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Assistant Psychologists

Employer
Birmingham City Council
Location
Educational Psychology Service Area Team Offices
Salary
£20,903-£27,041
Closing date
2 Jun 2021
Reference
BCC002045

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Sector
Local Councils
Job Type
Education - non-schools based
Contract Type
Fixed Term Contract
Working Pattern
Standard
Hours
Full-Time

Job Details

Fixed Term Contract until 31/08/2023

We are seeking to expand our thriving service to meet the demand for educational psychologists to contribute to a wide variety of work in schools and other settings in Birmingham.

The Educational Psychology Service has an excellent reputation and has a strong commitment to innovation, quality improvement, research and development. We are engaged in a variety of initiatives at many levels – from individual school projects such as ‘SCERTS’ and ‘FRIENDS for Life’ to city wide initiatives such Trauma Informed Attachment Aware Schools.

We have been trading successfully with schools since 2011, and have seen demand for the service grow year on year. The employment of Assistant Psychologists is a significant successful development for the service in supporting quality services and with postholders gaining places for professional training in educational psychology.

We are able to offer you a wide range of excellent experiences in a culturally diverse city to psychology graduates who plan to apply for the doctoral training in educational psychology. This will include opportunities to assist locality based or city wide with casework, development work, research and assistance with delivering training.

We are looking to appoint people who are committed to positive  educational, social and emotional  outcomes for children and young people, who are well organised, good communicators, able to take responsibility for managing their own workload and committed to partnership working.

We have strong links with four of the Educational Psychology training courses and are committed to promoting professional development at all levels. We are also a friendly and highly supportive service where collaboration and peer supervision are actively encouraged. The service comprises of  four teams based in area offices in the city.

JOB PURPOSE

To support the educational psychology service to provide efficient and effective commissioned core tasks for the local authority and traded services to schools and other settings/agencies to promote and secure positive outcomes for children and young people. To enable the post-holder to acquire a range of skills and experience in preparation for professional training as an Educational Psychologist.

Assistant Psychologists will successfully build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, external agencies and customers, demonstrating effective interpersonal skills in dealing with children and people at all levels and from a wide range of backgrounds.  They will  contribute under supervision to the consultations, assessments and interventions of children and young people including pre-schoolers.  

This can involve contributing to assessments conducted as part of a Statutory Assessment carried out under the 2014 Children and Families Act and the associated Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice. Assistant psychologists will undertake searches of psychological literature and research findings, collecting data and producing brief summaries to inform a range of preventive activities, project work and training.

They will participate in service working groups contributing to the development of activities identified as current service priorities. This would involve attending meetings and could include tasks involving research, development and delivery of training, service guidance on practice areas and interventions, and website and trading developments.

Assistant psychologists will provide and support data collection and analysis linked to service delivery for example course evaluations,  service priorities data or audit tasks highlighting key points (positive and negative).

They will  maintain accurate and up to date work records that are easily understood, and to make these available to all those who should have access to the information. Assistant psychologists will undertake general administration tasks to support administration processes. This may include answering the office phone, support for electronic filing and other general duties. Assistant psychologists will  attend area based team meetings and attend service CPD days and whole service meetings.

Paid or extended voluntary work experience of working collaboratively with others, ideally in an educational or community setting where the focus is on meeting the needs of children and/or young people up to age 25.

Experience through paid or voluntary work experiences in the use of software packages including Microsoft Office and of creating and maintaining databases. Excellent communication skills – both written and oral. Able to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences directly or through a range of media. Excellent and up to date knowledge of psychology and an ability to apply relevant knowledge to real life situations. An understanding of safeguarding, including an awareness of the importance of effective supervision.

Ability to work as part of a team, including a willingness to learn from others, a willingness to share ideas and take direction when appropriate. Flexible, creative, adaptable and reflective approach to work.

An understanding of the importance of confidentiality and an awareness of what information needs to be shared and with whom. Good organisational skills, including managing work to meet deadlines and an ability to maintain paper and electronic records and to ensure that they are securely stored.

An ability to manage data including interpretation and use  of numerical and statistical information. Demonstrate a willingness to undergo appropriate training and development in order to carry out duties and to the benefit of the organisation. It is anticipated that individuals applying for this post are also intending to apply before the end of the fixed term post for a place on a post-graduate training programme in educational psychology at one of the universities offering that are part of the Educational Psychology Funded Training scheme.

Therefore applicants will have one of the following at the time of application;  a degree in psychology (preferably 2:1 or above) or a psychology-based Master’s degree conversion award, both degrees conferring eligibility as for the British Psychological Society Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership.

Awareness of and respect for diversity – treating all people fairly and appropriately regardless of race, religious belief, sex, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, appearance or position.

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 1st June 2021

The interviews will take place Week 14th June 2021.

In light of the current Covid 19 context, a virtual  interview via video conferencing will take place through Microsoft Teams .

The Service will be holding a virtual open event via Microsoft Teams  for interested applicants on Wednesday  26th May at 4.30-5.30pm.  For an invitation to this event and/or more information please contact Dr Pauline Bromfield, Senior Educational Psychologist,  Pauline.Bromfield@birmingham.gov.uk.  

“Right to work in the UK documentation will be fully checked for all applicants.  All non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) may require a Certificate of Sponsorship from Birmingham City Council and must have an approved visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) before any employment offer can be confirmed. Unless they are an EEA or Swiss citizen or their family members, already living in the UK by 31 December 2020, then they will need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) instead.”

Supporting documents
Assistant Psychologists JD&PS
Assistant Psychologists' Perspectives

Company

Working for Birmingham City Council is more than just a job; it's about making life better for the 1 million plus people who live and work in the city.

We welcome people from diverse and underrepresented communities and encourage applications from, those with caring responsibilities, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, neurodivergent, disabled and LGBT+ people. As part of our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, we are committed to promoting and supporting the physical and mental health of all our staff and removing barriers to improve inclusion.   We are making significant strides to understand and continuously improve our employees’ experience and we are committed to implementing progressive diversity talent management.

Information for applicants with a disability

We are a proud Disability Confident Employer.  We encourage applicants to disclose disabilities, so we can support them fully during our recruitment process and make any necessary reasonable adjustments. Please contact: 0121 675 7070 option 3 (lines open between 8.45am to 5.15pm Monday to Friday).

If you require an application in an alternative format, such as Braille or you are unable to complete an application form via WMJOBS, please contact bccHR@birmingham.gov.uk. When you have completed your application form this can be returned to bccHR@birmingham.gov.uk or for Braille applications these can be posted to, Recruitment Team, 2nd Floor, 10 Woodcock Street, B7 4BG.

The Council is a fantastic place to work. You will find an organisation that is both challenging and supportive; with a leadership impatiently adventurous in its pursuit of excellence. 

There is a clear vision which is ensuring that the Council is working for communities today and building for tomorrow, we focus our resources on five key priorities:

  • A Prosperous Birmingham: through a focus on inclusive economic growth, tackling unemployment, attracting inward investment, and maximising the benefits of the Commonwealth Games.
  • An Inclusive Birmingham: through a focus on tackling poverty and inequality, empowering citizens, promoting diversity and civic pride, and supporting and enabling all children and young people to thrive.
  • A Safe Birmingham: through a focus on making the city safer, safeguarding vulnerable citizens, increasing affordable housing, and tackling homelessness.
  • A Healthy Birmingham: through a focus on tackling health inequalities, encouraging physical activity and healthy living, supporting mental health, and improving outcomes for adults with disabilities and older people.
  • A Green Birmingham: through a focus on street cleanliness, improving air quality, continuing the route to net zero, and becoming a city of nature.

We see the Council’s role as providing strategic leadership – that’s being able to visualise a new future for the city and equipping others to share our vision. We want to ensure the provision of services for all, so we can support those least able to support themselves by working with partners and putting citizens and neighbourhoods at the heart of our decision-making.

We are always looking for people who put the customer at the centre of their approach, with a commitment to excellence to help us achieve our vision.  We will support you to develop and thrive in your role, building a pathway for long-term success, with lots of development opportunities, such as apprenticeships.

In return, we offer you excellent terms and conditions, generous annual leave, a great pension scheme, well-being support, annual travel passes and discounts at a number of city centre establishments.

Birmingham City Council is a Foundation Living wage employer - known as the Birmingham Living Wage. The Birmingham Living Wage, is determined by the Living Wage Foundation on an annual basis by the Centre of Research in Society Polity at Loughborough University. The current rate can be found at: www.livingwage.org.uk.

Living wage   small disability confident logo

Company info
Website
Telephone
0121 675 7070
Location
Birmingham City Council
Birmingham
West Midlands
B2 2XU
United Kingdom

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