Assistant Educational Psychologist
Permanent, Full Time
From £30,694 to £34,448 per annum
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style: Anywhere worker
Closing Date: 4th January 2023
The Role
Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda – one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We’re immensely proud of our flexible working options.
The Opportunity
Essex County Council has embarked upon a programme of change for provision and services with the ambition to profoundly improve the outcomes and life experience of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Our vision is for a SEND system which identifies and assesses need at an earlier stage and which provides appropriate and impactful support without such high dependence on Essex County Council’s statutory services. We have a responsibility to deliver effective services and support in the most cost effective and impactful way.
The Assistant Educational Psychologist role is developmental and will enable development of a range of experience and skills, in preparation for training as an Educational Psychologist and progressing to a doctoral training programme. The role will contribute to delivering early intervention work in schools and other settings, undertaking a range of psychology assessment and intervention services.
Applicants must have Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society. We would consider applicants who are close to obtaining this.
Applicants must demonstrate their intention to apply to train to become an educational psychologist.
Accountabilities
- Work collaboratively with a team of Educational Psychologists, contributing to assessments, developing plans to address identified needs and co-ordinating support packages for children and young people with SEN, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, with the supervision of a qualified EP.
- Contribute to the delivery of training to school staff to support developmental activities, the implementation of effective monitoring and review procedures.
- Work collaboratively with educational psychologists in the design, collection, and analysis of outcome measures, contributing to project, development, and research work.
- Responsible for maintaining currency of knowledge with regulations, legislation, and developments in the fields of Educational Psychology and Education, particularly for children and young people with SEN.
- Contribute to the active participation of children, young people, and their families, to understand and participate in the process of assessing and reviewing a child’s mental health or emotional needs and how these are responsive to client needs.
- Responsible for complying with the Essex SET child protection procedures, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Responsible for adhering to Essex and EPS guidance regarding secure storage and use of data, corporate governance and health and safety. Ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, and legislation.
- Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
- Educated to British Psychological Society (BPS) recognised first degree in psychology or another degree with a relevant conversion course to BPS recognised status, completed or planned. Also possesses Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
- Evidence of the ability to develop within role and enhance skills, knowledge, and experience to enable progression to an EP doctoral training programme.
- Experience that demonstrates a desire to apply psychology working with children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN)/Disability.
- Knowledge and understanding of SEN and other legislation which impacts upon children and young people.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, maintaining high ethical standards both personally and professionally; shows integrity and is reliable and trustworthy.
- Ability to build strong working relationships which are collaborative in nature and engender delivery.
- Experience of working in schools and/or other educational settings.
To read more about us please visit Education
Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.
Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us here.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.
We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. More information can be found here pay and reward
To view our Organisational Behaviours information please follow this link.
What you should do next
If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community here .
If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk
Click here to apply.
