Meadows Care are excited to announce further recruitment for a new role within our organisation, Residential Assistant Psychologists (RAPs). The RAP role has been created by Meadows in response to the difficulty gaining psychological skills within a therapeutic environment for those who have studied psychology. The aim of the role within Meadows is to embed therapeutic thinking and skills into the teams within our residential homes. The aim of the role within the wider psychology field is to offer a graduate position for those seeking to gain experience and skill development to progress their career in psychology.
Meadows Care is a therapeutic residential service for children in care. We have a large, experienced therapy team consisting of a number of specialist therapists who are trained in a variety of therapeutic disciplines and modalities, we value the breadth of approaches we have across the service. We are a fully embedded and integrated therapy service that is informed by an understanding of the impact of developmental trauma on the functioning and wellbeing of young people. Each therapist’s role is to co-ordinate the therapeutic care provided to the young people and to support the residential team of which you will be part.
It is important to understand that the RAP role is not the same as an Assistant Psychologist role. This is because the role is combined in nature and so it incorporates the role of a residential support worker with 8 hours of protected therapeutic time each month. In addition to this 8 hours, RAPs will attend the services monthly Psychology CPD group , RAP development group (both overseen by Clinical Psychologists) and attend an hour a month clinical supervision with their Qualified and Accredited Lead Therapist in surplus of the residential supervision required for their role, which is an additional 4 hours of direct supervision and CPD opportunities per month.

The main responsibilities are summarised below, please refer to the full job description prior to applying:

• attend our mandatory training for all staff, including child development & trauma, Parenting with PACE, therapeutic working, restorative practice.
• To complete shifts in the home (including sleeps)
• complete residential support worker responsibilities including providing care, support and supervision including household tasks, cooking, shopping, laundry and independent living skills to the young people, all within the framework of our trauma informed, evidence based model – Attachment, Regulation and Competency (Blaustein and Kinniburgh)
• To complete the residential support worker diploma.
• To work alongside the therapist to embed our trauma informed model by supporting to develop psychological formulations, deliver manualised therapeutic interventions (such as Real Love Rocks), implement placement plans/risk assessments and building therapeutic relationships with our young people.

If you have any queries about the role, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Hollie Cooper prior to applying holliecooper@meadowscare.co.uk

NOTES:

• This post is subject to receiving a satisfactory enhanced disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service.
• The duties described in this job description must be carried out in a manner that promotes the equality of opportunity, dignity and respect for all employees and young people in our care and is consistent with Meadows Care Equal Opportunities Policy.
  Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
  Pay: £26,728.96-£34,191.68 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount
• Free parking
• Health & wellbeing programme
• On-site parking

Application question(s):

• Are you able to commit to 24 hour shifts? (this does include sleep time)
• Are you an entry level graduate psychology student?

Language:

• English (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 30/07/2025
Reference ID: RAPN/W062

JOB PURPOSE

This is a new role within Meadows Care. We are seeking enthusiastic psychology graduates with an interest in developing therapeutic skills to work with and care for children and young people who have experienced trauma. Please note this is an entry level role for psychology graduates – not those who have been employed as assistant psychologists previously. Please ensure you have read the information sheet attached to this job description for information.
At Meadows Care we have a large multi-disciplinary therapy team who are integrated into each of our residential homes.
You will be a member of residential staff, which means you will complete shifts in the home and complete residential support worker roles. You will support therapeutic work in the home with therapy support. All staff are trained in therapeutic care using our Meadows model of therapeutic care, but will you take the lead in a variety of therapeutic areas and receive supervision on pieces of low level clinical work. You will have 8 hours protected therapy time per month plus an additional 4 hours in supervision and CPD opportunities. The work that you do in this time will be dictated by the lead therapist in the home.
You will receive regular supervision from a member of the therapeutic team, as well as attending group supervision facilitated by a member of the therapy service. You will complete therapeutic training and have access to CPD opportunities.
This role would be ideal for anyone that is keen to pursue a role in clinical, counselling, or forensic psychology or other therapeutic modalities. To apply you must have completed an undergraduate psychology degree that gives you Graduate Basis for Registration with the British Psychological Society.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• The Residential Assistant Psychologist is responsible for assisting in the promotion of good childcare practice in accordance with Meadows Care Policies and Procedures, Quality Standards and Every Child Matters.
• The Residential Assistant Psychologist is responsible for providing care, support and supervision, including household tasks, cooking, shopping, laundry and independent living skills to the young people in their care.
• The Residential Assistant Psychologist will lead on areas of therapeutic work with young people as directed by the Lead Therapist and receive supervision on this.
• The Residential Assistant Psychologist will work restoratively with young people.
• To actively promote the welfare, safety, personal development, and wellbeing of young people placed at Meadows Care.
• To administer prescribed and non-prescribed medication to young people as dictated by health practitioners and according to the young person’s Placement Package and Meadows Care Policies.
• To maintain good communication skills and written records and to support therapeutic assessments by the lead therapist.
• To liaise with significant others on a day-to-day basis, participating in the assessment of the young person’s needs and the implementation of placement plans and risk assessments.
• To promote the participation of the young person placed in the decision-making process of the home.
• To ensure that the physical, emotional and psychological needs of young people placed at Meadows Care are met where at all possible.
• To support young people by driving them to home visits, school and appointments etc. that is in or out of the local area and may involve long distances via motorways.
• To carry out duties in line with Meadows Care policies and procedures and Equal Opportunities.
• To be aware of Meadows Care policy on codes of conduct and to set an acceptable role model standard.
• To carry out duties as stated in the home’s Statement of Purpose in line with the Quality Care Standards.
• To work in partnership with educational staff to ensure that the educational needs of the young people are met.
• To promote anti-discriminatory practices and equal opportunity practices in line with Meadows Care policy.
• Attend and take an active part in team meetings, handovers and supervisions both in the residential and therapy teams.
• To commit to training and development through Meadows Care, this includes gaining the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Care. As stipulated in the Quality Standards this must be completed within 2 years of the employees start date with Meadows Care.
• To maintain a record of continuous personal development (CPD file) and build an individual portfolio.
• To attend training and maintain professional development to meet the demands of the job and to participate and implement Meadows Care behaviour management of Prevention, Protection & Restoration (PPR) Techniques which includes the ability to physically hold young people in order to keep them and others safe at all times.
• To promote the good reputation of Meadows Care in all contact with external agencies and individuals.
• To support and maintain effective working relationships with all other staff and to promote good relationships with residents and the general community.

The main responsibilities are summarised below, please refer to the full job description prior to applying:

• attend our mandatory training for all staff, including child development & trauma, Parenting with PACE, therapeutic working, restorative practice.
• To complete shifts in the home (including sleeps)
• complete residential support worker responsibilities including providing care, support and supervision including household tasks, cooking, shopping, laundry and independent living skills to the young people, all within the framework of our trauma informed, evidence based model – Attachment, Regulation and Competency (Blaustein and Kinniburgh)
• To complete the residential support worker diploma.
• To work alongside the therapist to embed our trauma informed model by supporting to develop psychological formulations, deliver manualised therapeutic interventions (such as Real Love Rocks), implement placement plans/risk assessments and building therapeutic relationships with our young people