Children’s Care Division
Title: Senior Educational Psychologist
Responsible to: Principal Educational Psychologist / Service Manager
Responsible for: Delivery of a range of strategic, management, specialised and generic psychological services to Children’s Services
Location: One of three Integrated Area Team bases
Main purpose of the job
To contribute fully to the management and development of the Educational
Psychology Service in partnership with the Principal EP and other Senior postholders. To apply high quality consultation, solution focused and creative skills to assist in achieving the aims and objectives of the EPS, Parent, Pupil and
Student Services and the Education Authority more generally. To deliver a generic psychological service to schools and other identified client groups, including potentially some aspects of specialist service delivery according to service needs. To coordinate and manage the administrative support to the EPs in the Integrated Area Team.
Accountabilities
1. Managing and developing internal processes within the EPS
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To provide a specialist lead for EPS and within the LA in specific SEN areas for example for ASD developments.
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To help ensure the service remains up to date with National developments that affect the delivery of educational psychology.
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To supervise some team members and contribute to the developmental appraisal of others.
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With the Principal, other Senior postholders and the EPS team, assist in leading, developing, promoting and implementing the annual EPS Service
Plan, to include all areas of policy development and service performance review.
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Take on other quality assurance and service evaluation exercises as necessary, including the collation and analysis of service delivery data.
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Participate, and actively lead when required, in Integrated team and EPS management meetings.
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Deputise for the PEP as appropriate.
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Actively and strongly promote an equal opportunities ethos within the service.
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Assist in ensuring adequate awareness and implementation of child protection procedures.
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Liaise and work effectively with schools and other service stakeholders to ensure the highest levels of service delivery and accountability.
2. Managing and developing internal processes within the Integrated Team

With the Service Manager and other senior postholders, assist in leading, developing, promoting and implementing an annual integrated team delivery plan to include policy development and service performance review.
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To supervise some team members and in the developmental appraisal of others.
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Provide line management to EP administrative support staff
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Take on other quality assurance and service evaluation exercises
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Deputise for the Team Manager as appropriate.
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Actively and strongly promote an equal opportunities ethos within the team.
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Support multi-disciplinary working and the development of a cohesive integrated team.
3. Engaging in operational, strategic planning and project work services for the Children’s Services Directorate
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To actively promote the profile of Medway educational psychology service and the Children’s Services Directorate throughout the UK Educational
Psychology profession and wider where possible.
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As required to advise on appropriate methodologies for research undertaken within the Directorate.
 As required to undertake training across the Children’s Services
Directorate.
 Support colleagues in Children’s Care and beyond to develop the aims and objectives as outlined in Medway’s Children’s Plan, including policy and procedural protocols. (e.g. to help implement the Common
Assessment Framework) and also special project work.

Engage in multi disciplinary and inter agency activities as appropriate to progress the above within the context of creating effective children’s services more generally.
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Participate in current and future systems of SEN delivery including supporting the SEN decision making processes and attendance at
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tribunals where appropriate (within a framework that promotes partnership with parents / carers)
Approximately 0.3 of notional full time equivalence will be allocated to the above senior role. In addition, the postholder will be expected to undertake the following activities:
4. Developing psychological consultation in schools and the wider community

Provide a consultation led psychological service to schools and other educational establishments in Medway.
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Plan, develop and manage workload in schools via a clear commissioning process as established at regular school based multi disciplinary consultation meetings.
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Promote models of applied psychology and good practice that will enable the optimal psychological development of children and young people.
5. Undertaking casework with pupils with additional needs / barriers to learning, and their teachers and families.
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Via the commissioning process outlined above or following consultation with other professionals as appropriate, engage in case or whole school work that will support the learning and psychological development of children experiencing barriers to learning and social and emotional development.
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Use validated models of psychological assessment and intervention based on effective hypothesis generation to effect positive and collaboratively arrived at change.
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Undertake statut ory advice to the Children’s Services Department as necessary in line with regulations and requirements set out in legislation and the Code of Practice.
6. Challenging and supporting schools as part of school improvement
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In partnership with colleagues, particularly in the advisory and behaviour support services, engage in effective psychologically based interventions in schools experiencing difficulties, especially those in serious weaknesses and special measures.
7. Delivering Training / Continuing Professional Development
 Prepare and deliver training and CPD activities as part of the Children’s
Services training programme to schools and other stakeholders in order to promote the application of psychology in a wide variety of settings.
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8. Equality of Opportunity
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Ensure that equal opportunity issues are taken into account in all service delivery and employment matters. This includes monitoring, planning and implementing change and taking action in accordance with the corporate objectives.
9. Other activities
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From time to time undertake other duties, in line with the status of the post, as may be required by line management.
NOTE:
This job description is designed to help the post holder understand the duties and responsibilities of the post. It may be amended in consultation with the postholder
Person Specification
1. An honours degree in Psychology or equivalent as recognised by the British
Psychological Society. Postgraduate qualifications in Educational Psychology and demonstrable teaching experience until such a time as psychologists qualify under the new doctoral training route in which case the teaching experience will not be essential.
2. Broad based and successful experience as an educational psychologist through high quality consultation, casework and the supervision / support of colleagues.
3. An innovative, flexible and dynamic approach to service delivery.
4. Evidence of engagement with relevant professional bodies (e.g. British
Psychological Society and the Association of Educational Psychologists).
5. A cogent understanding and knowledge of the key issues facing psychology and education with regard to promoting the social, emotional and cognitive development of children and young people at both an individual and systemic
/ school improvement level.
6. Excellent interpersonal and negotiating skills. A positive approach to networking and co-operative working with colleagues, other departments, services and agencies.
7. Excellent written and oral communication skills for use with a range of different audiences/contexts
8. Skills in supervising, mentoring and peer consultation in order to provide support as needed for both new and established colleagues.
9. Possession of, or clear potential to develop, effective leadership qualities in order to make substantial active management and developmental
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i. contributions both within the team and within the Chidren’s Service
Directorate, the Council and other agencies.
10. A strong commitment to equal opportunities within all spheres of work activity and service delivery.
11. The ability to contribute to the developmental appraisal process and the delivery of high quality continuing professional development opportunities to a range of audiences.
12. An ability or willingness to utilise developments in ICT to inform and extend practice.
Organisation ii.
SEPs professionally supervised by the PEP and task managed by the
Integrated Service Manager. Appraisal targets are jointly set and monitored by the PEP and Integrated Service Manager. This SEP post will take part in management meetings as required.
SEPs will be expected to manage own diaries and workload in consultation with the Integrated Service Manager with regard to main areas of accountability. iii. SEPs will be expected to share the supervision of the maingrade EPs including EPiTs if necessary iv. The extent and nature of contacts are outlined in the body of the job description.
Financial Accountabilities
The SEP has a signatory responsibility for up to £500 for items such as travel claims and invoices.
Working Environment
Will be required to work in a variety of settings, some of which do not have disabled access. The needs of people with disabilities would be taken into account when determining patches.
Psychologists will be expected to use skills of negotiation and conciliation where faced with difficult and often emotional situations.
SEPJOBDESC-July 07
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