The Children’s Trust Job Description Job Title: Specialist Educational Psychologist
Level: Specialist
Area worked in: Children’s and Family Services: Residential Rehabilitation with Children and Young People with an acquired brain injury.
Job Profile
1. Main Purpose of Job: To ensure successful re-integration into school/college with appropriate support for children, young people and their families prior to, during and post discharge from the Residential Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation programme.
This involves providing advice and advocacy for children and young people and their families and on-going consultation with internal and external agencies e.g. the
multi-disciplinary team at The Children’s Trust, Local Authority SEN departments and schools.
2. Position in Organisation
Psychological Rehabilitation Team
3. Scope of Job
2.1 Gather information on child/young person’s prior to admission
2.2 Play a key role in identifying child and young person’s SEN and level of support required on transition to school/college
2.3 Co-ordinate support/provision for child/young person post discharge 2.4 Provide a professional Educational Psychology service
2.5 Contribute to the Psychological Rehabilitation Team
3. Limits of authority and Problem Solving
Head of Psychology Clinical Psychologists x 3 Educational Psychologists x 3 Systemic Psychotherapist Play/Creative Arts Therapist
Provide expertise in the development and delivery of a professional Educational Psychology service.
To discuss any recommendations about service delivery with Head of Psychology Team. To receive regular monthly line management
4. Qualifications, relevant specialist knowledge and skills required
Professional post graduate qualification in educational psychology – MSc or MEd in Educational Psychology prior to 2006, Doctorate in Educational Psychology from 2006 Minimum 3 years experience of working in a Local Authority post qualification
Understanding and knowledge of neuropsychology and SEN legislation HCPC registered
Signature of Job Holder Date
Duties and Key Responsibilities
3.1 Gather information on child/young person’s prior to admission
Read pre-admission information and make contact with school/college and Local Authority if appropriate
Contribute to Psychological Rehabilitation Team initial discussions about level of child/young person’s special educational needs
3.2 Play a key role in identifying child and young person’s SEN and level of support required on transition to school/college
Negotiate with and provide advice and guidance to schools and to Local Authority Special Education Needs Departments (LA SEN) about the educational impact of an acquired brain injury on the child
Demonstrate clear commitment to and advocacy for individual children, when liaising with Local Authorities and schools including those experiencing resource and/or policy
constraints
Liaise with the child / young person’s LA Educational Psychologist in ensuring that s/he has sufficient information to support the child by: providing detailed advice about the child’s changed circumstances (e.g. cognitive, social, academic, self-awareness), highlighting potential difficulties when the child returns to school, and the need for close monitoring, frequent reviews and preparation for short and longer term transitions. Supporting and facilitating the Educational Psychologist’s visits to The Children’s Trust.
Support the family during the statutory SEN assessment and its outcome by discussion with families about their child’s newly acquired special educational needs and guiding them through the processes associated with the identification and assessment of special educational needs.
Co-ordinate the advice prepared by all practitioners at The Children’s Trust involved in the SEN assessment.
Support the child/young person and parents with school/college visits and consulting with school staff.
Consult with parents about the EHC plans and if necessary assist them to advocate for any changes which are considered to provide more effectively for the child.
Support the parents if they make an appeal to Tribunal.
Liaise with local schools and Therapy team about suitable date for further visit/consultation with staff and who should attend
Contribute to the TCT outreach programme in assisting schools and Local Authorities in making appropriate provision for child/young person returning to school/college. This
includes consultation/training on the impact of ABI in the classroom and the dissemination of neuropsychology reports.
Maintain the link with the LA Educational Psychologist and /or education support services following transition to full-time education
Provide a telephone consultation service to families, particularly in connection with statutory SEN assessment
3.4 Providing a professional Educational Psychology service
Carry out classroom observations, neuropsychological assessments and other attainment assessments with children as appropriate, in liaison with the Psychological Rehabilitation Team
Carry out individual work with children and young people to enable them to communicate their views and feelings e g through the use of “In My Shoes” or Narrative work with a particular emphasis on their views about school / education.
Provide consultation/advice to the residential rehabilitation team staff and Teaching Centre staff based on psychological theories e.g. help with devising or implementing behaviour support plans for children, meeting the child/young person’s special educational needs Provide emotional support to families.
3.5 Contributing to the Psychological Rehabilitation Team
Contribute to joint initial introductory and assessment sessions with families when their child / young person comes to The Children’s Trust
Contribute to the development and service delivery of the Psychological Rehabilitation Team e.g. by contributing to outcome measures, training packages, resources and
Safeguarding
The Children’s Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. To achieve our commitment, we will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust safeguarding processes and procedures that promote a culture of safeguarding amongst our workforce.
All staff are expected to be aware of national, organisational and departmental policies and procedures on safeguarding and promotion of the wellbeing of children and young people and should be able to communicate this to others.
Applicants for this post will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau. The Children’s Trust operates within the Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure Code of Practice. The Children’s Trust has a policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders, a copy of which is available on request. A criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position at The Children’s Trust. This post is, however, exempt from the provisions of Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exemptions) Order 1975. Applicants are, not therefore, entitled to withhold information about convictions, however long ago these occurred, including those which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provisions of the Act. In any event of employment, any failure to disclose such convictions could result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Trust.
Health and Safety
Values
Value Behaviour (We):
We are Caring and Supportive
•demonstrate empathy and show compassion •respect and value staff, children and families
•appreciate and celebrate diversity in staff, children and families •are genuinely interested
We think Can Do act positively about what we’re able to do
•react to change and new challenges in a quick and positive manner
•work in an organised yet flexible way •openly share ideas with each other We are child and
family-focused
•put the child at the centre of decision making
•demonstrate an understanding of the needs of children and families
We are Professional •take pride in what we do and deliver high standards •respect confidentiality
•demonstrate our commitment to the mission and our passion in the Children’s Trust vision
•act with integrity and honesty at all times
•work with external partners to ensure that we are delivering the best service
•review the way we do things
We have fun •remember that we work with children… who like to laugh •have fun and add humour when it’s appropriate to do so We are Collaborative •build relationships within teams and across the site
•interact and communicate effectively across the trust •share best practice
•embrace the benefits of working in a team of diverse skills and talents
•celebrate together when things go well
•balance our own needs with those of the team we work in and others across the Trust
Equality and Diversity
The Children’s Trust recognises the value of diversity and is committed to equality of
opportunity. We expect staff to be treated with dignity and respect and solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment,
marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, political beliefs and affiliations, family
circumstances or other irrelevant distinction. We expect all staff to share this commitment Flexibility and Change
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. The post-holder will be expected to adopt a flexible attitude towards these duties which may, after discussion, have to be varied subject to the needs of the Trust and in keeping with the general profile of the post.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Criteria Essential (E)
or Desirable (D)
How Assessed:
(App / Int) Knowledge, Skills & Aptitudes
Thorough knowledge and understanding of UK legislation and statutory processes relating to children’s services, education and SEN, and current trends in local authority management of SEN.
Up to date knowledge of developments in: - Educational Psychology and
- Paediatric Neuropsychology
Be responsible for own professional development undertaking training as appropriate
Knowledge and experience of using a range of neuropsychological assessment tools
Understanding of models of grief and of trauma Sound knowledge of child development
E E D E D E E Interview Interview Interview Interview Interview Personal Qualities
Good interpersonal skills, ability to communicate across professions and agencies
Self-motivated
Ability to work independently and within a team Good organisational skills
The ability to support families through the return to full-time education and to provide emotional support
E E E E E Interview Interview Interview Interview Interview
Education, Training & Qualifications
BPS recognised professional post-graduate training in Educational Psychology
HCPC registered
Eligible for, or working towards, Full Practitioner Membership of the BPS Division of Neuropsychology
E E D Interview Interview Interview Experience
Experience working as an Educational Psychologist in local authorities
Extensive experience of providing specialist advice and support to schools and local authorities, and SEN decision making
Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team Experience of contributing to planning of multi-agency
services
Experience of providing training to a range of professionals Experience of working with parents in an emotionally
supportive way E D D E D Interview Interview Interview Interview Interview (E) Essential (D) Desirable
SEN Special Educational Needs
