Leeds City Council -Principal Educational Psychologist

As our Principal Educational Psychologist, you’re motivated by your belief that every child and young person should have the support they need to unlock their full potential as they learn and grow.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to learning inclusion for thousands of young people in a major city. Holding a leadership position in a large local authority, you will further develop our well-established strategic links to health and care partners and close working relationships with education settings.

You will lead our educational psychology team, part of Leeds City Council’s children’s services which was rated outstanding by Ofsted at the last inspection. Our culture of restorative practice and a family valued model is strongly embedded to ensure we build strong relationships with children, young people and families and give them a clear voice in their lives and learning. 

We are committed to the goals of the Leeds Children and Young People's Plan 2023-2028 and the ambition of Child Friendly Leeds. 

About you
You will be a qualified Educational Psychologist with HCPC registration, and will bring to the role:

• senior experience in an educational psychology service, with evidence of translating policy into delivery
• effective leadership skills and commitment to continuous improvement
• collaborative mindset to foster productive partnerships in a multi-agency environment
• in-depth understanding of relevant regulation, policy and current issues
• strong focus on children and young people’s voice and engagement

About the role 
You will lead and manage Leeds Educational Psychology Team, a dynamic, creative team of psychologists with wide-ranging experience and interests. Children and young people are central to everything we do, and our guiding principle is to ensure they have a voice and their views are heard.   

Alongside an established group of Senior Educational Psychologists, you will drive delivery of the team plan and focus on recruitment and retention strategies to further enhance the team’s capacity.

The team works system-wide across the council and city, collaborating on exciting initiatives including trauma-informed working and enhancing services for young people with neurodiversity. We work closely with the Virtual School, Youth Justice Service and Area Inclusion Partnerships to support children with social, emotional and mental health needs and reduce exclusions. 

We’re committed to professional development and our strong links with universities support doctoral training and enhance research and learning opportunities for the whole team.

What we offer you
We offer a comprehensive range of benefits including:

• generous annual leave allowance plus statutory holidays with option to purchase additional days
• West Yorkshire Pension Fund membership with generous employer contributions and shared cost AVC scheme
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• support for your professional development
• salary sacrifice schemes including ultra-low emission vehicle lease
• employee assistance programme to support your wellbeing and finances

How to apply
Visit our job site for further details and to apply. 

All practising Educational Psychologists in the UK must be registered with the HCPC.

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check is required to work as an Educational Psychologist in the UK.