Volunteering

There are lots of agencies across the country that interact at different levels of intensity with offenders from befriending and prison visits to mentoring, acting as an appropriate adult, accompanying offenders to court and youth offender panels.  Although these are not strictly psychological placements, they are a way to gain face to face experience with offenders, with the settings and with the multi-agency environment that surrounds an offender. 

My first of these volunteering posts was with a charity that mentored ex-offenders, helping them to find work and get into education or training.  I found the induction and training invaluable.  I felt that this training was readiness to begin work with offenders and a step away from the theory behind offending behaviour, assessment and treatment that you receive on a Masters course.  Training from charities that work in this way with offenders, if presented well, should prepare you to hold your boundaries, to consider your personal safety, to be aware of offending behaviours, to be aware of the offence someone may have committed and to talk to ex-offenders as fellow people not just 'offenders'.

Volunteering in this way also gives you the opportunity to learn from the offender.  As someone on the independent route and not working in a prison, I learnt so much volunteering about how difficult things are for prisoners on 6-12 month sentences and can now understand why they are the group of offenders most likely to re-offend.  Working in this way also gave me the opportunity to understand how the offence they have committed can effect the training and work opportunities they can access.  For example one ex-offender I worked with had a drugs conviction and wanted to become a youth worker so that he could pass on his first hand experience of the system and keep young males away from drugs and prison.  As expected, no course would accept him to work with young people with this conviction, however this is sad because he is probably the best person to be sharing the experience and consequences of his actions with young people.

Charities also have many needs that you as a psychologist can offer to help with especially if you are enrolled on the Stage 2 Chartership route.  For example, two of the Stage 2 Core Roles are training and consultancy.  Charities and third sector organisations will often be grateful of the opportunity to have someone come and deliver FREE training and consultancy to them.  This is something that I have definitely experienced as I am completing one of my exemplars as a consultant to a London based charity working with offenders and another exemplar offering training to an organisation.  The key of course is to have built a good rapport with the charity or organisation, perhaps by having volunteered for them in the past and then to really sell your proposal to them. 

The benefit of having volunteered with the charity first is not only the development of a rapport but also that you will have been able to see what possible needs there are that you could help with and you will have an insight into the structure, nature and politics of the organisation and can therefore present an idea that fits within those three areas or is able to answer the questions that those three areas of an organisation will raise.  If you are going to propose an core role idea to a charity that you are volunteering with you need to make sure that it is going to be relevant to both the charity and your Stage 2 and that it fits within the politics of the organisation i.e. you are not stepping on anyone's toes or suggesting something that deviates from the charity's mission statement.  Anything you do as a trainee and for a core role will need to be offered for free and you will also need to be able to explain to the organisation what Stage 2 is and arrange for one of them to be your Designated Supervisor and what that will entail for them.  It sounds like a lot but it can be successful.

As always I will include some words of caution:
1. Do nothing without the support of your supervisor.  There can be lots of politics and issues arising through completing a core role, your role within the organisation depending on which core role you are completing (training instruction or consultant) and the demands of colleagues working for the organisations (they are under pressure often too!).  Sometimes you can feel pulled in different directions; a great learning experience but it is really important to have your supervisor's support.

2. Be prepared for constant change and for the work to be stop-start.  Charities often have a high turnover of staff, are dependent on funding and often under-staffed and overworked.  There may be times when you aren't updated on progress as often as you would like, people don't respond to your calls and emails and you generally feel isolated.  If you have previously volunteered with the charity these feelings should be moderated as you will have experienced first hand the nature of the organisation and the pressure they are under and will be more empathic when things like this happen.  Make sure you mention it in your practice diary, how you cope with it and your strategies for improving the situation.

I don't want anyone to feel put off by this, working with a charity can be fantastic experience and can offer brilliant opportunities to complete core roles.

Until next time........

Publishing Your Research and Book Reviews

Ciara Wild MBPsS, Forensic Psychologist in Training

For many of us, getting published is one of the hardest parts of psychology training.  Publications of research are what reflect psychology as a science and us as scientist-practitioners.  This being said, achieving publication through the rigorous critique of our research can be the hardest part.  It is important to understand that published research must be of as high a standard as possible to maintain the quality of the outcomes in psychology, however this does not mean that your work is impossible to publish and doesn't mean that you cannot get your name in print attached to an article or otherwise.  We all have to do a research dissertation for our masters. There is a great deal of work that goes into to it from us and our research supervisors so why not publish it?  Many universities will offer to publish what they see as the best reports but there is no reason why you can’t go to journals yourself.

I chose to publish my masters dissertation and to try to get my name in as many relevant publications as possible through book reviews and articles.  My particular experience of this has been quite successful. Initially I chose to publish my masters dissertation.  I felt that I had worked hard on it and that it was currently relevant in the forensic psychology field, however I was also afraid that journals such as those by Sage or Wiley would not accept my dissertation so I decided to send it to the Division of Forensic Psychology (DFP) instead to be published in Forensic Update.  This was a very tense time for me, would they accept my research for publication or wouldn't they?  Luckily my report was accepted with the caveat that some changes needed to be made to the content to ensure the explanations were appropriate and to remove sections that were needed by the examiners of the masters course and not by readers. 

It was harder than anticipated to cut my dissertation down to publishable size especially after all the time writing, sweating and crying over it; I felt that everything was relevant!  All reports will need to be amended for publication if not for size then to answer the questions of the peer reviewers and to address the issues suggested by the editors however, the benefits of having your name in print makes it all worth it.  Having something published not only looks great on your CV to potential employers and placements but should make it easier in the future for you to publish again as you will have some experience of the process and what is needed for a successful publication. A word of caution with regards to publishing; publishers will consider whether your research is current and relevant to issues either happening now or topics where there is not enough information, these are the ones most likely to be selected for publication.  You may have to consider whether your research will need updating to make it more current and whether this will be viable.

In the case of book reviews. Lots of magazines and journals have a back log of books that need reviewing and this can be an alternative way of getting your name into print and practising analytic and concise writing skills. Book reviews are also a great way to learn about an area from a book you may not necessarily choose to buy for yourself. If you have the time to read the book and write a short piece about it then this might be a great starting point for you.  Alternatively, you could submit a non-research article to a magazine such as the Psychologist.  Perhaps you have been on work experience, helped with a particularly interesting project or done some volunteering and the charity or company are happy for you to write an article about your experiences there and an evaluative piece on its impact and outcomes.  These are all possibilities for starting the process of submitting for publication.  Other more mainstream magazines also often look for articles to be submitted and sometimes pay a small fee for the articles they receive.

I hope this has been of some help to all.  Please feel free to leave any comments or ask any questions.

Until the next instalment......

Reflections upon Stage 2 Training as an Independent Practitioner

Sally Lopresti, BSc (Hons), MSc, MBPsS, Independent Forensic Psychologist in Training

 As discussed in my last article (23 July 2012), I was employed as a forensic psychologist in training (FPiT) by HM Prison Service until May 2008. Since that time, I have been working as an independent FPiT.  In this article I will reflect on the positives, as well as the pitfalls of independent work and the ways in which it has helped, and hindered, my progression towards chartership and registration as a forensic psychologist.

Of course, there are many models of independent practice and so my experiences may not directly relate to those of other trainees who are working independently. To give you some background, since 2008 I have been self-employed as a sole trader. I am an associate of Psychological Services UK Ltd (PSUK) whose Director is also my coordinating supervisor. The way our business model works is that PSUK is instructed to undertake assessment and treatment work, and the work is then allocated to its associates. The majority of my work is instructed by solicitors and tends to relate to preparing psychological risk assessment reports for the purpose of parole hearings. However, I have also worked in association with, and under the instruction of, HMPS; undertaking risk/need assessments and cognitive behavioural treatment with offenders. As an associate rather than an employee, I invoice PSUK after I complete each piece of work.

So, what are the benefits of being an independent FPiT?

Home working: I work from home. This means that I don’t have to commute, saving both time and money.  When I travel to visit clients I charge for mileage and travel time. I’m fortunate enough to have a dedicated office within my house which means that I still ‘go to work’. There are lots of benefits to home working which I suppose will be of varying value depending on your overall lifestyle and priorities. At the risk of making my life sound really dull, I get to hang washing out, receive parcels (no more red cards through the letterbox) and keep the dog company! I don’t have to worry about fitting in trips to the hairdresser, vet or dentist because I have the flexibility to shift my working day around to suit myself.

Managing my own workload: I get to dictate to a large extent how much work I want to take on. This has to be done with some degree of planning in order that the company director knows which cases to allocate to me. However, it has meant that I have been able to dedicate chunks of time to focusing on chartership work and submissions. When I was working for HMPS I really struggled to focus upon chartership because my workload was so high and there were always more immediate deadlines to be attended to.

Flexibility to seek out a variety of opportunities: As well as undertaking work in association with PSUK, I have sought out experiences elsewhere. In some cases these have been in order to fulfil the requirements of chartership (for example, undertaking some research at a London prison), but others have been in order to further my own professional development and build upon professional links with other practitioners and institutions (for example, lecturing on a MSc forensic psychology course, and marking psychology papers for an examination board). Self-employment allows me to be my own boss and, within the confines of my own financial commitments and the need for my practice to be supervised, the world is my oyster, so to speak.

 And the pitfalls of being an independent FPiT?

Home working: Working from home takes great discipline and my experience is that I never achieve as much in a day as I plan to, so financial projections may not play out. I’m lucky that I have colleagues (other PSUK associates) with whom I get along extremely well and we make a point of meeting up on a monthly basis for peer supervision, as well as the more frequent emails and telephone conversations that provide some element of human contact. This helps not only to mitigate the loneliness element of home-working, but also provides an opportunity to share and challenge ideas; a key part of maintaining good standards of practice.

Hidden costs: Not all independent FPiTs are necessarily self-employed. However, if you are you need to consider the costs associated with our work. I pay my own BPS and DFP membership, my annual maintenance fee, supervision fees and the costs of submitting exemplars for assessment. I also pay for my office supplies, professional indemnity insurance, my CRB checks, my registration with the Information Commissioner’s Office (Data Protection) and any training or conference fees. As a self-employed practitioner I get no paid annual leave, sick leave, maternity pay or pension.

Income uncertainty: Being self-employed means that, when times are good, I can earn significantly more than was possible as a FPiT within HM Prison Service. However, work can go through fits and starts, which can be an issue when there are regular bills to be paid. Good personal discipline in financial planning can go a long way to mitigating this, and in my own case I’m part of a dual income household where my partner has a more regular income that reduces the financial risk associated with this.

Access to resources: Did you know that SPSS costs well over £1800 for a 12 month licence?! In order to complete my Core Role 2 exemplars, I had to beg and borrow to complete my statistical analysis because I simply couldn’t afford to purchase it. I’m thankful that the BPS is now providing a much greater degree of access to journal articles because finances no longer prevent me to the same degree from engaging in professional development or undertaking research in a given area.

Breadth of work: My ‘bread and butter’ work tends to relate to assessments and interventions, providing me with ample experience of Core Role 1.  Undertaking work in relation to the other core roles requires me, as an independent practitioner, to be proactive in seeking out opportunities. Fortunately, I had completed exemplar work for Core Roles 3 (consultancy) and 4 (training) prior to leaving HM Prison Service.  I was able to use professional connections I had made during my time in HMPS to secure access to participants in order to undertake Core Role 2 (research) work. The potential for a good breadth of work as an independent practitioner is great, but I think you have to work a bit harder at it.

 My advice to others?

I’m glad that I gained my earlier experience within HMPS because it provided me with a range of opportunities in terms of training, access to the client group and multi-disciplinary working. However, I haven’t looked back since becoming an independent practitioner. I have a huge appetite for learning and improving and find that I have more time to focus upon my own professional needs now, in order that I can in turn provide a better service to my clients. My words of warning for those considering independent work relate mainly to ensuring that you can secure a coordinating supervisor, making sure that you factor in the hidden costs of being a self-employed FPiT, and being prepared for the level of self-directed learning and networking involved.

Reflections upon Stage 2 Training within HM Prison Service

Sally Lopresti, BSc (Hons), MSc, MBPsS, Independent Forensic Psychologist in Training

It’s been a good couple of weeks for me. I received confirmation that I passed my final core role and I’m about to submit my monolithic pile of practice diaries and supervision log entries to the Chief Supervisor for final scrutiny. Chartership and HPC registration feel as though they are finally within reach.

I’ve agreed to write a series of articles for this great new blog. These will reflect upon my experiences as a forensic psychologist in training (FPiT) both as a HMPS employee and as an independent practitioner. I will also address each of the core roles in turn, sharing my understanding and experiences of each of them, as well as thoughts on the feedback that I’ve received from assessors.

I’m ashamed to say that I started my training back in 2004. I was employed by HM Prison Service and working in a high security prison at the time. I was one of the first FPiTs to join the ‘new’ competency based route. The new route was very different to previous routes and it took me, my supervisors and colleagues a long while to fully grasp what was required. I think this was in some part due to the lack of clarity offered at the time by the DFP; this has improved greatly, in my opinion, since John Hodge came into role as Chief Supervisor. In retrospect however, I am also able to point the finger firmly at myself for taking such an avoidant approach to anything chartership-related.

The remainder of this article is a reflection on my experiences as an FPiT within HM Prison Service and the benefits, but also the pitfalls, of trying to complete Stage 2 in a prison setting. It’s important to note my caveat, which is that I left HMPS in May 2008 and I understand that there have since been a number of changes to the way in which psychological services are structured within the service. I think, however, that the majority of the points I raise remain valid.

Breadth of experience

When I look back at my career as an FPiT within HM Prison Service, I am enormously appreciative of the breadth of experience I gained. When I say ‘breadth’, I’m referring to the job roles that I held, the core roles that I fulfilled, the client group that I treated/assessed/supported and the range of professions that I worked alongside.

I joined HMPS in 2002 as a psychological assistant.  The following year I was successful in gaining promotion to the grade of FPiT. In the five years that followed I filled the following roles: research psychologist (assessing staff coping styles), drug treatment programme facilitator, drug treatment programme treatment manager, lead risk assessment psychologist, and discrete unit team leader (Segregation Unit, Healthcare and Close Supervision Centre). Throughout this time I was also a wing psychologist on the vulnerable prisoner unit, working predominantly with sexual offenders and prisoners with mood and personality disorders.

When I consider my experience within the context of each of the Stage 2 Core Roles, I had ample opportunity to engage in Core Role 1 work (interventions and assessments) for example. As well as delivering and managing drug and alcohol treatment, I completed Category A and parole reports, which included the use of structured risk assessments such as the HCR-20 (Historical Clinical Risk), the SARN (Structured Assessment of Risk and Need – sexual offenders) and the SARA (Spousal Assault Risk Assessment).  Later in my HMPS career, I had the opportunity to engage in treatment work within the Close Supervision Centre.

The Head of Psychology at the time (pre-2008) was a respected and resolute member of the establishment’s senior management team. The input of psychological services was valued by the No. 1 Governor and the forensic psychology team was involved in a range of initiatives across the prison.   For example, I had the opportunity to play an instrumental role in setting up the establishment’s new Risk Assessment and Management Unit, which incorporated the parole, sentence planning, OASys and psychological risk assessment sections. I took the psychological lead in this process which involved creating a new way of feeding psychological assessment and treatment work into the sentence management process. I was responsible for overseeing the improvement of OASys assessments, which involved supervising OASys reports, as well as engaging in professional development / support supervision sessions with the OASys assessors.

Other consultancy roles included attendance at sentence planning boards, mental health reviews, suicide /self-harm risk reviews, segregation reviews and officer recruitment interviews. The opportunities to undertake Core Role 3 (consultancy) and Core Role 4 (training) work were plentiful.  

Core Role 2 was, in my experience, the more difficult of the core roles to undertake within HMPS. This was not because of a lack of access to participants. Rather, it just didn’t seem to fit within the day to day priorities of the business. For me, it was very much additional work that I did on top of ‘the day job’.

Training and support

Being an independent practitioner, I am far more appreciative in retrospect of the level of training that I had access to as a HMPS FPiT.  I now have to self-fund Stage 2, as well as CPD events and opportunities. My two year part-time MSc in Applied Forensic Psychology (2003-2005) was fully funded by HMPS, although there was an assumption that the week’s work would fit into the remaining four days when I wasn’t attending the University of York. I saw this as the pay-off for having the course funded, but it made for a challenging couple of years.

I was also fortunate enough to receive training in motivational interviewing, therapeutic (CBT) skills, the PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist – Revised), the WAIS-III (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale), supervisor skills, the HCR-20 (Historical, Clinical Risk), SVR-20 (Sexual Violence Risk) and SARA (Spousal Assault Risk Assessment), to name but a few. This is nothing to be sniffed at; the courses typically cost £500+ to attend.

In addition to the training I attended, my BPS/DFP membership was funded by HMPS, as were my Stage 2 fees. In the heyday of my HMPS career, I had regular access to my coordinating supervisor and was surrounded by a range of other chartered forensic and clinical psychologists with a variety of backgrounds and experience which they seemed happy to share with me.

Of course, I wouldn’t want readers to think that HMPS does all of this out of the pure goodness of its heart! The training costs are all factored into the pay package. The working hours were long and there was an expectation that I would take on responsibilities that were arguably above my pay grade. When I left my FPiT role in 2008, having been at that grade for five years, my salary was in the region of £18,000 gross per annum. I had been responsible for service delivery, meeting key performance targets, line management of other FPiTs and had supervised prison officers who were earning £10-15k more per annum than I was.

So why leave?!

My reasons for leaving were particular to my own circumstances and those of the prison at the time. The senior management had changed and our Head of Psychology had left. The culture and regime changes brought about by the change in management led to a significant amount of disillusionment on the part of many of my colleagues, as well as a sense that the profession was becoming increasingly devalued within that particular setting. One by one the remaining chartered psychologists left. The Stage 2 FPiTs highlighted to managers that we were effectively unable to practice without a supervisor and so we successfully arranged for an independent forensic psychologist to visit the prison on a monthly basis in order to provide the minimum requirement in terms of supervision.  I was consequently offered the opportunity to join the chartered psychologist in her independent practice and didn’t hesitate (well, not for long!).

Looking back, my experience of being an FPiT in HMPS involved a huge amount of learning and experience; not just in terms of how to be a psychologist, but also regarding how to consult, supervise and work in a truly diverse and multidisciplinary setting.  In my view, I am a far more assertive, confident and competent practitioner than I would have been had I not undertaken most of my training within that prison.

I wouldn’t rule out a return to HMPS in the future, but I’m not ready yet. My time in HMPS was a real baptism of fire. I worked extremely long hours, including unpaid overtime and often felt as though the task was pretty thankless. I didn’t prioritise chartership because everything else felt so hectic and more timebound. Days (particularly as a manager within the team) were spent dealing with crises and evenings were spent getting the bread and butter work done. I’ll always remember my Head of Psychology coming to say goodnight to me on her way out of the department at 8pm one evening. She remarked “Are you working late again? Still, it’s the key to success” (paraphrased). I’m not sure I can agree with that; I don’t think it’s sustainable in the long term and if I had my time again I would take a much healthier and robust approach to my work-life balance.

My advice to others?

Seek out employment opportunities within HMPS if you can; especially at the beginning of your training. However, make sure you will have regular access to a coordinating supervisor and that you make time for your Stage 2 submissions. I suspect the relatively newly introduced Stage 2 Quarterly Supervision Plans will help in making sure you’re moving forward in your training.

Next article – same time next month: Stage 2 training as an independent FPiT.

Supervision

Through the Division of Forensic Psychology (DFP) trainees forum, I often see fellow trainees struggling to get on the first rung of the ladder for Stage 2 and that is accessing an appropriate supervisor. As trainees we need to understand something about the forensic psychology arena so as to understand the difficulties that can arise in accessing appropriate supervision.

My experience so far, from speaking to other trainees and through my experience of securing a supervisor is that forensic psychology is currently underfunded and overworked which is leading to a bottle neck in the training process. Students are completing their masters only to find there are very few trainee forensic psychology posts available in the prison service and NHS and these are in high demand. What all this amounts to is that there is less money to take on trainees so instead assistant psychologists roles are preferred. Chartered forensic psychologists have high case loads and without the trainees to support them, they are left with very little time to supervise Stage 2 training. Therefore, as expected, students completing their masters are working elsewhere, trying to gain experience and secure a supervisor independently.

To secure a supervisor can be a lengthy process but do not be disheartended, there will be a supervisor out there for you. Whilst some chartered forensic psychologists do not take on independent trainees as they feel we are unable to get the experience, many others see the benefits of having independent trainees not as an extra source of income but as essential to the development of the wider forensic psychology arena.

The first place to start when looking for a supervisor would be to contact Alex Johnson at the DFP (see bottom of page for website link). Alex has a list of current supervisors and their contact details so that you can start canvassing for supervision. The only thing the list doesn't provide is information on whether the supervisors have any current availability.

I went the long way round to finding a supervisor and instead searched the British Psychological Society (BPS) website for all the chartered forensic psychologists in the London area where I am based. I also made sure to note what areas they had experience in and where they worked as it helps to have a supervisor who holds the same interests in forensic psychology as you do, for example, if you do not agree with the prison system and do not want to work in that setting, you want to look for a supervisor who perhaps has experience of secure units, police or community work. Furthermore, if your interest is in the courts and eye witness testimony etc, you may find a supervisor who has only worked with offending behaviour and mental health more difficult to work with. On the other hand, a good supervisor may be able to support you despite your differences in interests.

Trying to secure a supervisor is very similar to sending your CV out for a job. You have to sell yourself. It can take some time between securing a supervisor and finishing your masters and supervisors will want to know what you have been doing in the mean time to keep your skills sharp, to gain experience and to continue your professional development. This is where volunteering and placements can come in really handy and if you need help in organising and logging your continued professional development (CPD) then the BPS have a great CPD site on their main website which allows you to keep a record of your CPD, your learning and your reflections. In subsequent articles I will talk more about volunteering and placements but for now, let's stick to supervision.

It can be hard to know what it is supervisors are looking for in order to sell yourself to them. To help with this dilemma i asked my supervisor what she looks for and what she thinks other supervisors look for in a trainee. To summarise her view, she feels supervisors are looking for people who are motivated and able to work independently as the supervisors are there to advise and guide and you will be doing the work for yourself. You will need to demonstrate a high level of organisation so that a supervisor can be certain that you are capable of working in this capacity. Of course a variety of experience is also helpful even if it is voluntary work. As with any job or placement, showing that you are mature and professional in your approach to securing a supervisor can also help so a CV and cover letter stating your intention for supervision, what stage your are at with your CPD and training and where you want to go in the future are a must.

It is with supervision that the independent route has a short fall. Unless your workplace will fund this training, you will have to fund supervision yourself. Supervisors costs vary but are usually between £50 - £100 an hour and half again for marking working that you send to them. Ok, deep breath, don't panic. You only need to see your supervisor for 4 hours a month once you are enrolled on Stage 2, it can take up to a year to do all the preparation and have your application completed and approved and you won't need to see your supervisor for 4 hours a month during that time. Once you are enrolled thats when you must see a supervisor for 4 hours a month however this can include a designated supervisor who is overseeing your examplar work at your placement or in your workplace. So for example, if you are doing a placement with a college for one of your exemplars then someone has to be named your designated supervisor and you can see this person for 3 out of the 4 supervision hours a month, saving you a bit of money. A word of caution, your coordinating supervisor is there to make sure that your work is up to standard and to ensure that you are practising appropriately therefore if they feel at any point that you are struggling then you will need to see them more often. This isn't a bad thing and can only help to improve your practice and the likelihood of passing your exemplars first time.

I hope this article has been helpful to you. If you have any questions about the Stage 2 process and any questions about supervision then you can access the DFP website through a link at the bottom of this blog. You can also find Alex's details to email her any questions you have. If you have any questions about my experience of supervision then feel free to leave any comments or email me.

Until next time......

Until the next full installment of the Forensic Psych Trainees blog, if you are are considering a career in forensic psychology but are not yet sure of the types of issues that you will studying or what will be expected of you then take a look at the website below.  I have found this really useful throughout my masters degree and training as it gathers together on one site, information about forensic psychology internationally.  There are great articles about eye eitness testimony, prison psychology and psychopathy amongst others as well as links to free resources.

www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com

 

 

Preparing for Stage 2 Training

For many trainees, issues around preparing for Stage 2 and finding a Supervisor come as part of their employment package, however, there are a growing number of students completing their masters who are unable to access a Forensic Psychologist in Training post within the prison service or NHS.  It is these students who often embark upon the independent route to forensic psychology chartership.

The independent route has many pitfalls but it also has many benefits in terms of the Stage 2 work.  Stage 2 requires a wide breadth of experience as well as showing depth of working.  Many Forensic Psychologists in Training have had to locate to new places of work and pick up extra volunteering, in order to achieve the breadth of experience required by the Stage 2 assessors.  In the independent route you are able to access a wide variety of sources with which to complete your Stage 2 but may struggle with some of the more in-depth work due to issues around accessing clients or patients. 

So, how do you prepare for these challenges?  Networking, making contacts and selling yourself to potential organisations are important methods for succeeding in this and I can’t say enough about having a supervisor to support and guide you. Based on my experiences of the independent route, I have listed points for preparation that can be made for the Stage 2 process.

Volunteering – There are lots of agencies across the country that interact at different levels of intensity with offenders from befriending and prison visits to mentoring, acting as an appropriate adult, accompanying offenders to court and youth offender panels.  Although these are not strictly psychological placements, they are a way to gain face to face experience with offenders, with the settings and with the multi-agency environment that surrounds an offender.  Charities also have many needs that you as a psychologist can offer to help with.  For example, two of the Stage 2 Core Roles are training and consultancy.  Charities and third sector organisations will often be grateful of the opportunity to have someone come and deliver FREE training and consultancy to them.  This is something that I have definitely experienced as I am completing one of my exemplars as a consultant to a London based charity working with offenders and another exemplar offering training to an organisation.

Placements – I feel that I may have been a little behind the times on this one and that may well be because I took so long to find a supervisor however, placements are the perfect way to gain experience in the field if you are not already working there.  I work in a training institute for counsellors and psychotherapists where there is a dedicated placements database and placements coordinator to help them gain experience and increase their practice hours.  There is nothing of this sort yet for forensic psychology and I am hoping that one day we will have one to help us all complete our chartership.  Placements can be accessed by offering your services as volunteer to an organisation or department in return for learning and work experience.  More than we realise, departments in the NHS and private organisations take on volunteers for a placement, this is not unusual practice.  The key here is a good CV and cover letter stating what experience you would like but most importantly, what you can offer them in return.  I am still working on arranging a suitable placement for myself but when I do I will certainly update the blog with my experiences.

Research and Book Reviews – We all have to do a research dissertation for our masters.  There is a great deal of work that goes into to it from us and our research supervisors so why not publish it?  Many universities will offer to publish what they see as the best reports but there is no reason why you can’t go to journals yourself or to the DFP publications such as Forensic Digest and publish there.  You will of course need to amend your report for publication in terms of word count but most journals will have guidelines for potential publishers.  Having something published not only looks great on your CV to potential employers and placements but should make it easier in the future for you to publish again as you will have some experience of the process and what is needed for a successful publication.  This is also the case for book reviews.  Lots of magazines and journals have a back log of books that need reviewing, this can be an alternative way of getting your name into print and practice analytic and concise writing skills.  Book reviews are also a great way to learn about an area from a book you may not necessarily choose to buy for yourself.  A word of caution with regards to publishing; publishers will consider whether your research is current and relevant to issues either happening now or topics where there is not enough information, these are the ones most likely to be selected for publication.

Supervision – For me, having a supervisor has been the key to navigating my way through the Stage 2 process so far.  There are so many documents to read and people have so many different experiences with the process that it can make your head swim.  A supervisor helps keep everything in perspective, keeps you focused and supports you with your endeavours.  Over a year of supervision and preparing for my Stage 2 I can see how I have changed and grown in confidence and understanding of my skills and abilities.  This makes approaching organisations about possible Core Roles less daunting and feeling supported in this has made the work enjoyable.  A co-ordinating supervisor is necessary in order to complete the Stage 2 process but they are a personal benefit to you in making progress.

I hope this has given you some food for thought.  In the coming weeks I will follow this up with articles going into greater depth on the points above.  If there is anything else you would like to see addressed please feel free to contact me or alternatively write an article of your own to be included in the blog.  These of course are my experiences and I am sure fellow readers would like to hear of other people’s thoughts and experiences.  Also, if you are a Forensic Psychologist in Training working with the NHS or Prison Service I would love to hear your experiences of the process.

Till next time....