Senior Psychologist - Prison Service

Job Description
Cpl Healthcare in partnership with the Irish Prison Service acre currently recruiting an experienced Senior Clinical or Counselling Psychologist for Sexual Violence Programmes in the Irish Prison Service.

The appointed Senior Clinical or Counselling Psychologist will provide specialist psychological assessment and treatment with the cohort of men accommodated in the Midlands Prison who have been convicted of a sexually violent offence.  They will also support the Principal Psychologist Specialist in the overall clinical direction and management of programmes for sexual violence, however, the primary focus will be on specialist assessment and intervention.

Professional / Clinical

• Be responsible for the delivery of professional Psychological Services appropriate to the post and in line with best practice; 
• Carry a clinical caseload appropriate to the post;
• Provide psychological assessments for the client group based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of data from a variety of sources including psychological tests, self-report measures, direct and indirect observation and interviews with clients, family members and/or carers and staff (where appropriate);
• Formulate and implement plans for psychological therapeutic intervention or management based on an appropriate conceptual framework, working in clinical or community settings as appropriate;
• Provide clinical supervision to other Psychology Service staff members;
• Exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients in line with IPS Psychological Services protocols;
• Contribute a psychological perspective to multi-disciplinary case working and call multi-disciplinary, multi-agency case conference meetings when appropriate;
• Provide professional reports as required, for example assessment reports, discharge reports and Parole Board reports, in accordance with professional standards outlined in IPS Psychological Services protocols;
• Communicate effectively and work in co-operation with the MDT to ensure integrated sentence planning and service provision.  Ensure co-ordinated multi-disciplinary and multi-agency service delivery;
• Undertake project management in the development, implementation and evaluations of new initiatives to ensure an ongoing, up-to-date quality service;
• Develop and maintain close liaison with key stakeholders e.g. prison staff (all grades), The Probation Service, HSE, NGO’s etc.

Post Location
The Midlands Prison, Dublin Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, R32 F796

Essential Qualifications and Experience

Essential Qualifications
 
Candidates must, on or before 16th May 2025, have:

• Have a recognised University Degree or Diploma (QQI level 8 equivalent) obtained with 1st or 2nd class honours in which Psychology was taken as a major subject and honours obtained in that subject;

and
 

• Hold, a recognised professional post-graduate qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland in clinical, counselling or educational psychology or an equivalent qualification validated by the Department of Health.  

Essential Experience

• Applicants must have at least 5 years satisfactory postgraduate experience in the area of professional Clinical or Counselling Psychology. 
• Applicants must be a member of the Psychological Society of Ireland
• The five years’ experience must comprise two full years’ experience as a Psychologist (Grade II), Clinical or Counselling
• Possess the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and management ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.
• Demonstrate experience working with people with severe and enduring mental illness or people with a history of offending behaviour.

How to Apply
The IPS are working in partnership with our Recruitment provider, Cpl Healthcare for this appointment and we ask all interested candidates must complete the Application Process comprising the following:

• Cover Letter outlining suitability and motivation for the role
• Comprehensive Curriculum Vitae

Closing Date
To express interest or a full job specification please send your Cover Letter and CV to Apply. Applications will not be accepted after 5pm on May 16th