Job summary Are you interested in the challenges and rewards of working with children who have complex physical health needs impacting on, or exacerbated by, their mental health and wellbeing? Would you like to work with patients, families and the ward system around the patient and their family, tofacilitate their healthcare journey, maximising their physical and mental health outcomes? This is an opportunity to join an exciting new pilot scheme to provide Ward Buddies to reduce the negative impacts of long or frequent hospital admissions. Your role will be providing and promoting trauma informed care in a child and family friendly psychologically informed ward environment and offering teaching and training to ward staff, volunteers and parents. The Health in Mind team at BWCH is a vibrant and well-respected team of clinical psychologists and a Liaison Psychiatrist, with highly valued support from Assistant Psychologists, Trainee Clinical Psychologists and Psychiatrists in Training. Main duties of the job To provide psychologically informed interventions and deliver training/workshops/groups under the direction and supervision of the nominated Clinical Psychologist who holds clinical responsibility. To work according to a plan agreed with the supervisor. To assist in clinically related administration, collection of statistics, teaching, project work, report writing and research to prove the success of this new scheme. About us Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust is the first of its type in the UK. Our Trust was formed in February 2017 to drive forward our commitment to provide the highest quality, world-class physical and mental health care for our women, children and families. Uniting our hospitals means more seamless care; more investment to make greater advances in our specialist treatment and world-leading neo-natal and fetal work. Importantly, it also gives us a greater voice in shaping the future of family-centred care. Birmingham Children's Hospital is a UK leading specialist paediatric centre with an international reputation in several areas. Birmingham Women's Hospital is one of two dedicated women's hospitals in the UK, with the busiest single site maternity unit, delivering more than 8,200 babies a year offering a full range of gynaecological, maternity and neonatal care. Forward Thinking Birmingham (FTB) Mental Health Services are a unique, innovative community and inpatient mental health partnership. Alongside partners FTB offers care pathways of mental health assessment and treatment for young people aged 0-25 years old. Our Trust is committed to creating the best place to work. We believe in promoting and enhancing inclusion, diversity and equality and encourage applications from all areas of the community, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation. Date posted 29 January 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 4 Salary Depending on experience per annum Contract Fixed term Duration 12 months Working pattern Full-time, Part-time Reference number 284-25-6923279-DMUT Job locations Birmingham Children's Hospital Steelhouse Lane Birmingham B46NH Job description Job responsibilities Following appropriate induction and under direction and supervision, to undertake protocol based psychological assessments, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the patient journey. Following training to undertake protocol pathway assessments. To assist in the delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a patients problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist. The post holder can be required to work in a highly emotive atmosphere and must maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times. To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups. To work with ward staff and MDT members to promote this new scheme and values and principles of trauma informed care. To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework for the ward Buddy scheme to the benefit of all patients, families and staff on the pilot wards in Birmingham Children's Hospital. To attend and contribute to clinical psychology meetings and appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings, as directed by the qualified clinical psychologists. To assist in the design and implementation of Ward Buddy service development projects as required. To attend meetings as required in which service developments are planned and discussed. To attend Health in Mind Team meetings and Stream days according to the allocated stream. Job description Job responsibilities Following appropriate induction and under direction and supervision, to undertake protocol based psychological assessments, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the patient journey. Following training to undertake protocol pathway assessments. To assist in the delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a patients problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist. The post holder can be required to work in a highly emotive atmosphere and must maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times. To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups. To work with ward staff and MDT members to promote this new scheme and values and principles of trauma informed care. To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework for the ward Buddy scheme to the benefit of all patients, families and staff on the pilot wards in Birmingham Children's Hospital. To attend and contribute to clinical psychology meetings and appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings, as directed by the qualified clinical psychologists. To assist in the design and implementation of Ward Buddy service development projects as required. To attend meetings as required in which service developments are planned and discussed. To attend Health in Mind Team meetings and Stream days according to the allocated stream. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Upper class honors degree or higher in Psychology (A lower second class honors Degree supplemented by post graduate Qualification may be considered.) Entitlement To graduate membership of the British Psychological Society. Desirable Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology. Mental health practice and/or research design and analysis. Knowledge & Nature of Experience Essential Work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities on a paid or voluntary basis. Ability to assist in teaching and training, and to develop psychometric skills High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive. Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues. An understanding of psychology applied to health care. Experience using Microsoft packages for databases or data analysis, especially SPSS for Windows. Research/audit/project experience Experience teaching/training in group settings Desirable Experience of paid work in direct care provision. Previous experience as an Assistant in an NHS setting. Experience of teaching and training in the application of psychological principles to mental health problems. Experience of research evaluating and audit. Personal Skills/Abilities and Attributes Essential Ability to interact sensitively and effectively with staff from all disciplines. An ability to interact with people with mental health problems or other disabilities and their families. Passion, confidence and enthusiasm to promote psychologically informed care and make a difference for patients, families and staff Desirable An interest in working with people with mental health problems or other disabilities. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Upper class honors degree or higher in Psychology (A lower second class honors Degree supplemented by post graduate Qualification may be considered.) Entitlement To graduate membership of the British Psychological Society. Desirable Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology. Mental health practice and/or research design and analysis. Knowledge & Nature of Experience Essential Work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities on a paid or voluntary basis. Ability to assist in teaching and training, and to develop psychometric skills High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive. Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues. An understanding of psychology applied to health care. Experience using Microsoft packages for databases or data analysis, especially SPSS for Windows. Research/audit/project experience Experience teaching/training in group settings Desirable Experience of paid work in direct care provision. Previous experience as an Assistant in an NHS setting. Experience of teaching and training in the application of psychological principles to mental health problems. Experience of research evaluating and audit. Personal Skills/Abilities and Attributes Essential Ability to interact sensitively and effectively with staff from all disciplines. An ability to interact with people with mental health problems or other disabilities and their families. Passion, confidence and enthusiasm to promote psychologically informed care and make a difference for patients, families and staff Desirable An interest in working with people with mental health problems or other disabilities. 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). 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). Employer details Employer name Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust Address Birmingham Children's Hospital Steelhouse Lane Birmingham B46NH Employer's website https://bwc.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)