Clinical Psychologist (Full Time)

Clinical Psychologist – Children in Care

THERAPEUTIC & EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICE (TESS)

Grade D (Agenda for Change Band 7 Equivalent)

1 Full time at 36.5hrs working with our Early Support Team

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Clinical Psychologists, with a keen interest in supporting children and young people in care and those who have left care, to join a developing Psychology Team within TESS.

TESS is an emotional wellbeing service that offers assessment and a wide range of individual, dyadic and group interventions to Birmingham’s children in care, their parents/foster carers and care leavers up to the age of 25 years. The post holder will help to develop and extend the current psychology offer to care experienced young people, to make a meaningful difference to their lives.

The role will involve supporting children and young people who have experienced early adversity and present with attachment/complex trauma related difficulties, and will include those with learning disabilities or neurodevelopmental needs. TESS also provides consultation and support to the professional network. Psychology have played a significant role in developing and delivering face-to-face and more recently virtual training/workshops to staff groups and foster carers. Teamwork and multiagency work are crucial to this role.

The post holder will be joining a friendly, supportive, very well established and highly regarded multi-disciplinary team comprising Clinical Psychology, Systemic Family Therapy, Play and Art Therapy, and other therapeutic Social Workers trained in a variety of models (e.g. DDP, CBT, DBT, etc). A wide range of approaches and models are utilised within the service to best meet the needs of the individual child and/or family, and innovative and creative working is encouraged. CPD is well supported through regular clinical supervision and both internal and external training opportunities. 

There will also be opportunities for the post holder to shape service delivery and to work creatively to develop and implement new ways of working.  TESS are keen to develop the service evaluation and research activity within the service, to contribute to the evidence base in this field, as well as working from the established evidence base.

TESS are a city wide service, typically providing services from our office and therapy bases in the city centre, or within the community as appropriate (home visits, schools, community bases, etc). Under normal circumstances the post holder would be expected to travel between sites.

The key components of this job will be to provide:

• A high quality psychology service to children in care & care leavers, including those who present with additional learning and/or neurodevelopmental needs, their families, carers and other professionals involved in their care.
• Specialist comprehensive assessments, formulations and interventions drawing on a range of psychological models & approaches.
• Supervision of undergraduate psychology students or trainee psychologists as appropriate depending on experience.
• Psychological support and reflective space to other colleagues in the team.
• Consultation and training to parents, carers and other professionals / agencies.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for further details.  Please note, all applicants must have a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and be HCPC registered. We are a large and diverse service, and particularly welcome applications from Black & Minority Ethic backgrounds, and candidates who represent the communities we serve.

In order to be considered for this role please include a supporting statement demonstrating how you meet the competencies required as outlined in the attached person specification.  

For more information please contact Lee Vince, TESS Head of Service or: [email protected] or Marie Kershaw, Consultant Clinical Psychologist: [email protected]  

Help us to change children and young people’s lives!

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work - be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment - enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development - benefit from tailored development programs, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits - take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, Local Government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people.

We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development.

Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people.

The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people.

We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.