We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity
Overview of the job
This is a non-operational job within an establishment or a regional delivery team.
Upon application, candidates must hold –
- A Degree conferring Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with British Psychological Society (BPS).
- Proof of successful completion of academic component of training towards registered status, this may be a BPS accredited MSc in Forensic Psychology or the BPS Qualification in Forensic Psychology (Stage 1).
Successful candidates will be offered a place on a merit list and will be offered trainee forensic psychology posts as they become available over the next 12-18 months. The order in which candidates are drawn down will be based on performance at assessment centre and location preferences chosen during the assessment process.
Summary
Working as a psychologist in HMPPS is challenging. People in our care have almost always hurt and harmed people, but often and usually not in clear ways, they have also been hurt and harmed. The role requires a great deal of compassion and perspective to work with this reality, as well as a high level of analytical skill, competency in delivering intervention, and an ability to influence others. Some stakeholders depend on you to provide expert assessment to help them judge risk, understand behaviour and make decisions that balance the interests of individuals with that of protecting the public. Others rely on your research and consultancy skills to inform strategic decisions, improve prison conditions and support rehabilitative efforts. The demands placed on psychologists in HMPPS can be a heavy responsibility to carry, but it makes for an extremely rewarding role, with an ability to make a genuine difference at an individual, local and national level.
Forensic Psychologists in Training work with offenders and various stakeholders and their work is undertaken under the supervision of senior or lead psychologists. In HMPPS, psychologists at this level undertake a variety of supervised work to gain experience and develop competency in working towards becoming a registered practitioner. This includes undertaking risk assessments and clinical assessments, writing professional reports and providing evidence as a professional witness at Parole Board hearings. It also includes delivering and supervising accredited programmes and designing bespoke formulation-driven interventions; undertaking research and consultancy projects to provide psychologically informed solutions to support progressive environments and regimes and providing training to improve workforce capability. Psychologists in training employed by HMPPS will undertake training to become a registered forensic psychologist via one of several accredited routes. This training will be funded by HMPPS and trainees will be provided with a range of opportunities to progress through this route. They are expected to use this opportunity to their advantage to support their training and development. They are responsible for ensuring they are constantly progressing to the level of a registered forensic psychologist.
This is a non-operational job with no line management or supervisory responsibilities.
Responsibilities, Activities and Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- All work will be conducted under the supervision of a registered psychologist.
- Offer advice and assist in target/objective setting for offenders.
- Offer advice on the location of a prisoner (both within the establishment or potential relocation to another category establishment).
- Write reports e.g. indeterminate sentenced prisoner reports, reports for Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and Parole Board Reviews.
- Raise awareness of the range of interventions available with those involved in sentence management so that they are better able to recognise who would benefit.
- Interview and select prisoners to assess their suitability for accredited programmes and other interventions.
- Prepare for and co-facilitate (usually more complex) programmes, complete reports and set objectives for offenders following completion of the programme.
- Provide a clinical oversight (treatment management) of identified programmes to ensure standards are maintained and facilitators are supported in group management and related issues.
- Participate in risk assessment to determine an individual’s risk of harm to self, others and the risk of reoffending. Undertake Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) and self-harm assessments.
- Conduct relevant research including data gathering.
- Be involved in the development, delivery and evaluation of training.
- Provide consultancy support where required.
- Develop and utilise skills in crisis intervention.
- Present as 'professional witness' in Parole Board hearings
- Take responsibility for their own Continued Professional Development (CPD) and maintain progression towards registered status.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.
Behaviours
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Developing Self and Others
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
Technical Requirements
- Degree conferring Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with British Psychological Society (BPS).
- Proof of successful completion of academic component of training towards registered status, this may be a BPS accredited MSc in Forensic Psychology or the BPS Qualification in Forensic Psychology (Stage 1).
- Job holders must complete specific training in their specialism once they take up post.
The Recruitment Process
1) Your first step is to complete a short, basic application form online via the Justice Jobs portal. At this stage, you will be prompted to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements for the role.
2) You will then need to complete an online Situational Judgement test. This test will check how you judge the effectiveness of actions linked to the behaviours needed to be a forensic psychologist.
3) If you meet the required level for the Situational Based test you will be asked to complete an online Behaviour Based assessment which will test that you have the strengths and preferences needed to be a forensic psychologist.
4) At this stage only candidates who meet the high pass benchmark based on the Behaviour Based assessment will progress to the next stage. Candidates who did not meet the minimum requirement at the online tests will be rejected, and candidates who met the minimum requirements at the online tests, but not the high pass benchmark will be placed in a sift reserve status and held there for potential future opportunities to complete the final stages of assessment should the vacancies for this role not be filled.
5) Candidates who meet the high pass benchmark on the online test will have their qualifications screened. If you are screened as having the necessary minimum qualifications, you will be invited to interview to complete the final stage of selection.
6) If you are successful in meeting the minimum required pass mark at the assessment centre you will be added to the merit list for the campaign. We will then appoint candidates as trainee forensic psychology posts become available, based on merit order and your location preference which will be captured prior to the assessment centre. Please be advised, that passing the assessment centre and being placed on the merit list, does not guarantee an offer of employment.
Posts in Wales
Forensic Psychology Services (FPS) Wales will run their own bi-lingual campaigns to fill vacancies in Welsh prisons to comply with the Welsh Language Act. Whilst candidates may indicate a preference for prisons in Wales through this national campaign, in the first instance posts in Wales will be filled using candidates from the Wales campaign merit list and as such, candidates wanting a post in Wales may also choose to apply to FPS Wales specific campaigns
High-Level Vetting Checks
Please be advised that some prison locations will require higher-level vetting checks. Candidates who select a location (location preferences captured prior to final stage assessment) that requires a higher level of clearance may have an extended vetting process to obtain the higher-level clearance required to access these locations. Candidates will be advised during the recruitment process.
Continued Professional Development (CPD).
Whilst we encourage all applicants to apply for this role, candidates will be expected to enrol on one of the contracted accredited Qualifications in forensic psychology which will support them to achieve registered forensic psychologist status with the HCPC. This qualification will take between 2 and 4 years from the point of enrolment to complete. This is required to progress to registered status. We would expect candidates who are applying for this role to be able to commit to this qualification in its entirety. Each candidate will be responsible for their own Continued Professional Development (CPD).
Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances
37 hour working week.
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