Highly Specialist Autism Practitioner

We are looking for an experienced and highly skilled Clinical Psychologist, Registered Allied Health Professional or Registered Nurse to join our JADES (Journey of Autism Diagnosis and Early Support) Team within the Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role within a specialist multidisciplinary autism assessment service, providing highly specialist assessment for children and young people referred for autism assessment and contributing to diagnostic decision-making as part of a collaborative multidisciplinary team.

Based at the Florence Nightingale Child Development Centre in Harlow, you will work alongside Community Paediatricians, Clinical Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Nurses and other experienced professionals to deliver high-quality, child-centred assessments and support for children, young people and families.

As a highly specialist practitioner, you will bring advanced clinical expertise in neurodevelopmental assessment, contribute to service development initiatives, support pathway performance targets and provide supervision, advice and specialist guidance to colleagues across the service.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide highly specialist assessment for children and young people referred for autism assessment and contribute to multidisciplinary diagnostic decision-making.
• Manage complex clinical cases across a range of settings including Child Development Centres, Family Hubs, schools and, where required, home visits.
• Assess, analyse and interpret complex information to contribute to differential diagnosis and clinical understanding of autism.
• Develop clinical formulations and contribute to clear, evidence-informed recommendations within assessment reports.
• Support children, families and professionals throughout the assessment process, including communicating complex and sensitive information regarding outcomes and recommendations.
• Contribute specialist reports and recommendations, including reports that support Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and tribunal processes where appropriate.
• Provide clinical advice, specialist knowledge and support to colleagues and partner agencies.
• Support and supervise junior colleagues and contribute to the delivery of training for professionals, carers and wider team members.
• Contribute to service development, clinical governance, audits and pathway improvements, including supporting key performance targets such as waiting times.
• Work collaboratively with health, education and community partners to ensure coordinated, child-centred care.

The Ideal Candidate

• Registration as a Clinical Psychologist, Registered Nurse or Allied Health Professional, together with membership of your relevant professional body.
• Evidence of relevant postgraduate training within a specialist area and a commitment to continuing professional development.
• Highly specialist knowledge of neurodevelopmental assessment and the presentation of autism in children and young people.
• Knowledge of standardised autism assessment tools, including awareness of ADOS-2.
• Experience of managing a clinical caseload and working with children and young people within a relevant clinical setting.
• Experience supporting or supervising colleagues and contributing to training activities.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively.
• Strong analytical, clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills.

Desirable experience includes:

• Working within autism assessment services.
• Using standardised autism assessment tools such as ADOS-2.
• Contributing to service development or quality improvement initiatives.

Additional Information

• A valid UK driving license is required, and the position offers opportunities for part-time or full-time work.
• The successful applicant will be subject to safeguarding and criminal records checks.