Assistant Psychologist; Children and young Lancs

Assistant Psychologist (Children and young people) Preston Lancs

We have a vacancy for an Assistant Psychologist within the company on a full-time or nearly full time basis (we have funding for a full-time role, but if you prefer to work around a postgraduate qualification or other commitments, we have the option to employ someone for 25 hours or more, with pay and leave calculated on a pro-rata basis).

The role will primarily involve providing psychometric assessments of young people and to support the wider service related to young people in children's residential homes. There may also be opportunities to get involved in our assessments of families for the family courts, and our consultations to local authorities. Two days per week the work will be on site with providers in the Preston area.

The rest of the time the work will be home-based, but involves travelling to various locations across northern England a few times per month. You may be involved in gathering information, setting up meetings, administering psychometric assessments and contributing to reports and letters.

The post involves a combination of:

• administering psychometric assessments
• gathering background information from files
• collecting questionnaire data from schools and foster/residential carers
• gathering outcome data and using an online outcome measurement tool
• acting as a champion for the outcome measurement protocol within services
• contributing to online services for parents concerned about the wellbeing of their child

and may also include:

• distributing, collecting and scoring surveys
• data entry and statistical analysis
• providing summary reports from outcome data/questionnaires
• writing up reports to a template provided
• making structured observations of children
• gathering third party observational data
• general administrative tasks (arranging meetings, responding to telephone and email enquiries, keeping track of materials, etc)
• other such tasks as the business requires

You’ll be part of a small local team, spread across the UK, and will get supervision from a qualified CP, as well as joining online consultations facilitated by them. There may be opportunities to sit in on training events, and to contribute to research and publications.

The nature of the role means that we require a psychology graduate with GBC (at a 2:1 or better, or with a completed post‑graduate qualification), who has a driving license and access to a vehicle (or can propose suitable adaptation if they have a disability that prevents this), who is diligent and meticulous about collecting and writing up information. Experience administering psychometric assessments would be advantageous but is not essential, as full training will be provided.

You need to be organised and proactive, able to set up meetings and communicate in a professional manner, including writing up reports to a high standard. Fluency with computer and internet applications is also necessary. We want you to share our mission to improve the lives of young people who have experienced adversity (and we would see lived experience of adversity or care experience as a strength).

You need to have the kind of personality and resilience required to be part of a team that makes a difference for some of the most complex children in the country.

We like to give you the opportunity to show us what you are capable of, and we see our staff as our most valuable resource. We provide supervision according to BPS recommendations, and plenty of opportunities for personal development. Supervision will be provided by a qualified clinical psychologist. We have a commitment to training and development, and a good track record of past assistants gaining places on clinical training (though I suspect this is as much about who I select as the experiences we provide).

Salary is based on a full time rate of £23,400 per annum (we are proud to be a living wage employer), but will be paid pro rata if you opt to take a lower number of hours.

BERRI is an award‑winning clinical psychology company that has particular expertise about children and families, particularly when it comes to attachment, parenting and…