Dorset Council - Senior Educational Psychologist

Are you compassionate, creative and collaborative and determined to improve outcomes for children and young people?

We have an exciting opportunity for a full-time Senior Educational Psychologist (EP) to join our highly regarded, friendly and supportive team of EPs, working for a local authority that values respect, curiosity, kindness and openness.  Are you interested in applying psychology in a multidisciplinary locality team working in partnership with other senior educational psychologists to lead the educational psychologists across Dorset?  The Educational Psychology Service is highly regarded by schools/settings and parents/carers and provides a valued service across the Local Authority offering training, consultation and supervision across the system. 

About Dorset Childrens Services

‘Dorset Children Thrive’ is our locality model to deliver Children’s Services.  It brings together services and support for children and families into four integrated locality teams. The locality teams include Family help, Children’s Social Care, and Learning and Belonging.  Through our integrated structure, colleagues work in multi-disciplinary integrated teams, educational psychologists are part of the Learning and Belonging strand.

Matrix management arrangements are in place in every locality meaning each locality has a senior educational psychologist.  The senior educational psychologist is part of the senior management team for each locality and the Principal Educational Psychologist is part of the extended Childrens' Services Leadership Team alongside other colleagues from education, family Help and Social Care.

Dorset Council Educational Psychologists (EPs) are creative, person and child centred and have excellent relationships with families, children and young people, education settings, social care and health colleagues as well as with each other. Our team values are Relationships, Hope, Diversity, Curiosity and Creativity. 

Role and Responsibilities of Senior EP in Dorset:

• Work with the Principal Educational Psychologist, Head of North Locality, and Senior Educational Psychologist colleagues to deliver high quality educational psychology services and promote inclusive practices across North Locality and across Dorset Council. This will involve contributing to the shaping of the EP service in line with the SEND reforms.
• Lead and manage the North team of Educational Psychologists. Manage and supervise Specialist Teachers within North locality, providing effective support and appraisal processes.
• Build and establish multi-agency networks and working partnerships that support joint strategic planning and service delivery across Children’s Services, ensuring coordinated working arrangements for children, families, and schools.
• Manage and balance workloads and nurture relationships with Special Educational Needs Team, other professionals, and education setting staff.

The post holder will also contribute to strategic plans in meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND and other specific groups of children and young people.  You will be expected to take a lead in an area and work with colleagues and partners to deliver on key performance indicators providing reports to the SEND partnership board and other groups when requested. 

We are seeking applications from educational psychologists who are:  

• Able to place children and young people and their families at the centre of practice
• Passionate about supporting the inclusion of children and young people to improve belonging and engagement
• Seeking opportunities to apply psychology as a leader and to influence strategic plans
• Committed to supporting the development of EPs and other colleagues
• Committed to the development of their own practice and that of colleagues using reflective supervision
• Creative, flexible, positive and focused on solutions
• Able to demonstrate effective work within a multi-disciplinary team
• Able to develop positive working relationships with a range of colleagues
• Pro-active in developing and sharing your knowledge and skills

What will you get in return?

• Flexible working
• Soulbury terms and conditions
• Peer and management supervision
• A team of friendly, supportive and professional colleagues
• Good ICT
• Be highly regarded and respected by stakeholders and professional colleagues
• A beautiful mix of rural, town and coastal environments including Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, The Jurassic Coast and Blue Flag beaches.

About you
We welcome applications from educational psychologists with a postgraduate professional qualification in Educational Psychology at Doctorate or Masters level. 

You will be expected to have gained a minimum of 3 years’ experience as a qualified EP registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), with some experience of supervising psychologists and/or relevant colleagues.

You will be subject to an enhanced DBS for Adults and Children.

For further details of how we work visit Educational Psychologists.

If you would like to discuss the post informally or visit the team please call or email: Clare Anderson, Principal Educational Psychologist 01305 224354 clare.anderson@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed. 

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders. 

See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.