Job summary

The N&S CAMHS Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service (AAFS) is a national and specialist service within the South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. AAFS are delighted to be recruiting a 1 WTE Band 7 Specialist Practitioner Psychologist to join our team on a permanent basis.This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a responsive, specialist service for young people and families who present with high risk alongside complex mental health needs and neurodiversity. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to consolidate skills in formulation, intervention, and risk management within a skilled and supportive clinical team.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide a specialist clinical service to the Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service, National and Specialist CAMHS. Main duties include:

o Highly specialist assessments of young people with complex mental health needs, high-risk behaviours (e.g., self-harm, aggression, sexual offending) and/ or risk of exploitation (sexual and criminal). Assessments include structured risk and neuropsychological assessments.o To provide direct and indirect evidence-based psychological interventions for young people, their families and the systems around them. o To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.o To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate. o To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.o To work as an autonomous professional within professional guidelines and codes of conduct and guided by the policies and procedures of the service.

About us

3. About Us:The N&S CAMHS Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service (AAFS) is a national and specialist service within the South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. AAFS works with young people aged 10-18, their families, carers and professional networks, offering evidence-based assessment and intervention using CBT, DBT and systemic models. The young people seen by our service typically present with complex mental health needs, high risk across multiple domains (to self, to others, from others), have early and ongoing adverse and traumatic experiences and (often undiagnosed) neurodiversity (autism, ADHD, intellectual disability). They are amongst the most excluded and marginalised in society and tend to be referred to AAFS because their needs exceed what is available within local CAMHS services. We work creatively and flexibly to overcome barriers to engagement, be it individual, systemic, or multisystem, and to provide a service to young people in need.About our locations:The post will be based at Pears Maudsley Centre, on the Maudsley Hospital site which is located in Denmark Hill, less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2) and is within walking distance from green spaces (e.g. Ruskin Park) and a vibrant high-street (Camberwell).

Details

Date posted

02 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£58,133 to £65,261 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS (Inner)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-CLI-8290929

Job locations

Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People (PMCYP)

S L A M NHS Foundation Trust

London

SE5 8AZ

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will provide a specialist clinical service to the Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service, National and Specialist CAMHS. We are a friendly and supportive team committed to professional and personal development. We are committed to addressing inequality in access, experience and outcomes for children and staff from diverse backgrounds and take an anti-racist approach. Our team is made up of clinical psychologists, a forensic psychologist, a social worker, clinical psychology trainees, MSc placement students, and assistant psychologists. We are actively involved in research and have close links with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, Doctoral Training Programme in Clinical Psychology. We recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce and the positive impact this has on our staff and our service users. We welcome and actively encourage applications from those with lived experiences of mental health and care services and from black and minority groups.Main duties include: Highly specialist assessments of young people with complex mental health needs, high-risk behaviours (e.g., self-harm, aggression, sexual offending) and/ or risk of exploitation (e.g., sexual and criminal). Assessments include structured risk and neuropsychological assessments. To provide direct and indirect evidence-based psychological interventions for young people, their families and the systems around them. To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment. To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate. To undertake service evaluation, audit and research. To work as an autonomous professional within professional guidelines and codes of conduct and guided by the policies and procedures of the service.

Job description Job responsibilities The post holder will provide a specialist clinical service to the Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service, National and Specialist CAMHS. We are a friendly and supportive team committed to professional and personal development. We are committed to addressing inequality in access, experience and outcomes for children and staff from diverse backgrounds and take an anti-racist approach. Our team is made up of clinical psychologists, a forensic psychologist, a social worker, clinical psychology trainees, MSc placement students, and assistant psychologists. We are actively involved in research and have close links with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, Doctoral Training Programme in Clinical Psychology. We recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce and the positive impact this has on our staff and our service users. We welcome and actively encourage applications from those with lived experiences of mental health and care services and from black and minority groups.Main duties include: Highly specialist assessments of young people with complex mental health needs, high-risk behaviours (e.g., self-harm, aggression, sexual offending) and/ or risk of exploitation (e.g., sexual and criminal). Assessments include structured risk and neuropsychological assessments. To provide direct and indirect evidence-based psychological interventions for young people, their families and the systems around them. To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment. To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate. To undertake service evaluation, audit and research. To work as an autonomous professional within professional guidelines and codes of conduct and guided by the policies and procedures of the service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional Doctorate or combined MSc plus diploma that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration as a Clinical or Forensic psychologist. (A/I)
• Additional training beyond entry level qualifications in a specialised area of psychological practice (CBT/ DBT). This could be a diploma or short course. (A/I)
• Completed training course in clinical supervision. (A/I)

Desirable

• Post qualification training and experience in clinical and forensic risk assessment and management (e.g., AIM-3, SAVRY)

Experience

Essential

• Experience working with adolescent offending or young people at risk of harm / exploitation (A/I)
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment (including neuropsychological and forensic assessment) and intervention with young people with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature related to risk. (A/I)

Desirable

• Experience using DBT/AIM/systemic approaches (A/I)

Understanding and Knowledge

Essential

• Theoretical knowledge relevant to work with young people who display, or who are at risk of, youth violence, fire-setting, harmful sexual behaviour, exploitation and the evidence base for relevant treatment approaches (A/I)
• Knowledge of mental health and CAMHS assessment including clinical psychometrics. (A/I)
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care. (A/I)

Skills

Essential

• To deliver therapy across cultural and other differences. (A/I)
• To be skilled in the use of risk assessment measures, risk formulation (including wider context and complexity) and management (A/I)
• To deliver a range of evidence-based interventions with child, parent/ carer and systems in at least one model of psychological therapy (i.e. CBT, DBT) (A/I)

Abilities

Essential

• Ability to work effectively within a team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles. (A/I)
• Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour. (A/I)

Person Specification Qualifications Essential Professional Doctorate or combined MSc plus diploma that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration as a Clinical or Forensic psychologist. (A/I) Additional training beyond entry level qualifications in a specialised area of psychological practice (CBT/ DBT). This could be a diploma or short course. (A/I) Completed training course in clinical supervision. (A/I) Desirable Post qualification training and experience in clinical and forensic risk assessment and management (e.g., AIM-3, SAVRY) Experience Essential Experience working with adolescent offending or young people at risk of harm / exploitation (A/I) Experience of specialist psychological assessment (including neuropsychological and forensic assessment) and intervention with young people with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature related to risk. (A/I) Desirable Experience using DBT/AIM/systemic approaches (A/I) Understanding and Knowledge Essential Theoretical knowledge relevant to work with young people who display, or who are at risk of, youth violence, fire-setting, harmful sexual behaviour, exploitation and the evidence base for relevant treatment approaches (A/I) Knowledge of mental health and CAMHS assessment including clinical psychometrics. (A/I) Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care. (A/I) Skills Essential To deliver therapy across cultural and other differences. (A/I) To be skilled in the use of risk assessment measures, risk formulation (including wider context and complexity) and management (A/I) To deliver a range of evidence-based interventions with child, parent/ carer and systems in at least one model of psychological therapy (i.e. CBT, DBT) (A/I) Abilities Essential Ability to work effectively within a team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles. (A/I) Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour. (A/I)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People (PMCYP)

S L A M NHS Foundation Trust

London

SE5 8AZ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People (PMCYP)

S L A M NHS Foundation Trust

London

SE5 8AZ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)