Job overview

BeeU Children and Young People’s Mental Health Service have an exciting opportunity for an Applied Psychologist to join a 12-month enhancement of our existing Intensive Support Team (IST). The team will focus on addressing the mental health needs of autistic young people who are experiencing suicidal ideation, deliberate self-harm or eating distress, where there are difficulties in engaging with the existing therapeutic offer, or where support required is over and above the current service offer.   

This enhanced offer will be delivered by a multi-disciplinary team, and you will be working alongside a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist, a Mental Health Practitioner and a Peer Support Worker. The clinical model will be informed by autism-affirming, trauma-informed practice, a positive behavioural support approach and family and systemic interventions to ensure timely access to appropriate support in the community with the aim of reducing the need for inpatient admission. As well as direct work with young people and their families, the team will work alongside other BeeU teams and services to provide support, consultation, supervision, and training; developing the skills and experience of the Bee U workforce and the wider system.  

Main duties of the job

This is exciting new post will focus on:

Providing specialist psychological assessment and intervention to autistic young people in STW, presenting with significant distress and a high level of risk to themselves or others and who are at risk of hospital admission.

Working collaberatively with other practitioners, young people, their families and key stakeholders to prove outcomes for this group of young people.

To offer autism-specific, trauma-informed support, advice and clinical supervision to colleagues in the Intensive Support Team and staff across BeeU working with this group of young people.

To lead on the development and delivery of best practice in relation to trauma informed care for autistic young people within BeeU; including attention to Trauma Pathways, Trauma Training and trauma informed supervision as agreed with Professional and Clinical Leads.

To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the Trust and local policies and procedures.  To exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the area served. 

To initiate project management and utilise research skills for audit, policy development, service development and research within the service area. 

To contribute to teaching, research and cross specialty initiatives relevant to meeting the needs of autistic young people within STW.  

Working for our organisation

By joining Team MPFT, you will be helping  your communities and in return for this, we will support you by; 

• Supporting your career development and progression
• Excellent NHS Pension scheme
• Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Options for flexible working
• Up to 27 days annual leave (increasing with service up to 33 days) 
• Extensive Health and Wellbeing support and resources
• If you work in our community teams, we pay for your time travelling between patients
• Lease car if you complete more than 500 business miles per annum, fully insured and maintained (including tyres), mileage paid at lease car rate
• Salary sacrifice car - fully insured and maintained (including tyres), your gross pay is reduced by the cost of the vehicle before tax, NI and pension deductions are calculated, mileage paid at business rates
• Salary sacrifice bikes up to £2k
• Free car parking at all trust sites
• Free flu vaccinations every year
• Citizens Advice support linked with a Hardship Fund for one off additional support up to £250 (if the criteria is met)

We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive organisation and there is a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people. 

Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application.  

Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications