Psychologist
Psychologist
Ashdale Care has been providing Residential Care and therapeutic support across the North-East of the country for over 25 years. We provide residential support for children and young people who are unable to live at home and who present with a range of behavioural, emotional, psychological and social difficulties, often as a result of being exposed to early-life traumatic experiences.
Our team
Our service is child-centred and uses a comprehensive, evidence-based, programmatic approach (CARE/TCI) which is implemented by staff in our homes. Additional clinical support and input is provided by our skilled interdisciplinary Therapeutic Support Team (TST), which consists of Psychologists, Behaviour Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Trauma-Informed Teachers, and Art Therapists.
Pay & Benefits
Competitive salary
Annual Pay Review
Income Protection
Enhanced maternity - 13 weeks full pay, 13 weeks half pay
Paternity leave - 4 weeks full pay
Exceptional Training Opportunities both internal and external
Flexible working arrangements
Competitive annual leave entitlements with increases for long service
Employee Pension Scheme
Sick Pay
Employee Assistance Programme
First Access to career opportunities as we continue to grow our services throughout Ireland
Bike to Work Scheme
Please direct any enquiries to Dr. Ronan Gibney at rgibney@ashdalecare.com
#ASH2
About this role
The Psychologist will work as an integral part of the interdisciplinary Therapeutic Support Team, working collaboratively to support our children and young people to achieve their potential in all areas of their lives. Working within a Model of Therapeutic Support that is informed by the literature on Attachment theory, Developmental Trauma, and the Neurosequential Approach, the Psychologist will:
· Provide specialised psychological assessments, therapeutic interventions, treatment programmes, trauma-informed positive behaviour support plans and tailored supports for a diverse caseload of young people with complex needs on both a 1:1 and group basis.
· Collaborate closely with colleagues across Ashdale’s interdisciplinary Therapeutic Support Team to ensure coordinated, high quality care.
· Engage in clinical consultations and provide therapeutic guidance and support to social care staff in our homes
· Serve as the Psychology Department’s representative in both internal forums and external stakeholder meetings.
· Coordinate the clinical input and support of the Therapeutic Support Team to assigned homes
· Provide clinical supervision to staff grade psychologists, assistant psychologists, and trainees, as required.
· Offer clinical leadership in shaping service development and advancing the work of the psychology team and the wider Therapeutic Support Team.
· Assign tasks effectively and contribute to the growth and development of team members.
· Promote a strong culture of evidence informed practice, contributing to research, service evaluation, and quality improvement activities.
· Fulfil responsibilities as a mandated person under the Children First National Guidelines, maintaining the highest ethical and professional standards.
· Exercise sound clinical judgement and leadership in all aspects of the role.
· Develop, complete and maintain comprehensive trauma-informed and attachment-oriented assessments and support plans for children and young people
· Devise holistic, clinical formulations to facilitate the provision of effective support across the service
· Consult and collaborate extensively with social care teams in our homes to provide guidance and support for young people
· Engage in ongoing CPD activities to develop skills and competencies (time and budgeting is available to support these activities)
· Participate actively in general development of Ashdale Care’s service.
· Ensure that professional standards are maintained.
· Monitor and keep up-to-date with developments in Psychology and residential care, including attending training courses and participating in research and development, as appropriate.
· Maintain quality standards within the service and participate in quality development.
· Comply with policies and procedures as advised.
· Support and uphold Ashdale Care’s values and mission
The professional reporting relationship for clinical governance and regular clinical supervision will be to the Psychology Manager in the department through the professional line management structure.
What you will need
Required criteria
- Have a post-graduate professional psychology qualification accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland in Clinical, Counselling, Educational or Behavioural Psychology OR An equivalent qualification from another jurisdiction validated by the Department of Health
- Must be a member of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) or a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
- Applicants must have at least five years’ satisfactory post-graduate experience in professional psychology, no more than three years of which were spent in gaining the post-graduate professional qualification and no less than two years full-time spent in post qualification experience as a professional psychologist. Years in excess of the permitted three years for completion of the post-graduate training, or time not worked, or experience obtained before the completion of the post-graduate training, will not be taken into consideration when assessing the five years’ experience requirement.
- Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability, including a high standard of suitability and administrative ability for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.
- Have a Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) accredited qualification (University degree or diploma) at not less than a Level 8 on the QQI qualifications framework in which: psychology was a major subject, honours was obtained in that subject, and which meets the requirements of the Psychological Society of Ireland to work as a Clinical/Educational/Behavioural/Counselling Psychologist.
