Forensic Psychologist in Training
We support and develop Forensic Psychologists in training to reach full accreditation - whilst still playing a key part in administering the delivery of Psychological Services and Offending Behaviour Programmes.

Using psychological theory regarding the treatment of prisoners in prison, and a familiarity with the ‘What Works’ literature, you will make decisions regarding the suitability of candidates for accredited interventions, complete research and parole reports, and provide training and consultancy to other prison staff regarding psychological matters.

What you’ll need to do the role
First and foremost, you will have fully completed Stage 1 of the qualification in Forensic Psychology with the BPS, or a BPS-approved MSc in Forensic Psychology, and ideally will have relevant experience of working with prisoners or a similar population. It would be advantageous to have experience in carrying out such assessments as WAIS or HCR-20.

You’ll also be using your dedicated approach and commitment to actively work towards the qualification in Forensic Psychology, undertaking individual intervention work and conducting Psychological research. Your qualification route will be funded by Serco along with additional training bespoke to your role. 

Taking responsibility for the line management of Forensic Psychologists in Training and Programmes staff, you’ll ensure that all our work adheres to a code of conduct and to BPS guidelines. You’ll also be immersed in day-to-day work alongside our FPITs and help develop the work of Psychological Services, for example through assessments and group or individual interventions.

What you’ll need to do the role
You’ll be a fully qualified Forensic Psychologist, with HCPC registration (or be within six months of obtaining it). You’ll have knowledge in psychological theory regarding the treatment of violent and sexual offenders, and be familiar with ‘What Works’ literature and of a range of psychotherapeutic treatment approaches.

You should be comfortable completing parole reports and carrying out assessments such as WAIS, HCR-20, PCL-r, IPDE, VRS, you’ll also be able to work in a multi-disciplinary way and bring a collaborative approach to your work with your team and with the prisoners.

As a Senior Forensic Psychologist, you’ll work in collaboration with the Head of Psychological Services to oversee work allocation and the administration and interpretation of assessments. You’ll also be developing the work of the team through new and improved assessments and interventions, and undertaking areas of clinical responsibility, for example, Lead for Individual Intervention or Autism Lead. In short, you’ll be using your experience to constantly innovate our services whilst leading your team of psychologists. 

What you’ll need to do the role
You’ll need to be a HCPC registered Forensic Psychologist and be chartered with BPS, including full membership of the Division of Forensic Psychology. As this is a management role you’ll naturally need to have significant post-qualification experience, which will include working knowledge of psychological theory regarding violent and personality disordered offenders and forensic environments. 

You’ll be carrying out assessments, and supervising others to do the same, so you’ll need to be practiced in the administration, scoring and interpretation of psychological assessments such as WAIS, HCR-20, PCL-r, IPDE, VRS. Lastly, we’d also like you to be able to bring a collaborative approach to your work with your team and with the prisoners.

This is an entry level role and full training is provided. Your primary role will be to successfully deliver accredited and non-accredited offending behaviour programmes in line with relevant standards and guidelines - ensuring that treatment integrity is maintained. You’ll also be responsible for all related administrative tasks, such as liaising with prison staff and maintaining reports and records.

An open interest in learning can take you far in this role - and alongside the training, a wealth of individual support is there to help you to develop in all Psychological areas, methods and processes.

What you’ll need to do the role
Naturally in this role you’ll need to have an interest in psychology, and it would be advantageous to have some experience of facilitating group work and/or of working with challenging client groups, but this is not essential.

In this role you’ll be working directly with prisoners, so as well as the confidence and communication skills you’ll need in this environment, you’ll also have the ability to challenge antisocial behaviour and attitudes appropriately. Passion, motivation and the desire to work closely with colleagues in a team environment is a must, as is the ability to deal with large workloads.

At the heart of the Offending Behaviour Programmes are our Treatment Managers.

Reporting into the Programme Manager and managing a number of Offending Behaviour Programme Facilitators, you’ll be responsible for all treatment-related aspects of the programmes, ensuring treatment quality and integrity in line with clinical requirements. This will involve assessing participants and selecting the appropriate programme for them, as well as making sure that we meet all operational performance targets.

What you’ll need to do the role
As well as a background in delivering Offending Behaviour Programmes, either in a custodial or community setting, we’re looking for someone who is able to build strong working relationships with prisoners – someone with a trust building communication style, resilience, calmness, and an ability to understand issues and problems. Armed with this you’ll be able to make robust and well-informed decisions that lead to responsible and effective action. 

You’ll also be able to deliver results through others, whether that’s by leading and managing your team or collaborating with your wider Psychological Services colleagues.  

Leading the teams behind our Offending Behaviour Programmes are our Programme Managers. They provide oversight and direction to our programmes, working with their Treatment Managers to make sure they run smoothly, that they reach their performance targets, and that we carry out regular audits. They’re also manage our relationship with our government customer, addressing any concerns or performance issues.  

What you’ll need to do the role
Already an established professional in this field, you’ll be someone who understands how the work of offending behaviour programmes and psychology fit into the bigger picture for prisons, Serco and our customer. Using your resilience, calmness and excellent relationship building experience, you’ll be able to zero in on customer needs and lead your team to effectively address those. You’ll be someone who has a track record of delivering accredited interventions and offending behaviour programmes, and in coaching and developing others.