Decision details

That the Cabinet Member approves the recruitment of a FTE Psychology post (via protocol 8 process), on a fixed term basis until 31 March 2025, using the available funding from the Ministry of Justice provided under the auspices of the Turnaround project.

This recommendation will facilitate effective delivery of an element towards the Turnaround project and allow the service to be fully recruited, consistent and effective. It will allow for better transitional work between services too due to the post being closely linked to the part-time psychology posts within the current service.

Not to approve the recruitment of the Psychologist. The main aim of appointing an extra full-time psychologist via an already embedded service is to allow increased capacity and continue to engage with more children and families, in a more effective and sustained way. Not to proceed with the appointment would be detrimental to service delivery and would also lead to a surplus in the available funding secured, given this appointment was anticipated and financially planned for. This would almost certainly result in an underspend as the project funding is ringfenced and must be spent within the set timescale. The appointment of a Psychologist has always been considered the best use of the funding as previous Reports have set out.