Job Summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 4 Assistant Psychologist to join the Gloucestershire CAMHS Outreach Service, working with children and young people, under the age of 18, presenting with complex mental health and social care needs.
Our service provides short-term, intensive and individualised care to young people within the community to prevent the need for hospital admission and to support families in managing mental health crises at home. We have a fantastic success rate of supporting young people to remain at home and receive the treatment they need. As a result, our multi-disciplinary team (MDT) has gained additional investment and is now expanding in size and remit. You will join us at an exciting time of service development.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be contributing to the clinical assessment and formulation of safety plans and evidence-based treatments of children and young people, under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist. There will also be further opportunities for individual case work, group work, audit and research. The post holder will work closely with parents/carers alongside the existing network of professionals such as schools, Children’s Social Care (CSC) and Core CAMHS for shared understanding and management of mental health related needs and risks to ensure the young person’s safety.
You will be enthusiastic, motivated, able to manage your time effectively, and passionate about ensuring the voice of the child is central within care planning and clinical risk management.
We operate an ‘out of hours’ service from 9:00-21:00, seven days a week, 365 days a year. This necessitates a shift pattern comprising four working days a week, and three days off. This will come with the perk of additional pay enhancements.In return, we will be offering our candidates the flexibility to cover late shifts and weekend working, allowing them time off during core working hours
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Min 2(ii) honours degree in Psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
Desirable
- 2(i) honours degree in Psychology
LENGTH AND / OR NATURE OF EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS.
- Willingness to work in the face of emotive and distressing problems, and possible verbal abuse / threat of physical abuse. Experience preferred
Desirable
- Prior experience with the service user group or experience in a clinical setting
- Some experience of using /manipulating Psychological test equipment for use in formal testing situations
- Additional knowledge/ experience of research methodology
PROFESSIONAL / MANAGERIAL / SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Strong listening skills, empathic towards people in distress.
Desirable
- Practical working knowledge of at least one relevant psychological approach (e.g. CBT)
- Experience of working in multidisciplinary teams
PERSONAL SKILLS ABILITIES AND ATTRIBUTES
Essential
- Emotional robustness to frequently work with the intense distress of others.
- Ability to recognise limits of competence and seek support when needed.
- Ability to prioritise work and organise own diary.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Closing Date: 20 October 2025
