Principal Psychologist/Clinical Lead

Job Specification Principal Psychologist/Clinical Lead for MDT Who we are Five Rivers Ireland are a fostering agency offering high quality supports to foster carers all over Ireland for almost 25 years. In the more recent past, Five Rivers have developed a Multidisciplinary Team to enhance support for Five Rivers foster carers and offer external assessment and therapy services to young people in care. The MDT is composed of psychologists, occupational therapists, a speech and language therapist, and a psychotherapist, working closely with social work and social care colleagues.

The MDT reflects an innovative clinical team with a wide skill set who continually strive for excellence in offering assessment and therapy with children and young people in foster care and their support networks. Our bespoke multidisciplinary assessments incorporate motor, cognitive, sensory, language, attachment and play based evaluations. We also offer consultation and training to both professionals and foster carers.

Overview The Principal Psychologist will provide clinical and operational leadership for the MDT, ensuring high quality, child-centred, evidence-informed, and trauma-responsive practice across the multidisciplinary team. The role includes responsibility for clinical governance, service development including external clinical services growth, supervision, and the delivery of therapeutic supports to foster carers and children. The post holder will champion best practice models, promote innovation, and ensure alignment with national policies and standards.

The Principal Psychologist will report directly to the CEO of the fostering agency and be a key representative on the Senior Management Team. Key Duties and Responsibilities Clinical Leadership and Governance Provide clinical leadership and oversight for the multidisciplinary team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. Ensure adherence to professional, ethical, and governance standards, including compliance with HSE policies and regulatory requirements.

Lead on the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical policies, procedures, and service pathways. Oversee risk management processes, safeguarding practices, and ensure safe and effective clinical practice. Promote trauma-informed and attachment-based approaches throughout the service.

Service Delivery Lead multidisciplinary assessment, formulation, and intervention for children in care, ensuring interventions are evidence-based and tailored to individual needs. Provide therapeutic consultation and support to foster carers to enhance placement stability, child wellbeing, and resilience. Collaborate with social work, education, and health services to coordinate holistic care plans.

Support the development of therapeutic programmes, incorporating neurodevelopmental and trauma-informed perspectives. Facilitate access to specialist psychological services as required. Supervision and Staff Support Provide clinical supervision to psychologists and other clinicians, promoting reflective practice and professional growth.

Support professional development, team wellbeing, and resilience-building within the multidisciplinary team. Contribute to recruitment, induction, performance review, and succession planning processes. Foster a learning environment that encourages research, audit, and evidence-based practice.

Operational Responsibilities Lead on service planning, evaluation, and reporting, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and local and national frameworks. Monitor clinical activity, outcomes, and service quality through data analysis and feedback mechanisms. Liaise with internal and external stakeholders including social work teams, education providers, health services, and Tusla.

Represent the service at relevant meetings, forums, and professional networks. Business and Leadership Expertise The post holder will work closely with the Five Rivers finance team to ensure that service expenditure is aligned with overall service financial management. Demonstrated experience within a leadership team, shaping organisational strategy and clinical direction is desirable.

Experience managing clinical budgets and writing business cases. Advanced project management and operational skills, with the ability to scale services while maintaining clinical integrity. Professional Responsibilities Maintain professional registration and engage in continuing professional development aligned with professional standards.

Uphold the highest standards of professional conduct, ethics, and confidentiality. Contribute to research, audit, service improvement initiatives, and dissemination of findings. Advocate for the needs of children in care and foster families within health and social care systems.

Safeguarding and Risk Management: Adhere to statutory child protection obligations (Children First Act 2015), implementing thorough risk assessments and safeguarding protocols across all services. Confidentiality and Data Protection: Comply fully with GDPR and professional standards for the secure handling, storage, and sharing of sensitive clinical records. Essential Criteria A recognised postgraduate qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (validated by the Dept of Health if awarded outside of Ireland).

Full professional registration with the appropriate regulatory body. A minimum of five years post professional qualification experience, including substantial experience working with children and families. Demonstrated experience in clinical leadership, supervision, and service development.

Experience working with children in care, foster carers, or within child welfare systems. Strong skills in assessment, formulation, and therapeutic intervention. Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

Excellent communication, organisational, and report writing skills. Desirable Criteria Additional training and experience in trauma-informed and attachment-informed models of care, including but not limited to Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. Experience working in the child protection and/or interfacing with the Court systems Experience in multidisciplinary team management.

Training in supervision and leadership. Experience delivering consultation to carers or professionals. Experience in service evaluation, audit, or research.

Experience in developing and delivering training and workshops. Reporting Structure The Principal Clinical Psychologist/Clinical Lead will report directly to the CEO the fostering agency and will work closely with multidisciplinary colleagues and external partners. Remuneration Salary is aligned with Health Service Executive Principal Psychologist pay scales in Ireland.

Additional Information This role requires flexibility, a commitment to high quality care, and a strong understanding of the needs of children in foster care. The successful candidate will demonstrate leadership, compassion, and a commitment to collaborative multidisciplinary practice. They will also be proactive in promoting innovation, quality improvement, and workforce development within the service.

Applications The deadline for applications is 25th July 2026. To apply, please send your cv and a cover letter by clicking in the apply link below.