Plymouth City Council - Educational Psychologist

Plymouth is a compact city and we are a friendly, motivated, and supportive multi professional team including psychologists, teachers and specialist support workers managed by the Principal EP. We work closely together and psychology underpins our practice within the wider professional group. There are excellent relationships with our schools, many of which purchase additional time to be used for more in-depth casework as well as strategic developments.

Due to the growing demand for our service, we are seeking applications to come and work as part of our valued and highly rated team.

This is an exciting time to join us as our One Children’s Service with the Educational Psychology Service working closely across a range of initiatives and disciplines. Where else could you practice and develop cutting edge psychology in a compact urban environment that sits between a National Park and the sea? And with 43 days of annual leave* you will have ample time to explore these natural resource; after all, those waves aren’t going to ride themselves!

In Plymouth we ensure there is a favourable balance of statutory and non-statutory work with opportunities to develop specialist areas of interest. We welcome applicants who wish to work flexibly and may choose to work part time. Areas of responsibility are negotiable within the roles to balance with other personal commitments or consultancy-based work. We deliver a range of core and traded work in schools as well city-wide initiatives in response to national and local priorities. 

The culture within Plymouth Children’s Services is ambitious, with a clear and approved plan to support early intervention. Our team is integral, along with other services and schools, to the delivery of Plymouth City Council’s Graduated Approach to Inclusion and the SEND Strategic Improvement Plan. We work closely with our Children, Young People and Families Service, Attendance Officers, Virtual School and SEN advisory teams, and regularly deliver sessions to trainee EPs at Exeter University. 

If you would like a balance of work with the opportunity to influence practice across many aspects of Plymouth children’s lives, in a highly regarded service, then please apply. We offer:

• The opportunity to take part in policy development and service design, develop specialist skills and undertake mutually supportive joint work as part of a multi-professional team
• Traded work and contribution to early intervention through a graduated response working with a patch of schools and link professionals
• Flexible working arrangements including IT systems and virtual working
• A generously funded CPD programme and resources to apply psychology
• Regular structured supervision including allocated time for peer supervision.  Appointed EPs will receive an induction programme that includes an EP buddy and newly qualified EPs will benefit from a reduced allocation in their first year
• The chance to work in a compact vibrant waterfront city surrounded by beautiful beaches and a National Park and 43 days of annual leave with which to enjoy it

We are seeking Educational Psychologists who:

• Are committed to building parental/carer confidence, embracing the principles of early help and co-production
• Work in partnership with others
• Take a holistic perspective in applying psychology to support and promote inclusion
• Can work consultatively and adopt problem solving and solution focused models of working

Applications are welcome from HCPC registered EPs and year 2 & 3 TEPs.

In addition to those seeking employment we would also welcome contact from any qualified HCPC-registered Educational Psychologist seeking associate work to support with the statutory assessments of Plymouth learners.

The Disclosure & Barring Service Check requirement for this post is: Enhanced Children's Barred List

For more information or an informal discussion regarding these posts please contact one of our acting Principal Educational Psychologists Dr Barry Sullivan and Dr Alan Ebbens on (01752) 224962 or via email at psychology.service@plymouth.gov.uk.

You may also ask to speak to any of our Educational Psychologists who would be happy to talk to you about working in our Service.

Plymouth City Council is an equal opportunities employer. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, care experience, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex or sexual orientation. 

As part of our commitment to promoting equality we offer guaranteed interviews to those who meet the essential criteria and are considered disabled, care experienced or are an Armed Forces Service Leaver within the last two years

*43 days plus bank holidays