancy role to wider team on their specialist activity. Visit a range of sites to advise on complex casesAct as a negotiation adviser where suitable and competence has been demonstratedManage own Continued Professional Development (CPD) requirements and maintains professional standardsEnsure they maintain their professional Health Professions Council (HPC) registrationProvide a psychological contribution to the work of areas of the regime such as a therapeutic communityProvide psychological reports when requested for life sentence prisoners and to submit within the appropriate time frameworkResponsible for relevant accreditation audit baselines as detailed in the audit documentLine management of trainee psychologists

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 Welsh

Behaviours

Making Effective DecisionsLeadershipCommunicating and InfluencingWorking TogetherDeveloping Self and OthersManaging a Quality ServiceDelivering at Pace

Essential Experience

Possess a professional background in one of the following disciplines: Psychotherapy, Psychology, Psychiatry, NursingExperience in providing clinical supervisionCompleted relevant training in effective models of treatment and best practiseThey are likely to also be a Chartered Psychologist and Full member of the appropriate division of the BPS if the post requires it.

Technical Requirements

The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.