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Job: Senior Clinical or Counselling Psychologist – Child Primary Care

Locations: Dublin North County, North City & North West

Contract: Full-Time, HSE Contract (35 hours/week) – Immediate Start
Salary: HSE Senior Psychologist Pay Scale

Would you like to join a supportive Child Primary Care team where you can deliver meaningful, early psychological intervention and help children and families build practical, lasting change?

Excel Recruitment is delighted to partner with Child Primary Care Psychology services to recruit a Senior Clinical or Counselling Psychologist for an immediate start within a well-supported community-based team.

Locations with vacancies: Balbriggan, Coolock, Tonlegee, Kilbarrack, Coastal and Swords.

About the Role

As a Senior Clinical or Counselling Psychologist, you will deliver developmentally appropriate assessment, formulation and evidence-based intervention for children and young people presenting with needs such as:

• Anxiety, worries, low mood and emotional regulation difficulties
• Behavioural, attachment and relationship concerns
• Adjustment to family change, bereavement, illness or other life events
• Developmental concerns that do not require a specialist multidisciplinary service
• Parenting support and strengthening family coping strategies

You will work in partnership with each child or young person and their family, helping them understand the presenting difficulty, agree realistic goals and access the right level of support. The role also involves close collaboration with GPs, public health nurses, schools and the wider Primary Care team.

Key Responsibilities

• Review referrals and help determine whether Child Primary Care Psychology is the appropriate pathway.
• Undertake child and family-centred psychological assessments using interviews, observation and appropriate measures.
• Develop clear formulations that consider developmental stage, family relationships, school context, strengths and wider social factors.
• Agree collaborative care plans with children, young people, parents and carers.
• Deliver evidence-based individual, parent-led, family and group interventions.
• Provide consultation and practical guidance to parents, schools, GPs and Primary Care colleagues.
• Identify safeguarding concerns, assess clinical risk and follow relevant HSE and Children First procedures
• Coordinate referrals or step-up pathways when a child requires specialist disability, paediatric or mental health services.
• Maintain accurate clinical records, outcome measures and reports in line with professional and service standards.
• Offer clinical leadership, supervision and case consultation, and contribute to service development and quality improvement.

Eligibility Criteria

• Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology, or an equivalent recognised qualification.
• Eligibility to work as a Senior Psychologist within the Irish public health service, including validation where required.
• A minimum of five years’ relevant post-qualification experience is essential including experience working with children, young people and families.
• Strong knowledge of child development, attachment, family systems and evidence-based psychological interventions.
• Experience assessing emotional, behavioural and developmental presentations within a community, paediatric or Primary Care setting.
• Sound safeguarding, risk assessment and onward-referral judgement.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to engage children, parents, carers and professional networks.

What to expect:

• Immediate start available
• Competitive HSE salary in line with Senior Psychologist experience
• 35-hour working week, Monday-Friday
• A varied child and family caseload within a community-based service
• Close collaboration with experienced Primary Care and community professionals
• Structured clinical supervision and professional development

What you need to do now:

For a confidential discussion about this Child Primary Care opportunity, please contact Charlene Cooke by email or phone on 089 945 5139.