Senior Forensic Psychologist

Discover an exciting opportunity to enrich your career as a Senior Forensic Psychologist at HMP Ashfield in Bristol. From a new Therapeutic Community to the use of EMDR and schema therapy, here you can enhance your experience and career with a variety of therapeutic approaches. This isn’t a typical prison psychology role. You’ll be a leader, a strategist, and a catalyst for change. You’ll work directly with prisoners facing complex challenges, including mental illness, personality disorders, cognitive deficits, self-harming behaviours and significant offending histories.

Managing a team of forensic psychologists and forensic psychologists-in-training, you’ll use your expertise to assess risks, guide rehabilitation programmes, and empower prisoners for a positive future.

As part of our team, you’ll:

• Undertake forensic risk assessments of prisoners that contribute to the safer custody of residents
• Act as a professional witness in parole board hearings, multi-agency meetings, and other formal settings
• Lead and contribute to the development and delivery of offending behaviour programmes
• Deliver training on topics such as personality disorder, psychopathy or managing difficult behaviour
• Ensure all work adheres to our code of conduct and British Psychological Society (BPS) guidelines

As an active stakeholder in the Rehabilitative Culture strategy of the prison, you’ll stay up-to-date on knowledge and research in the Forensic Psychology space, particularly in relation to the rehabilitation of offenders. HMP Ashfield is a category B male prison with an operational capacity for 412 prisoners. This is a role that offers plenty of variety and contributes enormously to the important work of stabilising and reintegrating those prisoners safely and successfully back into society.

What you’ll need to do the role:

• Chartered status with the British Psychological Society
• Be registered as a Forensic Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Be on the Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAAPS) with the BPS
• Strong awareness and knowledge of the Offender Personality Disorder pathway, with the experience and ability to make good clinical formulations of offenders with complex needs
• Experience completing parole reports and carrying out assessments such as WAIS IV, HCR-20, PCL-R, IPDE and SARA
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary way and bring a collaborative approach to your work with your team and with those in our care

Desirable: Post-qualification experience working in secure settings.

Why Serco?

• A place you can make an impact: Using specialist behavioural analysis, you’ll contribute to the reintegration of ex-offenders back into society, helping them to address the factors that influence their offending behaviour.
• A place you can count on: With six prisons across the UK and a breadth of roles, you’ll be wholeheartedly supported with development and career progression.
• A place for you: You’ll become an integral member of a well-defined and supportive team, who believe passionately in the value of our work.

What we offer:

• Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• A range of benefits to support the health and wellbeing of you and your family such as Employee Assistance Programme and more
• Funding for further training
• Access to a huge range of discounts and exclusive deals such as Merlin Attractions, mobile phone, cinema, retail, leisure and hospitality discounts
• A fantastic culture and supportive team where you’ll get the chance to make a positive difference in a company passionate about diversity and inclusion
• Interesting and enjoyable work
• Professional and personal development opportunities, with a wide range of training and coaching available to help you grow and enrich your career
• A safe and supportive culture