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Job summary

Main area
Psychology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 5
Contract
1 year (1 Year Fixed Term)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
395-PP094-25
Employer
NELFT NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Child and Family Centre
Town
Barking
Salary
£31,049 - £37,796 pa pro rata (plus HCAS)
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
18/08/2025 08:00
Interview date
19/08/2025

Employer heading

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Assistant Psychologist - 1 Year Fixed Term

NHS AfC: Band 5

Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video

Job overview

An exciting vacancy for the post of an Assistant Psychologist Band 5, in a Specialist 0-18 Autism service within NELFT. This post is part of a newly commissioned multidisciplinary autism service at NELFT. This post would suit someone with a strong interest in neurodevelopment and at least 2 years experience in Autism.  It will be based in East London and will include travel within East London as part of clinical activity. Suitable candidates will have specialist skills in assessing neurodivergence and will contribute to post assessment offers within the service.

Eligible staff includes those with an honours degree in Psychology and at experience of working with pre-school children.

There is also a strong trust wide assistant psychologists’ group which can be linked in for support and advice.   This post will be an excellent opportunity to further develop specialist skills within neurodevelopment services under supervision.

 

Please contact Dr Afua Appiah ([email protected])  for further information.

 

Main duties of the job

  • Contributing to developmental  assessments
  • Supporting qualified team members in triage and MDT processes
  • contributing to MDT discussions
  • Supporting qualified team members in risk assessment
  • Facilitating/co-facilitating post diagnostic interventions

Working for our organisation

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust.  All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment.  As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes.  The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,313 to a maximum of £5,436 p.a. pro rata for part time).

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  •  Assisting in the provision of a psychological service to children, young people and families within the specialty under the direction of the supervising clinical psychologist
  • To be responsible for the planning and prioritisation of own workload and activities following the direction and guidelines given by the supervising clinical psychologist
  • To contribute to assessments of children to inform the diagnosis of possible social communication disorders in clinic, school, home and nursery settings
  • To undertake research activities as required and directed by the supervising clinical psychologist
  • To work within guidelines given by the supervising clinical psychologist.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • atleast a degree in psychology with 2:1
Desirable criteria
  • Masters degree in relevant area (e.g child neuropsychology)
  • ADOS Trained
  • Child development qualification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • experience atleast 2 years in the field of neurodiversity
Desirable criteria
  • Experience facilitating aspects of autism assessments (e.g school observation, clinic observation)
  • Experience delivering/co-delivering autism specific psychoeducation
  • Experience administering and scoring cognitive assessments
  • Previous experience working therapeutically with pre-school children

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Developmental , risk and autism assessment using assessment tools
Desirable criteria
  • Use of neuroaffirmative language
  • Knowledge of up to date evidence base regarding neurodevelopment assessment and/or intervention

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Employers for CarersApprenticeships logoAge positiveDisability confident employerHappy to Talk Flexible WorkingDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldEmployers Network for Equality & InclusionTop Employers for Working Families 2021Top 10 Employer 2023

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to ensure consideration.

If you require any additional support during the application process please contact [email protected]. We are happy to make reasonable adjustments to support you throughout the recruitment journey.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Afua Appiah
Job title
Principal Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0300 300 1751
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