At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services. We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.
Senior Forensic Psychologist
Full Time, 40 hours – Permanent
Location: HMP Ashfield
Salary: Up to £61,000 per annum, this could be exceeded dependent upon experience + Corporate Company Benefits
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 is 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 the 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. You’ll see your skills and experience make a tangible difference to the people you work with.
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. We actively fund psychologists towards chartered and registered status, with ongoing CPD activities and a culture of promoting from within.
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. We promote an empathic and therapeutic approach, respecting individual differences and the value of diverse perspectives.
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
About SercoAt Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services. We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.
By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging.
ApplyPlease click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment.
At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.
At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to
Disability Confident.
