Clinical Psychologist - Barnet CAMHS NDS Team

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a part-time Band 8a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist (0.6 WTE, 3 days) to join the Barnet CAMHS Neurodevelopmental Service, based at Holly Oak Clinic, Edgware Community Hospital.

The post holder will be an active member of the multidisciplinary team, providing leadership and specialist neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people aged 6-18. The role includes delivering pre- and post-diagnostic support, including psychoeducation and group work, as well as managing a small caseload of psychological therapies to support wider mental health needs. You will also work closely with families, schools and partner agencies to support effective multi-agency working.

The service is guided by the iThrive Framework and promotes collaborative working and shared learning. We offer regular supervision, reflective practice and a wide range of CPD opportunities, including training in neurodevelopmental assessment and evidence-based interventions.

Barnet CAMHS Psychology is a supportive, inclusive and innovative team, offering excellent opportunities for professional development and leadership growth. Staff are encouraged to contribute to service development and the delivery of creative, evidence-based practice.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide a specialist neurodevelopmental assessment and intervention service for children and young people referred to the Barnet CAMHS NDS, working closely with families and carers. You will lead on complex ASD and ADHD assessments, contribute to MDT diagnostic decisions, and deliver evidence-based interventions, including pre- and post-diagnostic support and group programmes.

You will manage a clinical caseload and also hold a small therapy caseload within the generic CAMHS team to support wider mental health needs.

The role includes providing consultation and advice to families, schools, and partner agencies, contributing to holistic care planning. You will undertake and lead on risk assessment and management, ensuring robust safeguarding practice and supporting colleagues in this area.

You will use advanced clinical reasoning in assessment, formulation, intervention, and supervision, and provide clinical supervision to junior staff. The role also includes contributing to service development, audit, and quality improvement initiatives.

Work will be delivered across clinic, community, and remote settings, with participation in duty systems to respond to urgent situations where required.

About us

North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.

Our Five-Year Strategy:

1. We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.
2. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all
3. We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.

Why NLFT?

• We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities.
• We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
• NHS Discounts, generous annual leave and NHS pension scheme
• Excellent internal staff network

In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.

Job responsibilities

Provide specialist neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, including ASD and ADHD

Lead on complex assessments, formulation and diagnostic decision-making within the multidisciplinary team

Deliver evidence-based psychological interventions, including individual therapy, group programmes, and pre- and post-diagnostic support

Manage a clinical caseload, including a small therapy caseload within the generic CAMHS team

Provide consultation, advice and support to families, schools, GPs, and partner agencies to ensure joined-up care

Undertake and lead on risk assessments, ensuring safe practice and adherence to safeguarding procedures

Provide clinical leadership within the team, supporting pathway management and service delivery

Offer clinical supervision, mentoring and support to junior staff, including Assistant Psychologists and trainees

Contribute to MDT meetings, care planning, and service-wide decision-making

Maintain accurate and timely clinical records, reports, and outcome measures

Contribute to service development, audit, research, and quality improvement initiatives

Support training and development within the team and wider service

Work flexibly across clinic, community (e.g. schools or home visits), and remote settings

Participate in duty systems, including responding to urgent or crisis situations

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS/ REGISTRATION

Essential

• At least one of the following professional registrations & qualifications: Nursing: oRegistered Mental Health Nurse (Part 3 or Part 13 of NMC register); or Allied Health Professional: oRegistered AHP with recognised national registered body; or Social Work: oRegistered Social Worker with HCPC/Social Work England; or Practitioner Psychologist: oRegistration with the Health Professions Council as a Practitioner Psychologist; or Psychologist: oDoctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS; or Family and Systemic Psychotherapy: oMSc in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy and professional registration with the UKCP; or Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy: oProfessional Doctorate in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy or equivalent accredited training leading to Full Membership of the Association of Child Psychotherapists. Membership of the Professional Standards Association, with registration as a practitioner Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist

Desirable

• Supervision / mentorship qualification
• Evidence of ongoing education / courses relevant to Forensic and Liaison Psychiatry.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES

Essential

• Confident in working with adolescents and their families.
• Skills in the use of complex methods of bio-psycho- social assessment
• Well-developed oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professionals.
• Ability to undertake risk assessment and to work within safeguarding procedures
• Ability to positively engage and offer intervention to young people and their families in community settings.
• Ability to contain, explore and formulate an understanding of high levels of distress both directly with patients and indirectly via supervision of other staff, including those in partner agencies
• Capacity to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing situations, seeking support when required
• Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
• Ability to manage own caseload and time
• The ability to communicate complex information in simple ways to children and young people in highly stressful environments

EXPERIENCE/ KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• Experience of providing evidence-based interventions for CYP mental health
• Experience of work in multidisciplinary team and multi- agency working
• Experience of working with diverse communities and within a multi-cultural setting
• Experience of working with children and young people in mental health services, including the application of risk assessment and safeguarding procedures in this area
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
• Understanding and experience of using evidence-based practice

Desirable

• Experience in enabling service user participation
• Experience of teaching training, supervision
• Experience of the application of Trauma Informed Care.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

Essential

• Ability to be self-reflective whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development, and in supervision
• Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships
• Ability to work autonomously in a pressured environment, be pro-active and resilient to offer timely support and intervention to young people under Youth Justice System