Job Description

About Solar House:

Solar House, operated by Branch Out Residential Services, is a children's home providing therapeutic, trauma-informed care and accommodation for up to three children aged 8-17 years. This document outlines our purpose, ethos, and operational framework, demonstrating our compliance with the Children Act 1989, The Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015, and the guiding principles of 'Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)'

Our practice is underpinned by a commitment to achieving outstanding outcomes for children, as defined by Ofsted's Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF), particularly in the areas of 'Overall experiences and progress of children and young people' and 'How well children and young people are helped and protected'.

Vision, Mission, and Values

Our Vision

To be a leading therapeutic children's home where every child, despite past trauma, feels safe, valued, and empowered to build a positive future.

Our Mission

To provide a stable, nurturing, and clinically informed environment that enables children to recover from adversity. Through robust governance, evidence-based practice, and a highly skilled workforce, we are committed to helping each child achieve their educational, emotional, and social potential, preparing them for a successful transition to childhood.

Solar House Residential Home Policy and Procedures:

Confidentiality:

Confidentiality/data protection regarding all personal information and the home's activity must be always maintained (both in and out of working hours) in accordance with professional codes of conduct and relevant legislation such as the Data Protection Act. The post holder should ensure that they are familiar with and adhere to all Solar House Residential Home Information Governance policies and procedures. Any breach of confidentiality will be taken seriously, and appropriate disciplinary action may be taken.

Equal Opportunities:

Promote the concepts of equality of opportunity and managing diversity, Solar House Residential Home-wide.

Health and Safety:

Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed upon them under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, paying due regard to health and safety in the workplace and management of risk to maintain a safe working environment for service users, visitors and employees.

Infection Prevention and Control:

Employees must be aware of their responsibility to protect service users, visitors and employees against the risks of acquiring residential home-associated infections, in accordance with Solar House Residential Home policy.

Professional standards and performance review:

Maintain consistently high professional standards and act in accordance with the relevant professional code of conduct. Employees are expected to participate in the performance review process.

Service/Department standards:

Support the development of performance standards within the home to ensure the service is responsive to and meets customers' needs.

Finance:

All Solar House Residential Home staff will comply with the financial processes and procedures.

Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Children:

Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Children Act 1989 and 2004, and the Solar House Residential Home's safeguarding vulnerable children's policy.

Code of Conduct:

The post holder is required to adhere to the standards of conduct expected of all RESIDENTIAL HOME managers set out in the Code of Conduct for RESIDENTIAL HOME managers.

This job description will be subject to regular review and adjustment.

This job description is an outline of the key tasks and responsibilities of the post and the post holder may be required to undertake additional duties appropriate to the pay band. The post may change over time to reflect the developing needs of the Solar House Residential Home and its services, as well as the personal development of the post holder.

About the Role:

We are seeking an organised, detail-oriented Assistant Psychologist to provide administrative and clinical support to our residential care home. This position offers a unique blend of clinical and administrative responsibilities, designed to leverage the full spectrum of your skills. Your role will be primarily focused on clinical tasks, which constitute approximately 65% of the job. These tasks involve both direct and indirect patient care activities, such as project audit, data analysis, clinical report writing, and direct one-to-one psychological intervention. The remaining 35% of your role will be dedicated to a variety of administrative tasks to ensure the smooth operation of our residential home facility.

The ideal candidate should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills,

Strong attention to detail, good knowledge of data analysis, report writing and processing.

Have a sound understanding of the theory of psychology, and a passion for working in applied psychology.

They should also be able to work under pressure, manage multiple tasks, and maintain professionalism.

Have a good understanding of mental health problems and evidence-based practice, and the ability to adhere to professional codes of conduct and ethical guidelines.

The Assistant Psychologist will be responsible for scheduling appointments, maintaining patient records, communicating with patients and internal and external professionals, and assisting with clinical tasks

We are looking for an individual who thrives in a dynamic, patient-centred environment and is deeply committed to providing the highest level of care. If you are eager to take on a role that effectively utilises your clinical and administrative abilities, we encourage you to apply.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical component

Assist with clinical tasks, such as psychological assessments, scoring and interpreting results, and assist with providing psychological support during therapy sessions if appropriate.

Assist with preparing and disseminating mental health resources and participating in group intervention if appropriate. Provide low-intensity psychological interventions to children and young people with complex mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, ASD, ADHD, OCD, psychosis, EUPD and disordered eating.

Assist in the development of treatment plans and monitoring patient progress.

Collaborate with psychologists and other residential home professionals to ensure quality patient care.

To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.

Assist in the development and implementation of research projects.

Attend and participate in clinical and multidisciplinary team meetings.

Stay up to date with current research and best practices in the field of psychology

Support engagement with young people and their families by collecting and analysing feedback for service improvement.

To work at appropriate levels of independence, following clinical guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, and seeking help from a clinical/professional supervisor or manager as required.

Administration component

Record-keeping: Update client records and input data into electronic systems in a timely manner. Meeting support: Take minutes at weekly clinical multi-disciplinary meetings. Reporting: Produce reports related to data collection and governance as required. Liaison: Act as a primary point of contact for patients, carers, relatives, and staff, providing information and guidance. Casework support: Assist with or coordinate ad-hoc casework tasks as needed. Admission patient record: Process patient intake paperwork and ensure it is complete and accurate. Managing communication: Manage phone calls, emails, and other forms of correspondence and forward them to the appropriate staff member. Managing referrals: Be responsible for maintaining an effective referral process.
Data collection and reporting: Collate referral data, provide and present accurate monthly monitoring reports to stakeholders.

Our Values:

- Child Centred

- Therapeutic

- Robust Governance

- Partnership

- Equality & Inclusion

Key Responsibilities:

KR 1 Clinical and Client Care

To provide psychological support for young people at the residential home, including carrying out psychometric assessments and assisting with initial assessments under supervision.

To support with individual or group interventions for young people in the Solar House Residential Home

To arrange, schedule and assist group psychological interventions for young people accessing the Solar House Residential Home

To assist the psychologists and other health practitioners in the development of individual or group clinical materials or training materials, and, in addition, to develop such materials independently as falls within one's own degree of competence.

To arrange and schedule training for carers or partner agencies in order to support the clinical work with young people.

An assistant psychologist is not an autonomous clinical practitioner and therefore, clinical responsibility remains with the qualified applied psychologist. Work is checked and monitored through regular contact both informally and through contracted clinical supervision from qualified applied psychologists, in accordance with BPS and trust professional practice guidelines.

Responsible for maintaining appropriate boundaries with service users.

Identifies non-routine situations and escalates to qualified staff.

Continues to develop self-awareness (including awareness of our own life experiences, intersectionality and characteristics and how this influences how we understand the people we work with and the work we do).

Makes judgements and responds appropriately to client's responses and mood during therapeutic interventions, and seeks appropriate support or supervision from a qualified member of staff.

Adapts language and communication style as appropriate to the needs of the person.

Uses inclusive language that is collaboratively agreed within the therapeutic/ working relationship

Recognises difference and responds sensitively, in a way that is inclusive to people with diverse needs and ensures their individual communication needs are met.

Communications with clients are at all times be safe (appropriate) in content, effective and respectful and made compassionately and positively to minimise anxiety and distress related to their health and well-being.

Uses inclusive language that is collaboratively agreed within the therapeutic/ working relationship.

Uses appropriate communication methods to ensure effective therapeutic engagement with clients where understanding may be limited.

Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of client harm, abuse or neglect, including poor clinical practice, reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect the client.

Responsible for identifying and reporting concerns regarding the safeguarding of children who may be at risk. Reporting all such concerns in accordance with Trust policy.

KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning.

To contribute to the effective working of the Solar House by registering new referrals, creating databases to track processes or progress through pathways, and keeping them up-to-date; contributing to the training and support of other staff in developing and providing psychological care to clients.

To act in a manner that supports a psychologically informed framework for the service.

To support the team or service's delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.

KR 3 Policy and service development

To follow policies and procedures in own area of work, and to comment on proposed development or changes.

To support the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.

KR 4 Care or management of resources

To take care of and use carefully the Solar House Residential Home 's equipment and physical resources.

To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.

To be responsible for the safekeeping of equipment or stock.

KR 5 Teaching and Training

To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations in a steering meeting or published articles.

To arrange, schedule and provide training to employees of the Solar House Residential Home, employees of partner agencies and service users to support service improvement.

KR 6 Record-keeping and Information Governance

To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Solar House Residential Home policies and local procedures.

To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Solar House Residential Home guidelines, including electronic data entry.

To create and maintain databases, enter data, perform analyses, and produce reports.

KR 7 Research and development

To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects to inform the service Psychologist and other health professionals in the development of Solar House Residential Home psychology services, training provision and research activities.

To undertake data collection, analysis, and the production of reports and summaries across the service, using a range of IT and statistical programs.

To undertake research of evidence-based literature and research to assist in the development of evidence-based practice in the Solar House Residential Home.

To conduct surveys with service users and carers to gather views on service provision

KR 8 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development.

To receive regular clinical and professional supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines

To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the RESIDENTIAL HOME over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post-holder is employed.

To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.

To undertake personal training relevant to the post in agreement with the supervising psychologist and the manager.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge and competency in the skills required to perform safely and effectively in the role. Undertake relevant training (including statutory and mandatory training) and be responsible for personal development agreed with the line manager.

Fully participate in management, clinical and professional supervision sessions relevant to the role, as required by the Trust.

Comply with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and Association of Clinical Psychologists (ACP) code of conduct and standards of professional practice.

Receives regular clinical supervision from qualified applied psychologists, in accordance with professional practice guidelines.

KR 9 General

Safeguarding

All staff members have a duty to report any concerns they have about the safety or well-being of adult service users, members of their families, including children. Employees should be aware of their roles & responsibilities to both prevent and respond appropriately to abuse.

They should undertake the safeguarding training relevant for their role.

To be aware of the risks relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group and follow Solar House Residential Home policies relating to its management.

To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations, challenging behaviour, abuse, and to support others involved in such situations.

Flexibility

The post holder may be required to undertake duties not specified in the job description, but which are commensurate with the role and/or band as required by service need and in agreement with the Applied Psychologist who holds clinical responsibility for the Assistant Psychologist.

The post holder may be required to work in different locations as required by service needs.

The post holder may be required to work flexible hours as required by service need.

There may be a requirement to change the job description in light of developing service needs.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: In person