Job overview

Are you an enthusiastic and skilled Psychology graduate who would be interested in working within our well established CAMHS for Children in Care team as an Assistant Psychologist? We are keen to find a new team members who is able to utilise their existing skills and competencies and to build upon them to support young people and their families / carers who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties.

Our team is made up of a wide variety of different professionals from health e.g. Mental Health Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work. This means we offer an opportunity to work alongside colleagues from different disciplines, giving you a variety of experience and opportunities. We have other Assistant Psychologists in the Trust and thus there is a wide network of Assistant Psychologists across the MFT footprint.

Main duties of the job

This post involves assisting in the delivery of the Trafford iSTART Pathway and supporting the wider CAMHS for Children in Care clinicians in their direct work with children and young people and their families / carers.

The post holder will assist with a wide range of duties at all stages of service delivery - assessment, formulation, intervention, and evaluation. Duties may include the development of resources, audit, service development and support to group delivery.

The post holder will also be expected to assist CAMHS clinicians in the preparation, delivery and evaluation of a variety of clinical, teaching and research tasks. They will act under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist and will receive regular supervision

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Documents to download’ heading.

Explore ‘Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place’

To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place. This welcoming one‑stop hub gives you a real sense of who we are, what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. You’ll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply.

To access ‘Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place’, simply click on the relevant PDF document under the ‘Documents to download’ heading and once opened, you can either scan QR code or click on the link provided.

Closing vacancy listings early

We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Diversity Matters MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application

Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU, for our patients, our communities, and each other. As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application, especially personal statements and responses to role specific questions is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.

Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

As part of our commitment to safeguarding patients and staff, many roles at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This is a standard process across the NHS and helps us ensure a safe environment for everyone.

What is a DBS Check?

A DBS check is a background check that reveals any criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings. The level of check required depends on the role:

Standard DBS: Checks for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings.

Enhanced DBS: Includes the above, plus any additional information held by local police that’s considered relevant to the role.

Enhanced with Barred Lists: Includes all of the above, plus checks against the children’s and/or adults’ barred lists.

Who Needs a DBS Check

Most roles involving direct patient contact, working with children or vulnerable adults, or access to sensitive information will require a DBS check. The job advert and recruitment team will let you know if this applies to your role.

The Costs for a DBS

At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), roles that require a DBS check are subject to a cost recovery policy. This means that the cost of submitting and processing a DBS application if you are successful and join us, will be deducted from your salary within the first three months of employment. If, however, you withdraw from a conditional offer after the DBS process has begun, you will still be liable for the cost incurred.

For more information about the cost of the various types of DBS, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dbs-fees-are-changing-in-december

DBS Update Service

Candidates are also expected to register with the DBS Update Service which must be completed within 30 days of the certificate being issued. This helps streamline future employment checks and supports safer recruitment practices. For more information, please visit the DBS Update Service.

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Person specification:

Attributes

Essential

• A good knowledge of developmental psychology and abnormal psychology.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with psychological/mental health difficulties and trauma.
• Some experience in working with children and with people with mental health problems.
• Experience in using computer software packages – SPSS, Microsoft Word
• Experience of descriptive statistical analysis
• Ability to search through complex data sources including case notes
• Able to work to tight deadlines
• Ability to work with people from different background and of different ages, and with people with mental health or psychological difficulties.
• Good communication and social skills (oral and written) Ability to establish effective relationships with children and adults
• Good organisational and time management skills including the ability to prioritize work according to fixed time-scales
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff across CAMHS
• A commitment to undertake further relevant training and self-directed study.
• Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required.
• A commitment to the inclusion of young people’s, parent/carer views in service delivery, development and design.
• Willingness to contribute to team functioning, performance and the ongoing development of the service.
• Ability to travel across the MFT footprint and offer home visits.
• Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies.

Desirable

• Experience of audit

Qualifications

Essential

• Good Honours Degree in Psychology or equivalent (at least Class 2 division 1)