The Role

Come to Bexley, where the Educational Psychology team provides opportunities for direct therapeutic work with children and families. Everyone in the team has the opportunity to train in at least one of our three main strands of intervention – VIG (Video Interaction Guidance), CBT and Therapeutic Play. All EPs have protected time for this kind of work. 

In addition to direct work we are also committed to a systemic approach to wellbeing. For example, training, supporting and supervising school staff to work therapeutically with children who do not meet criteria for higher threshold services such as CAMHS. We also work collaboratively with and provide supervision to specialist SEMH teachers and social workers within the wider teams. We have positive links with our local CAMHS team, working collaboratively on casework and forming part of the multi-professional under-fives service. 

Due to an increase in demand for the service for schools, we are seeking to appoint innovative Educational Psychologists who enjoy working as part of a creative and enthusiastic team who have a strong commitment to multiagency working. The posts are full time, but job share applicants and flexible working arrangements will also be welcome. Applications are welcome from both trainees due to qualify in 2019 and experienced candidates. 

About us

The Educational Psychology Service is located alongside specialist teaching services and other professionals led by a Principal Educational Psychologist and a strong Senior Educational Psychologist team, with a focus on early intervention. Within this structure, there is commitment to Educational Psychologists retaining a strong professional identity and continuing to maintain a high level of professional skills, as well as working collaboratively with other services to achieve better outcomes for children.

The service is highly valued by schools and by colleagues in health and social care, which promotes good collaborative working and joint project work.  The service is committed to continually improving the quality of our assessment, training and project-based interventions. High priority is given to induction, supervision, reflective practice and continuous professional development.

Specifically we can offer you:

·         Friendly teams, which offer a high level of professional support

·         Opportunities to work collaboratively with colleagues from other disciplines, both within the local authority and within the health service, including CAMHS, Speech and Language Service and the Child Development Centre.

·         A favourable schools workload

·         Opportunities to contribute to the development of a well-established innovative service. These include opportunities to train in VIG, provide ongoing therapeutic intervention, including CBT and therapeutic work and provide supervision to other staff undertaking such work.

·         Opportunities to use professional skills outside of the schools context, working with health and social care

·         Excellent CPD opportunities, both within the service and funding for external courses

·   Additional supervision and support for newly qualified candidates, together with a reduced workload

·         Clear career progression, with a recognised pathway for awarding SPA Points.

·         Access to a range of advanced ICT , which enables access to all Council systems at home on the same basis as in the office 

For an informal discussion about the above post, please contact Dr Jennifer Swindells, Senior Educational Psychologist 02030454430.  

We also offer excellent staff benefits:

• Opportunities for flexible working with excellent ICT facilities
• Our **Choices Flexible Benefits Package includes lease car, and cash options to the value of £2,322 per annum
• Career average revalued earnings pension scheme
• Performance related pay
• 27 days annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years’ service) plus bank holiday entitlement
• MyChoice Staff Benefit Scheme – Includes Childcare vouchers, cycle to work scheme, access to high street shopping vouchers and online discount codes.
• Annual Leave Purchase Scheme

View more about our employment deal here.

Your Application:

• Closing Date for your application: 07/05/19
• Please visit https://jobs.bexley.gov.uk/wrlive/ to find out more and apply.  CVs will not be accepted unless they are submitted with a completed application.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

This post is considered by the authority to be a customer-facing position; as such it falls within scope of the Code of Practice on English language requirement for public sector workers. The council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the JD/Person Specification. These will be applied during the recruitment/selection and probationary stages.