Behaviour Psychologist (Wellington)


Job Title: Psychologist

Location: Wellington

Closing Date: 31 October 2024

Job overview

As a behaviour psychologist in this role you will need to:

  • Support class staff to manage student behaviours by designing a behaviour intervention to meet the students' needs.

  • Meet with whanau to discuss possible causes/ triggers to student behaviours.

  • Work with agencies supporting the family out of school to align strategies where possible.

  • Observe students in class and design with class team, a behaviour intervention.

  • Develop the implementation of behaviour support.

  • Coach staff on how to implement the behaviour intervention.

  • Monitor these interventions and modify as necessary.

  • Train as a MAPA instructor, run workshops for class teams on early intervention strategies in order to minimise behaviours.

  • Consult with whanau when restraint has been identified as necessary and get whanau to sign off on the use of restraint in these situations and the type of restraint, they want staff to use if needed.

  • Organise letters for the Board so that they can authorise non-teaching staff to use restraint according to the plan developed with whanau.

  • Run workshops for class teams where restraint has been highlighted as necessary in some situations that is specific to the individual.

Organisation information

The employer is a state, specialist, co-educational school for students aged between five and twenty one years who have intellectual, physical, emotional and/or behavioural needs preventing them from learning satisfactorily when in full time regular mainstream classrooms. The school is a Decile Five school in a mixed socio-economic area situated within a multicultural community. Students require and receive an integrated programme of education and therapy from a multi-disciplinary team. The teaching focus is to provide an individualised learning programme with high staff to pupil ratios to ensure students' needs are met and behaviours are managed appropriately. The students are drawn from a wide catchment area from Te Horo to Wellington and Hutt Valley, through referral from numerous community and government agencies.

Applicant Requirements

Must be a fully qualified Psychologist/Behaviour Specialist.
Have a clean driver's licence and access to vehicle.

Registration Requirements

Have New Zealand Psychologists Board membership or be eligible to be a member.

If you would like to discuss the role further, please email borey@nzskillsindemand.co.nz

Lydia Walker