Who we are:
Childhood Matters is a not-for-profit organisation aimed at improving developmental and life outcomes for children 0-18 years old. We also work directly with parents and foster carers to support and develop parenting in challenging contexts. As an organisation we strive to positive impact the wider professional network we operate within through external training, research and professional development opportunities.
We are committed to embedding an evidence-based culture of trauma-informed care and therapeutic practice and hold ourselves to high standards in all engagement with service users, colleagues and stakeholders alike. We are committed to research and evaluation and continually assess the effectiveness of our service through independent research and partnership with third level institutions. We strive to be a positive place to work, providing staff with reflective practice, regular supervision and a training budget.
With offices and services in Blackrock, Blackpool, Clonakilty and Farranree we employ 130 staff across all departments. We offer competitive salary packages as well as benefits including enhanced maternity leave; pension contribution scheme; health care plans; flexible working hours; internal and externally provided training opportunities, and competitive annual leave entitlement.
Job Title
Senior Clinical Psychologist
Department
Estuary Way
Applications considered Via
Application Form Only – Please note CV’s alone will not be accepted
Application form available on our website - careers section, at: https://childhood-matters.ie/
Applications to be sent by post to HR Dept, Childhood Matters, Blackrock, Cork, T12CRA0
Or email to [email protected]
Opening date for Applications
15th July 2026
Closing Date for Applications
27th July at 9am
Proposed Interview date(s)
Interviews dates to be decided
may be subject to change based on volume of candidates and availability of Service resources
Location of Post
Childhood Matters, Estuary Way, Mahon.
Details of Service
Childhood Matters is a not-for-profit organisation that provides child and family services aimed at supporting positive childhood outcomes, developing parenting capacity, strengthening family resilience, and contributing to healthier, more sustainable communities.
· Parent and Infant Unit: Nationwide parenting capacity-building and assessment residential service for complex parents and infant situations where distinct child protection concerns.
· CHIPPS: CHIPPS is a specialist attachment-focused, trauma-informed mental health service for children and young people in care.
· Young Parents Support Programme: The Young Parents Support Programme (YPSP for short) is the only targeted community-based support service for young parents in Ireland.
· The Limetree Project: Therapeutic community-based family support and family contact project, in partnership with South Lee & West Cork Social Work Department to include out of hours service.
· Supervised Contact: Contact Service provides structured supports and interventions for children who are in the care of TUSLA to have contact with their parents, siblings and other family members.
· Placement Support Project: This project is aimed at stabilizing at-risk foster placements, and supporting family reunification through intensive multidisciplinary support over a 10-week period, and the provision of a stability roadmap specifically tailored to the family. Emergency place of safety (EPOS) and Aftercare is incorporated into this project
· Crèche & Preschool: Award-winning Community Crèche and Childcare facility to include afterschool programme with a current capacity of 124 children.
· Secondary School One Year Leaving Certificate programme in partnerships with Cork Education and Training Board, providing parents opportunity to advance education when using clinical family services
· Employment Support Service: Vocational training for long-term unemployed individuals within therapeutic and trauma-informed environment.
· Estuary Way: A new trauma-informed supported accommodation service providing integrated housing and wraparound supports for young adults transitioning to independent living.
· Child Court Advocate: Independent advocacy and court accompaniment service supporting children and young people to navigate legal proceedings in a safe, child-centered, and trauma-informed manner.
Purpose of Role:
To provide embedded clinical leadership within Estuary Way, ensuring that therapeutic interventions are evidence-based, trauma-informed, formulation-driven and developmentally appropriate for young adults transitioning from homelessness and State care. The post holder will lead the psychology team and support the clinical governance framework of the service.
Reporting Relationship
Head of Young Persons and Adult Services with professional accountability to Childhood Matters Clinical Director
Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and intervention for residents presenting with relational trauma, mental health, social-emotional and developmental difficulties.
- Lead and clinically supervise the Staff Grade Psychologist and Assistant Psychologist; provide consultation to the wider multidisciplinary team.
- Develop and oversee co-designed, formulation-driven care plans in conjunction with key workers and the clinical team.
- Deliver dyadic and systemic interventions involving the young person and their wider network, including psychoeducation and reflective groups.
- Contribute to the service's clinical governance structures: weekly MDT reviews, reflective practice, risk management and safeguarding oversight.
- Support staff training in trauma-informed care, Psychologically Informed Environments and restorative practice.
- Contribute to outcome measurement, clinical audit, evaluation and SROI analysis.
- Maintain clinical records to professional and organisational standards.
- Undertake such other duties as may reasonably be assigned, consistent with the grade and purpose of the post. This job description will be reviewed during the pilot phase as the service develops
Eligibility Criteria Qualifications
Applicants must by the closing date of application have the following:
· Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent recognised by the Psychological Society of Ireland) and eligibility for PSI membership.
· Minimum of five years' post-qualification experience, including work with adolescents or young adults presenting with complex trauma, attachment difficulties or homelessness-related need.
· Experience of clinical supervision of psychology staff.
· Demonstrated knowledge of trauma-informed and psychologically informed practice models.
· Strong formulation, risk assessment and report writing skills.
Person Requirement
- Training in systemic, dyadic or attachment-based models (e.g. DDP, mentalisation-based approaches).
- Experience in homeless, aftercare or youth justice settings.
- Experience contributing to service design or evaluation.
Tenure
The current vacancy available is a Permanent, Part-Time post 0.6
Remuneration
Senior Clinical Psychologist, HSE Consolidated Payscale 2024
€95,616 pro rata
Working Week
Working hours are: 22.5 and flexibility to undertake additional hours when reasonably required.
Annual Leave
The annual leave associated with the whole time equivalent (37.5 hours per week) of this post is: 25 days
Probation
A 6-Month Probation Period applies to this post
Additional Benefits
- Defined contribution pension scheme.
- Enhanced maternity and paternity benefit
- Additional Annual leave days
- Comprehensive annual CPD schedule
- Financial support for further education
- Staff parking
Pay: €95,616.00 per year
Benefits:
- Bike to work scheme
- Company pension
- Employee assistance program
- On-site parking
- Private dental insurance
- Private medical insurance
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
