Residential Assistant Psychologist

Job Title: Residential Assistant Psychologist

Responsible to: Clinical Psychologist, Deputy Manager and Registered Manager

Terms of Employment: Permanent

Estimated Earnings: £21,837.60 (180 Hrs.) as a Grade 3 leading to £34,000 as a Deputy Manager (234 hours)

**Job Purpose**

This is a new role within Meadows Care. We are seeking enthusiastic psychology graduates with an interest in developing therapeutic skills to work with and care for children and young people who have experienced trauma. **Please note this is an entry level role for psychology graduates - not those who have been employed as assistant psychologists previously.**

At Meadows Care we have a large multi-disciplinary therapy team who are integrated into each of our residential homes.

You will be a member of residential staff, which means you will complete shifts in the home and complete residential support worker roles. You will support therapeutic work in the home with therapy support. All staff are trained in therapeutic care using our Meadows model of therapeutic care, but will you take the lead in a variety of therapeutic areas and receive supervision on pieces of clinical work. You will have 8 hours protected therapy time per month. The work that you do in this time will be dictated by the lead therapist in the home.

You will receive regular supervision from a member of the therapeutic team, as well as attending group supervision facilitated by a clinical psychologist. You will complete therapeutic training and have access to CPD opportunities.

**Main Duties and Responsibilities**
- The Residential Assistant Psychologist is responsible for assisting in the promotion of good childcare practice in accordance with Meadows Care Policies and Procedures, Quality Standards and Every Child Matters.
- The Residential Assistant Psychologist is responsible for providing care, support and supervision, including household tasks, cooking, shopping, laundry and independent living skills to the young people in their care.
- The Residential Assistant Psychologist will lead on areas of therapeutic work with young people as directed by the Lead Therapist.
- The Residential Assistant Psychologist will work restoratively with young people.
- To actively promote the welfare, safety, personal development, and wellbeing of young people placed at Meadows Care.
- To administer prescribed and non-prescribed medication to young people as dictated by health practitioners and according to the young person’s Placement Package and Meadows Care Policies.
- To maintain good communication skills and written records and to support therapeutic assessments by the lead therapist.
- To liaise with significant others on a day-to-day basis, participating in the assessment of the young person’s needs and the implementation of placement plans and risk assessments.
- To promote the participation of the young person placed in the decision-making process of the home.
- To ensure that the physical, emotional and psychological needs of young people placed at Meadows Care are met where at all possible.
- To support young people by driving them to home visits, school and appointments etc. that is in or out of the local area and may involve long distances via motorways.
- To carry out duties in line with Meadows Care policies and procedures and Equal Opportunities.
- To be aware of Meadows Care policy on codes of conduct and to set an acceptable role model standard.
- To carry out duties as stated in the home’s Statement of Purpose in line with the Quality Care Standards.
- To work in partnership with educational staff to ensure that the educational needs of the young people are met.
- To promote anti-discriminatory practices and equal opportunity practices in line with Meadows Care policy.
- Attend and take an active part in team meetings, handovers and supervisions both in the residential and therapy teams.
- To commit to training and development through Meadows Care, this includes gaining the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Care. As stipulated in the Quality Standards this must be completed within 2 years of the employees start date with Meadows Care.
- To maintain a record of continuous personal development (CPD file) and build an individual portfolio.
- To attend training and maintain professional development to meet the demands of the job and to participate and implement Meadows Care behaviour management of Prevention, Protection & Restoration (PPR) Techniques which includes the ability to physically hold young people in order to keep them and others safe at all times.
- To promote the good reputation of Meadows Care in all contact with external agencies and individuals.
- To support and maintain effective working relationships with all other staff and to promote good relationships with residents and the general community.

Other Conditions

**The Residential Assistant Psychologist** **will be responsible**:

- To complete the Diploma Level 3 in Residential Care withi