Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist

Job summary

22 Month Fixed Term Contract

An exciting opportunity has arisen to recruit a psychologist on Fixed term contract to join our community Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (FCAMHS). The FCAMHS community team base is in Peterborough and there is also a second base in Cambridge. The service is regional covering the East of England region (Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire).

This dynamic service will work in partnership with wider agencies to ensure integrated care provision across health, social care, education and youth justice to optimise the outcomes for children/young people who present with high risk and/or concerning behaviours and where mental health and/or neurodevelopmental concerns are suspected. The job will involve a mixture of advice and consultation and direct assessment work.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for the everyday delivery of our Mentalization-Based Therapy research pathway. Working closely with a research assistant, the postholder will insure the delivery of the research is in-line with Good Clinical Practice standards and adherent to the research protocol. They will responsible for supervising the assistant and reporting to the service Clinical Lead, and National team.

The post holder will be part of a multi-disciplinary team and will have the support of a Senior Leadership Team that includes a Consultant Psychologist and Consultant Psychiatrist. The postholder will have the opportunity to be part of psychology networks across the Trust and a specialist forensic peer supervision group. The post holder can offer Trainee Psychologist placements.

The post holder will provide a highly specialist psychology service to children/young people and their families/carers. The post holder will provide specialist psychological assessments for children/young people with highly complex presentations and psychological consultation to other professionals involved in their care. The postholder will also be expected to undertake service development projects and research as agreed with the Psychological Therapies Lead and Senior Leadership Team.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

• Postgraduate/Doctorate level qualification, qualifying the postholder to work as a clinical, forensic or counselling psychologist.
• Current HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Desirable

• Training in forensic risk assessment.
• Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of trainees.

Experience

Essential

• Relevant post-qualification clinical experience of working as a HCPC registered psychologist.
• Experience of specialist, highly complex assessment, formulation and treatment of patients with mental health difficulties and their families/carers across settings including community, outpatient and other settings.
• Must be able to assertively engage with vulnerable people with complex needs, and manage uncertainty and risk situations.
• Experience of working with cases where there are significant safeguarding concerns.
• Experience of training/clinical supervision of assistant psychologists and trainee psychologists.

Desirable

• Experience of working with children and adolescents.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Have skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, formulation, intervention and management in work with patients and their families.
• Be able to integrate psychological theories and outcome data with clinical practice.
• Be able to positively advocate for patients and professionally represent the underlying issues and needs of the patient group.
• Be able to cope with stressful interpersonal situations including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems including challenging behaviour, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.

Desirable

• Have a high level of ability to communicate effectively at both a written and oral level complex highly technical and clinically sensitive information to children/young people, their carers/families and a wide range of lay and professional persons within and outside the NHS.
• To complete forensic risk assessments, formulations and management plans.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

• Knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
• Knowledge of clinical caseload management within a team setting.
• Knowledge of the impact of trauma and neglect.
• Evidence-based practice relevant to the role.

Desirable

• Working knowledge of professional systems involved in working with adolescents both in health and criminal justice settings.
• Knowledge of relevant mental health, criminal justice and welfare legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the patient group and their care.

Other

Essential

• Ability to travel independently around the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area meeting required timescales. A full driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential.

Closing Date: 12 July 2026