CAMHS Clinical Psychologist

The post holder will provide a specialist clinical mental health service with particular responsibility for undertaking AIM assessments, formulating risk and need, and contributing to care planning and intervention delivery. The role involves carrying out comprehensive specialist assessments, developing and implementing evidence-based treatment plans, and monitoring outcomes in collaboration with young people, families, and professional networks.

In addition to the HSB pathway work, the post holder will hold a small clinical caseload of children and young people open to Lambeth CAMHS, providing assessment, formulation, and therapeutic interventions for a range of emotional, behavioural, and mental health difficulties.

The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues across CAMHS, Youth Justice, Social Care, Education, and wider partner agencies, contributing to a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and psychologically informed service. They will also have opportunities to provide consultation, supervision, training, and contribute to service development, evaluation, and quality improvement initiatives.

As a clinician within the YJS CAMHS Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) Service, the post holder will manage referrals, provide specialist AIM assessments, psychological formulation, and evidence-based interventions for young people displaying harmful sexual behaviour. The role includes risk assessment, multi-agency care planning, court and mental health report writing, consultation to professionals, and coordination of complex cases. The post holder will also hold a small general CAMHS caseload, provide training and supervision, contribute to service development and governance, lead multi-agency partnership working, and support research, audit, and service evaluation activities. All work is delivered within a trauma-informed, culturally responsive framework and in line with HCPC, BPS, and Trust standards. Please see job description and person specification for more detail.

YJS CAMHS is a multidisciplinary team that provides specialist mental health treatment to young people who have become engaged with the Youth Justice System and need help. The team comprises of 1 highly specialist counselling psychologist, 1 CAMHS Practitioner, 1 Youth Justice Liaison & Diversion Practitioner and a part-time HSB lead, Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Service Lead. The Team offers a combination of evidence-based interventions and work closely with the Youth Justice Team.

The YJS CAMHS team is located in the Civic Centre less than 5 minutes from the Brixton Underground and Train station (zone 2) and also in St John's Angell Town (10 minute walk from Brixton Station. The team is co-located with the Youth Justice Service, but work in a hybrid model with young people seen at the Youth Justice offices in Brixton or Lambeth CAMHS sites at St John's Angell Town or Black Prince Road.

Essential: - Doctoral level qualification in clinical or counselling psychology with CAMHS experience; - All applicants will require professional registration with the Health and Care Professional's Council.

Desirable: - Previous AIM training; - Additional post qualification training such as ADOS; SAVRY; ADI; CAI.; - Formal training in supervision

Essential: - Experience of mental health assessment, formulation and treatment/intervention of children with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in child and adolescent mental health; - Assessment of risk and management of risk factors; - Experience in the use of assessment tools including the Wechsler Intelligence Scales and contributing to the formulation of a young person's difficulties by providing information on their level of intellectual functioning and specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses.; - Experience in chairing/leading multi-disciplinary meetings; - Experience in working with diverse populations

Desirable: - Experience of supervising junior clinical staff; - Evidence of teaching, training and presenting clinical information to a range of client groups, stakeholders and professionals

Essential: - Skills and knowledge of the theory and evidence base relevant to work with child and young people with moderate to severe learning disabilities and/or neurodevelopmental disorder (including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD), and additional mental health needs and/or challenging behaviour.; - Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.; - Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities including the Children Act, child protection procedures, and the Mental Health Act.; - Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.

Desirable: - Experience of working with forensic populations, or young people who display sexually harmful behavior; - Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for children with complex trauma.; - Specialist knowledge regarding sexually harmful behaviour in children and adolescents.

Essential: - Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups; - Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups within own service.; - Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner with appropriate level of clinical and managerial supervision.; - Ability to work therapeutically with the client group, using a range of therapeutic interventions and specialisation in at least one model of therapy; - Excellent time management skills

Desirable: - Experience of writing court reports for use within criminal or family proceedings; - Experience of presenting own research/audit