Army - Defence Children Services (DCS) - Educational Psychologist (Wiltshire)

You will play a vital role in supporting and improving the educational outcomes of approximately 5000 children and young people in Service Families. This is a dynamic and exciting role providing the opportunity to work with our overseas locations and work with the wider Defence community. 

As a DCS Educational Psychologist you will make a huge difference to Defence and Service families by delivering high-quality applied Educational Psychology to the service community. Educational Psychologists (EPs) focus on improving outcomes and the lived experience for children, young people and families through the application of specialist child development, systems and research knowledge and skills. EPs provide specialist psychological consultation/assessment/intervention to support pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and social emotional needs.  We operate at a systems level, offering advice and consultation to promote effective pedagogy, positive mental health and psychological wellbeing. You will work across organisations and work to solve complex problems within school systems, local Commands and communities.

Within this role, you will work effectively to support the two DCS Senior Educational Psychologists based in Upavon, Wilts, the wider DCS and DCS schools and settings. 

DCS Educational Psychologists work in partnership with education settings (early years settings, primary and secondary schools), families, and other practitioners to help children to have a successful experience of education by supporting inclusive practice and interventions to support learning and social/emotional development. 

For children with significant SEND, EPs play an important role in providing statutory-comparable and non-statutory support to the child, their parents/carers and the education setting. This support can take a variety of forms based on direct and/or indirect involvement with the child.  EPs help the education setting to review the existing support that is in place, offer advice about teaching approaches, interventions and appropriate adaptations that might be needed to support the child’s progress through the application of psychology to consultation, assessment, advice and interventions.

• Provide expert advice about children’s special educational needs and their supportability in different overseas locations.
• Provide advice as part of the Service Children’s Assessment of Need (statutory comparable to Educational Health and Care Plans in England) and contribute to annual reviews.
• Provide training to staff in schools, settings and DCS on aspects of educational psychology and special educational needs.
• Contribute to the development of DCS strategy, initiatives and projects according to service priorities
• Contribute to multi-disciplinary activities within DCS and wider partners. This will include, but not limited to, working with other professionals on complex cases, projects and supporting schools and settings with critical incidents.
• Provide timely, high quality, reports and records of psychological advice and analysis.
• Carry out responsibilities within the relevant legislation, the policies and procedures of the DCS and in line with relevant professional standards.

This role involves extensive travel including driving overseas as it will be covering our Rest of World team.

The following are essential: 

• Ability to apply psychological skills, knowledge and understanding at an organisational, group and individual level to bring about change for the benefit of children and young people.
• Knowledge of, and ability to apply up to date techniques and strategies for psychological assessment.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a range of people and in a range of contexts.
• Ability to work together with children, parents and other professionals.
• Awareness of current legislation and developments relevant to the role of the educational psychologist.
• Able to work independently and prioritise effectively within service frameworks.
• Able to provide evidence of recent direct personal experience working with individual children/young people (0-18) with a range of special educational needs.
• Experience in a UK Local Authority or similar organisation.
• Able and willing to travel independently to overseas locations.
• Able to make effective use of ICT.
• Commitment to continuing professional development.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Degree in psychology that confers the Graduate Basis for Registration with the British Psychological Society
• Post-graduate qualification in Educational Psychology
• Current HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist
• Current Full UK driver’s license

Some of the many benefits you will receive include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Highly competitive pension scheme
• Personal and professional development of skills
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
• Learning and Development
• As the role involves frequent travel, you will be entitled to up to 16.5 days TOIL.

An enhanced DBS check is required for this post.

Applicants should note that this post is paid on Soulbury T&Cs.

For full details and to apply please visit: Army - Defence Children Services (DCS) Educational Psychologist - Upavon - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK or click the link to apply.