South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust • London SE5 8AZ

CAMHS Assistant Psychologist (N&S FCAMHS) | South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

About this role

We are seeking a motivated Research Assistant Psychologist to join our National and Specialist (N&S) South London Community Forensic CAMHS team. Working under the supervision of Practitioner Psychologists, you will contribute to our multi-disciplinary approach to care and service development. This post provides a unique opportunity to engage in various roles, including:

Lead and support research projects, service evaluations, and clinical audits to monitor outcomes and inform best practices across the multi-disciplinary team.
Participate in multi-agency consultations and draft high-quality summary reports to support clinical decision-making.
Manage the end-to-end referral process, facilitate clinic organisation, and act as a professional liaison for stakeholders and referrers.
Maintain accurate clinical records and minutes, ensuring all activity is captured within electronic systems to support both clinical safety and research integrity.
Assist in specialist forensic risk assessments (e.g., SAVRY, FARAS, AIM3).
Support with delivery of formulation-driven interventions for young people with high-risk of harm to others where appropriate.

The post-holder will primarily support the National & Specialist FCAMHS team through robust research, service evaluation, and the coordination of specialist consultations. A central focus of the role involves leading on data-driven projects and clinical audits to refine service delivery, alongside providing high-level administrative and evaluative support during multi-agency consultation clinics. While the role is research-led, the post-holder will also assist Practitioner Psychologists with the processing of referrals and contribute to the preparation of summary reports and standardised risk assessments (e.g., SAVRY, AIM3, SERAF). Where clinically appropriate, there may be targeted opportunities to support the planning of formulation-driven interventions for young people presenting with high-risk behaviours.

This position requires a candidate with highly developed analytical skills and the ability to synthesise complex clinical information into clear, professional reports. The post-holder must demonstrate strong initiative in managing clinical databases and liaising with key stakeholders, ensuring that all research and administrative activity adhere to rigorous clinical governance standards. We are seeking a detail-oriented individual who is committed to using research and service evaluation as a tool to overcome systemic barriers to engagement in forensic mental health.

Flexible working

As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. In this role, our team/office hours are typically Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00. At the current time, you would not be expected to work on weekends. (This may include working early mornings, later evenings or Saturdays as part of the core working hours/working pattern for this post)

About our locations

The post will be based at the Michael Rutter Centre, De Crespigny Park, SE5 8AZ on the Maudsley Hospital site. Located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2) and is within walking distance from the beautiful green spaces of Ruskin Park and the vibrant high-street that offers great shopping opportunities and with a wide range of restaurants. (Due to move to the Pears Maudsley Children and Young People (PMCYP) at the Maudsley Hospital in early 2026)

The service is part of the South London Partnership (SLP), a collaboration between South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and South West London and St George’s NHS Foundation Trust, and the post-holder will be required to do some travel across the 12 boroughs covered (Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Southwark, Sutton and Wandsworth).

The post-holder will assist Practitioner Psychologists within the Forensic CAMHS team to deliver a high-quality service to young people and their families across South London. The key responsibilities and duties are outlined below:

Research and Development

To contribute to research proposals and funding bids for the service.
To support the service in the organisation, planning, delivery, and evaluation of scientific research and systematic reviews, including data collection and analysis, literature reviews, statistical analysis, and write up, under the close supervision of a Practitioner Psychologist.
To contribute to the dissemination of the team’s research and service evaluation findings (e.g., written and oral presentations, posters, published articles).
To support the team to carry out relevant service evaluation and audit projects (e.g., patient experience, Tendable audit).
To support the team to develop innovative and high-quality projects to improve service development.
To champion Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) by collaborating with Experts by Experience (EbE) to co-produce and co-facilitate service-related research. This includes ensuring that the voices of young people and their families directly inform project design, service development initiatives, and the dissemination of findings to ensure our clinical pathways remain responsive to young people’s needs.

Teaching and Training

To support Practitioner Psychologists, deliver specialist workshops for local borough partners, focusing on the practical application of forensic risk assessment and formulation frameworks. The post-holder will also co-deliver training programmes for professional groups and contribute to the team’s academic partnership with the IoPPN through teaching and student supervision support.
To participate in demonstrating work methods to newly recruited Assistant Psychologists and to support their development of necessary skills.

Clinical Care

To co-facilitate and document specialist consultations with professional networks regarding high-risk behaviours. This involves synthesising complex information to support multi-agency colleagues in risk management and formulation.
To support the team in the clinical triage of new enquiries and referrals. You will be responsible for gathering background information, presenting cases to the MDT, and managing communication with referrers from receipt to discharge.
To assist Practitioner Psychologists in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of standardised forensic risk assessments (e.g., AIM3, SAVRY, FARAS, SERAF) and psychometric tools to inform clinical formulations.
To organise and co-facilitate consultations with professionals around high-risk behaviours and concerns, under the close supervision of a Practitioner Psychologist.
To attend and contribute to clinical meetings with professionals (e.g., social workers, teachers, placement staff, mental health professionals).
To support the team in their coordination of referrals and discharges, including the presentation of cases and leading on the communication with professionals.
To participate in regular clinical supervision with a Practitioner Psychologist.
To assist in clinically related administration as required (e.g., meeting minutes, arranging contact with families and professionals).
To provide a small, discrete amount of direct specialist assessment and intervention for young people known to the service who are unable to access this support elsewhere. This work will be co-facilitated and under close supervision and is tailored to the specific needs of the individual.

Team Expectations and Contributions

Attending and contributing to the weekly team meeting (e.g., updating team members on known risk information and/or any clinical concerns).
Attending and contributing to team reflective practice.
Attending and contributing to team consultation (e.g., bringing self/young people for discussion, recording meeting minutes).
To actively engage in and contribute to the team’s ongoing commitment to anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice, ensuring these principles inform all research, evaluation, and consultation activities.
Attending and contributing to case presentation meetings.
To champion a psychologically safe environment that empowers staff, service users, and carers from diverse and minoritised backgrounds to thrive and flourish.

Information and Clinical Governance

To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
Under the supervision of the Practitioner Psychologist, to maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
To maintain any service databases through the regular inputting of data, as well as performing appropriate data analysis and producing reports as required.
To support the team to maintain good clinical governance across their work (e.g., notifying and supporting in the completion of risk assessments, care plans, outcome measures, and other data quality indicators).
To support the Team’s Clinical Governance Champion in the production of weekly activity reports and communicating the findings and subsequent actions that are required by the team.

This advert closes on Monday 18 May 2026