Job info	Job info details
Job title	Educational Psychologist
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	SEN, Education
Business unit	Torbay Educational Psychology & Specialist Teaching Service
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Senior Educational Psychologist
Accountable to (line manager)	Senior Educational Psychologist
Salary grade	Soulbury Scale A
JE ref	Soulbury

1. Key purpose of job

• Applying the skills, knowledge, and expertise of educational psychology to provide consultation, assessment and advisory service to the Local Authority, Schools, Post 16 providers and Early Years Settings.
• To provide psychological service to the families and schools of children referred to the Service, advising the LA of their needs and the provision appropriate for such children and young people.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• Contributing to successful educational outcomes for all children and young people in Torbay.
• Discharging statutory duties concerning special educational needs efficiently and effectively.
• Supporting the priorities of the Council and implementation of wider local and national policies & plans concerning Special Educational Needs.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• To undertake the full range of educational psychologist duties concerning an identified group of mainstream and specialist schools, post 16 and early years settings, and as a team member of the Educational Psychology Service.
• To contribute to the development of individual education and pastoral support plans for children and young people in any of the schools and other provisions and, if appropriate, to support the implementation of such plans directly and indirectly.
• To liaise with schools whose pupils are in off-site provision to support the implementation of the young peoples’ education and pastoral support plans and facilitate their re-integration.
• To contribute to any in-service training for schools or other staff offered by the Service.
• To liaise with other agencies and attend multi-agency case conferences/meetings as appropriate.
• To represent the Local Authority at SEND Tribunals, where required.
• To participate in professionally relevant activities as directed by the line manager, including supervision and personal and professional development.
• To assist the Authority to fulfil its statutory responsibility for the identification, assessment and review of children and young people with special educational needs and their subsequent provision.
• To be proactive in promoting equal opportunities across the range of client groups.
• To work with parents as partners in the process of identifying and helping meet the needs of their children.
• To contribute to the development of LA policies and practice regarding educational issues generally and special educational needs in particular.
• Such other duties as the Senior Educational Psychologist may require As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal office based. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical effort. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Carrying test equipment into schools for assessment purposes. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

• External:
  • Schools and Post 16 providers (Heads, SENCo’s, Class Teachers, TAs).
  • Health (CAMHS, Paediatricians, Speech Therapists).
  • Social Services (Social Workers, Children's Homes, Foster Parents), Voluntary Bodies and parents/carers.
• Internal: 
  • SEN Section.
  • Advisory Support Teachers.
  • other Educational Psychologists.
  • LA Officers & Advisers, Parent Partnership.
  • LA Social Care staff, and staff in the LA's off-site provisions.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job. 

Other Information

• All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children's Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council. 
• This post is office based at Electric House but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is a customer facing role and meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council. 

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Educational Psychologist
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	SEN, Education
Business unit	Torbay Educational Psychology & Specialist Teaching Service

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• The full range of skills as appropriate to a fully qualified educational psychologist.
• Sensitivity in working with adults and young people; both individually and in groups.
• Ability to work with colleagues and clients in an empathic and supportive way in situations where clients and their families may feel anxious or distressed.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion.
• Ability to prioritise work, meet deadlines and utilise resources appropriately.
• Ability to communicate effectively in all usual media.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• IT literate.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post. 

Desirable skills and effectiveness

N/A

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• A broad understanding of issues surrounding general developments in psychological and educational assessment and intervention.
• Knowledge of both normal and abnormal development in childhood and adolescence (including the most commonly occurring conditions).
• Knowledge of a range of approaches to intervention, as appropriate for use in schools and other everyday settings.
• Knowledge of legislation and procedures relating to assessment and provision for children with special educational needs.

Desirable knowledge

• Project management.
• Knowledge of working with schools as systems.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of work in relation to young people and children with special educational needs.
• Experience in using a range of psychological assessment and intervention techniques.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Some experience as a practising educational psychologist covering the full range of activities.
• Some experience of work concerning disaffected young people and children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, preferably across all age ranges.
• Experience in using more specialised forms of psychological assessment and intervention techniques relating to a particular area of professional involvement (e.g.,SEMH, SLD, Sensory Loss).
• Experience of working in a specialist role or special provision for children with special educational needs.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Honours degree in Psychology or equivalent recognised by British Psychological Society (BPS).
• Postgraduate qualification (MSc. Or Doctorate) incorporating professional training in educational psychology.
• Chartered or eligible for Chartered status with the British Psychological Society.
• Registered or eligible for registration with the Health Professionals Council (HCPC). 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Additional qualification in Special Educational Needs.
• Membership of professional and academic bodies (e.g., BPS, Assoc. Educational Psychologists) and their relevant sub-sections/divisions.

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours. 
• Ability to accommodate occasional home-working. 
• Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role (i.e., manual handling).