We’re always excited to welcome new associates into PCEA.
We know how challenging it can be to work as an independent practitioner psychologist, and if you have made the transition from the NHS to self-employment, the change can be daunting and a little isolating. Working as an associate with PCEA will enable you to retain the key benefits of independent practice, while benefiting from supervision, support, training and being part of an enthusiastic and welcoming team.
There is considerable demand for our services, including both expert witness and neurodevelopmental assessment work undertaken on behalf of courts, local authorities, schools and private-funding families. Whatever your specialism, we can connect you to the cases most suited to your skills.
What we offer
Professional supervision and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
As a PCEA associate, you will benefit from regular one-to-one supervision with one of our lead psychologists in addition to having continual access to advice and support for individual cases. We also hold regular team meetings, during which we often provide a short CPD session or invite an external speaker to join us.
You will receive a high level of support upon initially joining us, including shadowing experienced clinicians and being provided with all of the training materials you need. We will happily walk you through your initial cases and provide as much supervision as you need until you feel entirely confident in your new role at PCEA.
A community of experts
At PCEA we are very much a team, working together and supporting each other every day. We are passionate about our areas of expertise, sharing our knowledge and connecting regularly to build upon our experiences. And we each place the child at the heart of everything we do.
Administrative support
We offer full administrative support to all of our associates. This includes organising resources, arranging appointments, managing caseloads and ensuring that payments are made in a timely manner. This means you can focus on your vital clinical work, feeling confident that everything else is arranged for you.
Flexible independence
While we are a connected team, we are all independent professionals. This means you are free to organise your caseload at PCEA in a manner that suits you and take on as much or as little work as you wish. We are proud promoters of a healthy work-life balance.
Is PCEA right for me?
PCEA is a vibrant community welcoming practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds and we are always excited to hear from anyone interested in joining PCEA. We are particularly interested in hearing from:
- Practitioner Psychologists (Clinical, Counselling, or Educational Psychologists) with HCPC registration.
- Speech and Language Therapists with HCPC registration.
FAQs
Yes, you can. Once you join PCEA, we will discuss your preferred working schedules and any other prior commitments you may have. Many of our associates still hold part-time NHS posts while working with PCEA, while others choose work with us full-time.
We offer comprehensive training, supervision and CPD to all of our associates. Our lead psychologists have strong local links with the University of East Anglia and we frequently undertake and publish cutting edge psychological research, particularly in relation to child protection and FASD. All new associates will have the opportunity to get involved if they are interested.
If you are willing to travel, this would be beneficial. However, we manage cases across East Anglia, the Midlands and the South-East, so we will do our best to offer cases close to your preferred location. We have a number of clinic rooms at our offices in Norwich city centre, which are available for all of our associates to use for appointments.
Yes, our lead psychologists provide regular clinical supervision to all our associates. There is also the opportunity for peer supervision within our team meetings. Specific case supervision is available at any time as needed.
Your hourly rate at PCEA is dependent upon the type of work you wish to do. Court work, for instance, pays differently to neurodevelopmental assessment work. At our first meeting, we can give you full details of what you can expect to earn based upon your area of specialism and the cases you would like to become involved with.
Your earnings are also protected as a PCEA associate. If, for any reason, a client fails to pay, this will not pass on to you and we will still pay you for the hours you worked on the case. You will also receive a travel allowance for both mileage and time spent.
Our clinic is based in Norwich, Norfolk. Once you join PCEA, you will have full access to our premises as needed—including out of hours if you wish—to host appointments, access resources, meet fellow team members and more.
'Dr Jackson—or Cassie as I now know her—helped me feel more confident to act as the best advocate for my children. She helped me develop a toolkit after conducting her assessment and report to help me support the complex needs of my child'.
Join our team