Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council - Principal Educational Psychologist

Lead with purpose. Champion inclusion. Help shape brighter futures.

Are you ready to turn psychological expertise into lasting change? We are looking for a Principal Educational Psychologist who combines professional credibility, strategic vision and a determination to improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

You will lead Redcar and Cleveland’s Educational Psychology Service and help shape the future of SEND across the local area. As a member of our SEND leadership group, you will contribute to the design of Expertise at Hand and help deliver Redcar and Cleveland’s Local Area Reform Plan. Working alongside education, health and social care partners, you will turn shared ambitions for inclusion into effective practice.

Make your leadership count

You will provide strategic direction and operational leadership, shaping a coherent service that responds to the needs of children, young people, families, schools and settings. Through thoughtful supervision, workforce planning and continuing professional development, you will support educational psychologists to develop their expertise and maintain high professional standards.

Your influence will extend from service planning and quality assurance to complex casework and statutory psychological advice. You will help secure timely, high-quality contributions to education, health and care needs assessments, support the local authority’s statutory responsibilities and provide advice in relation to SEND tribunals where required.

Partnership will be central to your success. Working with families, education providers, health commissioners and colleagues across services, you will offer constructive challenge, promote evidence-based interventions and help translate shared priorities into effective practice. You will also oversee an appropriate service response to critical incidents, with safeguarding underpinning every aspect of your leadership.

Bring expertise, ambition and integrity

You will hold a professional postgraduate qualification in Educational Psychology and active HCPC registration, alongside a successful track record as a senior Educational Psychologist. You will bring experience of leading and supervising colleagues, building effective partnerships and contributing to multidisciplinary casework, projects and policy development.

We are seeking someone who can combine detailed knowledge of SEND legislation and the SEND Code of Practice with sound judgement, clear communication and the ability to lead change. You will understand safeguarding, quality assurance and the challenges facing education, health and social care, using evidence and service information to drive improvement.

Shape what comes next

If you want a leadership role where psychology informs decisions, partnerships strengthen provision and inclusion remains the focus, we would love to hear from you. Bring your expertise to Redcar and Cleveland and help shape a service that makes a meaningful difference to children, young people and their families.

For more information on the position and how to apply click here