Blackstone Recruitment are working with a Local Authority in Berkshire who are recruiting for a Principal Educational Psycholgosit and SEMH Service Manager to join their team on a permanent basis. Job title: Principal Educational Psychologist and SEMH Service Manager Directorate: Children’s Services Service: Education Team: Educational Psychology Service Post number: 00451 Salary grade: Soulbury B 12 -15 up to 3 SPA points Work location: Market Street, Newbury Reports to: Service Director, Education Supervises: Educational Psychology Service, Emotional Health Academy; Mental Health Support Team, Exclusion and Reintegration Team. Job Purpose: As a member of the Children’s Service’s Management Team, your role will contribute to the leadership and direction of the service area including contributing to the implementation, monitoring and review of the SEND & Inclusion Strategy Delivery Plan. You will effectively lead and manage the Educational Psychology and SEMH Service, ensuring delivery of the relevant strategic and service level objectives set out in the annual service plan and ensure strong and effective resource management within the team. You will ensure that educational psychology practice contributes effectively to improving outcomes for children and young people, particularly those with SEND. You will support multi-disciplinary developments in delivery and contribute to the strategic development of policies which promote inclusion and which support government and local initiatives for SEND, Wellbeing and Mental Health. Main Duties and Responsibilities: Service Management -To assist the organisation and senior leadership team in providing strong and effective management of the service area through: -Promoting the Council’s Corporate Values and ensuring the Council’s Vision, Values and Objectives are achieved by providing a clear sense of purpose and direction for the service. -Leading / supporting service area projects, as required, including consulting with service users to ensure the views of all sectors of the community/Council are reflected in the recommendations. -Participating in corporate projects and initiatives, as required. -Building positive working relationships with Council Members and assisting them in the performance of their duties at service and ward level. -Promoting good external relations, and promoting the interests of the Council, by, for example, representing the Council at regional and local levels. -Promoting equal opportunities, access to services and tackling discrimination both within and outside the Council. To mainstream equality within all the activities of the team and contributing to the service area’s Equality Impact Assessments. Management Responsibilities -Ensure sound and robust leadership and management of the Educational Psychology & SEMH Service through: -Continuously reviewing opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the team including the delivery of continuous improvement and best value. -Meeting the Council’s Customer Service standards. -Effective financial management and ensuring effective financial control against allocated budget and income targets to adhere to the Council’s Financial Regulations and processes and ensure a balanced budget (for managers with budget responsibilities). -Effective human resource management, encompassing implementation of the Council’s Human Resource Management policies, procedures and guidance. -To manage recruitment, retention and induction activity for their teams to ensure both new and current staff are provided with a positive welcome to WBC. -Undertake effective and appropriate communications and engagement with their teams in accordance with the Council’s Communications and Engagement Strategy including but not limited to: 121’s, appraisals, team meetings and other management activities to ensure their teams are engaged and informed on WBC priorities. -Effective performance management, including implementation of the Council’s performance management practices and the setting and monitoring of service standards. -Effective Health and Safety management, including implementation of the Council’s Health and Safety policies, procedures and practices. -To lead by example and support the Council’s Wellbeing Principles. -To provide professional leadership and management support to West Berkshire’s Educational Psychology Service, Emotional Health Academy, Exclusion and Reintegration, Therapeutic Thinking Support Team and Mental Health Support teams, to ensure the best possible outcomes for vulnerable children and young people. -Promote and coordinate the Local Authority’s Inclusion agenda and develop the Service’s role as a key agency within the Children’s Services Directorate and wider council -Contribute strategically to the promotion of positive mental health and wellbeing, including liaison with schools, Public Health and the ICB. -Work in collaboration with children, young people, their families, education providers and other stakeholders to maximize outcomes for children and young people at a strategic and operational level across the local area. -Co-ordinate and lead on psychological responses to critical incidents. -Contribute strategically and operationally to school improvement and raising achievement and attendance, and to on-going developments in relation to inclusion, supporting and challenging schools as appropriate. -Lead in the monitoring and evaluation of service delivery and the quality assurance of the service, to ensure that the services are effective, timely and accessible. -Support the monitoring of how schools use SEND resources allocated to them and the ongoing development and review of SEND funding systems. -Promote activities and systems that ensure the continued development of staff’s professional, specialist and management skills and the development of innovative practice. -Lead on traded services with schools and other commissioners. -Strategically lead on Alternative Provision and pupil referral units. -Lead on strategic planning to reduce exclusion and increase inclusive practice. -Provide information to senior management about the services’ work, performance and development. -Keep up to date with professional knowledge and practice -Undertake any other appropriate duties requested by the Director of Education. -Embed the Council’s agreed Risk Assessment practices throughout the team. -Manage resource requirements and the impact on resources of their teams to ensure corporate priorities can be achieved and to escalate risk where necessary using risk management procedures. -Adhere to the standards set out in the WBC Behaviour Framework for staff and managers and to ensure their associated teams are held accountable to these standards of behaviour. Person Specification Qualifications, Honors Degree in Psychology or its equivalent recognised by the British Psychological Society Professional post-graduate qualification in Educational Psychology Evidence of continuing professional development HCPC registration as practitioner psychologist Management qualification or significant management training or commitment to work toward. Experience, Substantial management experience in an educational psychology service, with a track record of efficiently translating policy into service delivery and outcomes. Proven experience of providing direction and clear vision to ensure service excellence. Demonstrate capacity to work under pressure and achieve deadlines Experience of planning and managing work to meet individual, team and service objectives, whilst achieving quality and value for money. A proven track record of delivering functional improvements, including experience of budget/financial management Experience of working with other agencies and supporting emotional and wellbeing service beyond the EPS Experience of managing and delivering a traded service offer Experience in planning and delivery of school and LA wide projects and of implementing developmental work Experience in seeking feedback from stakeholders about services provided, that has been used to undertake continuous improvements to services. Knowledge and Understanding In-depth understanding of legislation, policy, statutory guidance and local and national issues that impact service strategy and delivery, related to SEND, school attendance and child protection. Excellent knowledge and understanding of the factors that lead to improvement in achievement for children and young people with SEND; of best practice in educational psychology; and of how psychology supports learning and wellbeing. Knowledge of broad approaches to assessment and their implications Knowledge of psychological and educational interventions which promote the progress and well-being of children and young people Skills and Abilities: Effective IT skills including the ability to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.), Outlook, and web browsers. Ability to lead and manage at a strategic level; champion new initiatives in support of strategic goals, encourage others to change and negotiate and implement change successfully. Ability to provide teams with a clear sense of vision and direction, generating a commitment to securing continuous improvement Effective interpersonal skills in working with young persons, parents/carers and other professionals Ability to identify and build on good practice Ability to manage the team and provide learning opportunities for employees Ability to use resources and manage budgets effectively Ensure customer service excellence is at the forefront of decisions around service provision Able to lead by example and comply with the Behaviour Framework Ability to make decisions based on complex information obtained from a range of sources To be able to recognise successes and take feedback to improve service delivery Work-related Personal Qualities and Behaviours: Delivery Through Collaboration – ability to demonstrate a collaborative approach and forge successful partnerships, influence, negotiate and establish credibility for the service in a multi-agency environment. Effective Communication and Engagement – effective communication skills, both orally and in writing; and ability to take account of the views of others. Customer Excellence – Commitment to children and young people’s voice and influence, actively involving them and their families in decision making and working together toward agreed outcomes. Responsibility and Accountability – able to be responsible for own actions in order to deliver the Council’s Strategy and Service Priorities. Continuous Learning and Recognition – evidence of continuous learning and willingness to learn. Managing Change – open to new ways of working and embracing change. Commitment to using supervision, mentoring and coaching to develop your practice and that of colleagues. Other work-related requirements This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2017; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English applies. Enhanced DBS check with relevant barred list/s - Yes Is this post politically restricted? - Yes Full driving licence Commitment to the promotion of Equal Opportunities policies Please contact Kirsty at Blackstone Recruitment or APPLY now