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Part-time Clinical or Counselling Psychologist

  • Job title: Clinical or Counselling Psychologist
  • Job Type: Part-Time (2-3 days), Term Time only + 5 Days
  • Salary: Competitive and dependent on skills and experience
  • Department: Wellbeing Team
  • Reporting to: Deputy Head (Pastoral)
  • Location: Senior School, Highgate
  • Start: ASAP
  • Closing Date: 12 March 2024 at 5:00 pm
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We are in the process of restructuring our health and wellbeing team and are looking to appoint a part-time Counselling or Clinical Psychologist with experience in supervision to complement the work of a new Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing. Although the psychologist will be largely based in the Senior School, they will help to shape and monitor the wellbeing strategy and related safeguarding policies and procedures across all three schools (Pre-Prep, Junior and Senior); the psychologist will also provide consultation support for the relevant pastoral staff with leadership responsibilities. In the Senior School, the Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing will be responsible of the day-to-day line-management of the health and wellbeing department (which includes three practitioners, two nurses, a family practitioner and a part-time School Counsellor); we also employ external agency counsellors.


PUPIL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DEPARTMENT

The School employs specialist medical, counselling and pastoral staff to promote the health and wellbeing of our pupils. These colleagues work closely with the School’s Safeguarding and Pastoral Care teams to offer the highest quality of care for pupils and appropriate advice and support for families, in conjunction with external agencies and safeguarding partners.

The School’s Safeguarding and Pastoral Care teams include the Senior Leadership teams in the Pre-Prep and Junior Schools and, in the Senior School, the Heads of Lower School (yy7&8), Middle School (yy9-11) and Sixth Form (yy12-13), in addition to the Deputy Head (Pastoral), School Chaplain, Heads of House, Heads of Year and the SEN Department. Other key senior staff in the Senior School include the Senior and other Deputy Heads

Job Description

THE ROLE

The Psychologist will report directly to the Deputy Head (Pastoral) and be responsible for the following: providing clinical supervision for wellbeing practitioners and pastoral staff; triaging and allocating complex pupil cases; attending relevant mental health and wellbeing meetings with pupils, their parents/carers, staff and external agencies; consulting with and advising pastoral staff around more complex cases; providing specialist input to support the work of the Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing in developing Highgate’s health and wellbeing vision, strategy, policy and procedures and evaluating their effectiveness; delivering training/presentations to staff and parents.

The successful candidate will have specialist experience in adolescent mental health matters (including self-harm, suicide ideation, eating disorders and gender identity); they will have qualifications and demonstratable experience in a range of areas including supervising staff, therapeutic practices, working with CAMHS and statutory agencies in managing complex cases, delivering adolescent mental health practice, and promoting the safety and well-being of children and adolescents. The role will have both an inward and outward focus and will add capacity and bring expertise to this important and increasingly complex area.

This role will suit a candidate with strong communication skills who enjoys interacting and collaborating with a wide range of people.

 

Key Responsibilities of the Psychologist:

 

Supervision

· To provide regular clinical supervision and support for the team of wellbeing practitioners (currently three) in the Senior School (NB. At present, the Senior School staff receive fortnightly individual supervision and weekly group meetings); to provide half-termly support for the family practitioner in the Junior School and the part-time School counsellor.

· To provide regular clinical consultation, support and expertise for the key pastoral staff across the three schools (Pre-Prep, Junior, Senior)

 

Service Delivery

· To be responsible for the effective delivery and quality of mental health care across the School

· To be able to assess, interpret and diagnose the needs of pupils (using the pupil referral mechanisms); to formulate, allocate and implement appropriate interventions for the formal treatment and/or management of a pupil’s mental health problems e.g. assessing whether a pupil should be supported by a wellbeing practitioner, a counsellor, a CBT specialist; to develop and evaluate specialist packages of care, including care plans for children and their parents/carers and multi-agency input

· To develop a programme of assessments and treatment to enable effective identification of and support for young people’s mental health difficulties

· To consult with and advise senior pastoral staff; to attend regular meetings and take the lead in terms of offering expert advice regarding complex or high-risk pupil (or parent) cases e.g. self-harm, suicide ideation, gender identity

· To liaise effectively with the School nurses (two) and to maintain and develop relationships with other relevant external professionals e.g. CAMHS; counselling agencies

· To offer direct advice and support (e.g. via phone calls, meetings and email) to parents/carers regarding the mental health of their children

· To meet, occasionally, with individual pupils e.g. to carry out a psychological assessment or to explain the services available to them, particularly in the event of other channels of communication failing

· To provide effective analysis of a range of complex data from a variety of sources and situations to improve the effectiveness of the mental health outcomes for the child and their families

· To ensure that records, data and information are of high quality and appropriate to support the delivery of safe services

· To provide relevant information and data for the Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing/Deputy Head (Pastoral) as required e.g. For Governor reports/inspections etc

· To conduct case reviews, as appropriate, to promote learning, identifying resilience and risk factors

 

Training and Developing

· To meet regularly with the Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing to develop and review strategy, resources (including pupil care and safety plans), policy and practice. (NB. The Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing is responsible for the line-management (not clinical supervision) of the wellbeing practitioners, the School nurses and the School counsellor and for arranging the agency counselling provision.)

· To support the work of the Head of Pupil Health and Wellbeing in developing prevention and intervention services, interpreting data, monitoring progress, and working in partnership with the service users

· To give parental presentations or talks as part of the Pastoral and PSHEE programme and, where appropriate, liaise with other external speakers/relevant professionals to deliver talks

· To contribute to staff (and pupil) training as/when appropriate

· To promote diversity in development and learning, contributing to the work of those with responsibility for inclusion and special educational needs (as/when appropriate)

· To provide culturally responsive services to pupils and families from diverse backgrounds

· To help facilitate relevant support groups e.g. A support group for parents of bereaved children.

· To contribute to the development of emergency training planning e.g. crisis preparedness, response and recovery

· To support staff with specific mental health needs related to the workplace, on an occasional basis, as directed by the Senior Deputy Head e.g. crisis management following an incident in school

 

Safeguarding

· To work with the Director of Safeguarding and the Designated Safeguarding Leads as/when appropriate

· To assist with referrals, engaging with statutory services and making recommendations for private support as/when needed

· To attend relevant meetings including those with external professionals as/when required

 

Additional Notes about the Role:

Working hours may be flexible depending on the candidate, but it is envisaged that the post holder would work the equivalent of 2-3 days per week, on average, during the term time (with at least one of those days being present in School). In the event of acute need, it would be helpful if the successful candidate were able to be available outside of their normal working hours. Occasional evenings may be required for parent presentations. These duties and responsibilities are intended as a guide. They are not exhaustive: the Psychologist will be expected to undertake any reasonable task or responsibility as required by the Head or the Head’s designated Deputies.

Person Specification
  • Criteria
  • How will these be tested or verified?
  • Qualifications/Experience
  • Essential:
    • HCPC Registered Qualified Psychologist (as accredited by the BPS or HCPC); BACP Registered Therapist
    • Doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology
    • Supervisory qualification or substantial clinical supervision experience e.g. Additional post-qualification training equivalent to a minimum of 50 hours supervision
    • Substantial experience in the field of adolescent mental health and wellbeing; direct experience of working with children and young people

     

    Desirable:
    • Child protection and safeguarding training
    • Experience of working in a School environment
    • Membership of a relevant and recognized professional body
    • Professional qualification in CBT or experience in this area
  • Knowledge/Skills
  • Essential:
    • Excellent knowledge and understanding of the health and social care systems and frameworks e.g. NHS/CAMHS and Children’s Services
    • Highly developed supervision skills
    • In-depth knowledge of issues surrounding child and adolescent development
    • Highly developed skills and expertise in managing clinical risk, coping with stressful circumstances and making good decisions
    • Ability to manage challenging caseloads, employ clinical strategies and apply a range of interventions
    • Ability to analyse and interpret situations and data
    • Strong organisational skills and the ability to plan, meet targets and deadlines
    • An ability to communicate effectively and succinctly (both orally and in writing)
    • Competent IT skills

     

    Desirable:
    • Knowledge of child protection and safeguarding policies
  • Personal Attributes
  • Essential:
    • Ability to work flexibly
    • Ability to work effectively with others
    • Tact, sensitivity and the ability to handle confidential material with discretion
    • Ability to work independently and be self-reflective
    • High degree of personal motivation, initiative, energy, creativity and drive
    • A commitment to personal and professional development
    • An interest and empathy with the ethos and aims of independent education; ability to act as an advocate

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions below do not form part of a contract and are for information only. Should you be offered and accept employment with Highgate School you will receive a contract setting out in full your terms and conditions. All offers of employment are subject to the receipt of references satisfactory to us, proof of eligibility to work in the UK and DBS checks.

CHILD PROTECTION

This role will not normally involve unsupervised contact with pupils; however in the context of his/her employment the member of staff will frequently be in the presence of children and will therefore have to have appropriate levels of training in child protection.

HOURS OF WORK

Part time, term time permanent role based. There is a need to be flexible about hours in order to carry out these duties and responsibilities effectively and no additional payment is made in this respect. In addition, some evening and weekend working may be required

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

This appointment will be subject to the completion of a probationary period of six months to the satisfaction of the Governors.

 

Benefits

LOCATION

Highgate Village, adjacent to Hampstead Heath, with quaint shops and easy connections across London.

LUNCH PERIOD

Free tea and coffee A complimentary lunch including hot meals, sandwiches, salads, fresh fruit and dessert.

HOLIDAYS

Academic holidays as they occur during the duration of the contract. The salary for this role includes an element of holiday pay in respect of statutory annual holiday.

PENSION

AVIVA workplace pension scheme offered – 21% employer contribution, with the ability to flex up to 11% of this as additional non-pensionable salary, employees contribute a minimum of 5%.

FACILITIES

Free access, at stipulated times, to our sports facilities, including a fitness suite and new swimming pool. Staff can borrow from 1,700 books held in the Sir Martin Gilbert Library.

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL

Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and a Season Ticket Loan scheme for public transport.

FLEXIBLE WORKING

Flexibility for parents, enhanced maternity pay and paid dependent leave.


Working at Highgate

A culture of community, kindness and belonging

Highgate is a caring, open-minded community, where we promote kindness, empathy and friendship. Everyone who works and studies with us deserves to feel they are part of a welcoming environment that enables them to be themselves and to thrive as individuals.

Our community extends beyond the school, through partnerships, charity work and our commitment to equality, inclusion and sustainability. All members of our school community are encouraged to look outwards and play an active role.

In a recent ISI inspection (Dec 2021), it was noted that “Pupils show exceptional respect for, and appreciate diversity within the school and wider community, and their own and other cultures, demonstrating sensitivity and tolerance to those from different backgrounds and traditions.”

Staff wellbeing

Highgate is committed to staff wellbeing, which we promote by encouraging a strong work-life balance; trying our best to support flexible working requests; providing a nutritious complimentary lunch in the dining hall; and offering access to sporting facilities including our recently renovated swimming pool.

The Staff Wellbeing Committee, with representatives across the School, meets regularly to drive forward initiatives, and a selection of staff have been trained as Mental-Health First Aiders.

We encourage an open culture throughout our school, with regular staff surveys, action committees and opportunities to feedback. We strive for continual learning and improvement, and staff training and development is paramount. There are opportunities to participate in the wider life of our school, such as taking part in trips or societies and getting involved in partnership projects.

More details about working at Highgate can be found here:

Work with us    Aims + Ethos


Charitable work and sustainability

As an independent school, we want to use our position as a charity effectively: to make high-quality education accessible to as many children as possible – through our bursary programme at Highgate and through our work with local state schools. We have partnerships with over 60 state schools across 7 London boroughs, and we are the principal educational sponsor for London Academy of Excellence, Tottenham – an academically-selective state sixth form in a community where such opportunities are lacking.

Alongside this, our staff and pupils undertake charitable activities throughout the year. These range from staff giving up their time to neighbourhood schools and charitable organisations, focused fundraising campaigns, to pupils undertaking community work in the local area or further afield.

As a school, we have a central role to play in educating our pupils, staff and parents about the importance of environmental sustainability. We are taking positive action to adapt our operational performance to tackle the negative effects of climate change. We encourage all our staff to reflect upon their personal and professional practices, to support our environmental agenda and to make positive changes wherever possible.

Application procedure

  • Closing Date: 12th March 2024
  • Timing of interviews: w/c 11th March 2024

Contact:  Recruitment Team are happy to answer any questions about this post.

Early Application: Applications will be considered ‘as and when’ received and we may close the vacancy if we appoint before the closing date.

Apply here

Inclusion

We know that more diverse teams are stronger teams, and that the more inclusive we are, the more our staffand pupilswillfeel a sense of belonging and willthrive. To enable us to make reasonable adjustments, please let us know of any disabilities (including neuro-divergence) when you submit your application.

Safeguarding

As this role will have regular unsupervised contact with children you must, if appointed, comply with Highgate’s Safeguarding Policy and Staff Code of Conduct. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety and welfare of our pupils, these concerns must be reported immediately in accordance with the Safeguarding Policy.  If whilst in the post, Highgate becomes aware of any safeguarding concerns to staff, pupils or the community; these will need to be followed up in line with the safeguarding policy and code of conduct which is underpinned by KCSE and other legislation. These concerns may need to be shared with other agencies.  A copy of these policies will accompany all offers of employment. Training will also be provided to all staff to support Safeguarding practice.

Please read before you apply

Highgate is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to this post, including checks with past employers, the Disclosure and Barring Service and overseas police check if necessary. Candidates from overseas must provide information about their past conduct, for example, by providing documents issued by overseas teaching authorities. DBS Privacy Policies

Please note that this role is ‘exempt’ from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore, you are required to declare any convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings that are not ‘protected’ (i.e. filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide details of all unspent convictions and those that would not be filtered, prior to the date of the interview. DBS Code of Practice

In accordance with the latest guidance from KCSIE, we shall be conducting online searches on any candidates who are shortlisted. 

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