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Psychologist
Department of Communities and Justice
Psychologists employed by the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provide psychological services across Corrective Services NSW, Community Services (formerly FACS) and Youth Justice (formerly Juvenile Justice).
DCJ Psychologists operate as part of a team of psychologists and/or member of a multi-disciplinary team. They provide psychological assessments, interventions and therapeutic services for children and families experiencing challenging circumstances, young people and offenders who are in custody and those under community supervision orders.
"There are definitely times when you know you've had a positive impact."
DCJ Careers: Psychologists
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Every day is different. Every day is exciting but at the same time challenging. You get to have exposures in that you can not previously imagine.
Our work is challenging. The people we work with, the clients are going to be challenging. There is nowhere else that do that sort of work and work with some particular complex cases and really stretch your wings out and get a true sense of what some of these sorts of cases are like.
So I always join to the challenge of that and knowing that there was nowhere else I could really get that experience and have that level of contact.
I definitely think that working with a challenging population of clients that there're definitely times when you do notice you've had a positive impact in the way you've been able to provide treatment and really makes you feel that what you're doing is worthwhile and that you're making some positive impact in the world.
Yeah, I think it's about the small wins and what you can take from each day because having that connection with young people, or just whatever client we're working with, and noticing small changes, I think, is a huge attraction for me to continue going back each day.
I thought how can I challenge myself and going into world working with families and children and young people, and trying to keep them with their families, that's really rewarding.
And I think this line of work, working for this department, there's this opportunity to be able to do work. It doesn't change or help the person in the chair opposite you but helps their family, giving them another chance to go out and be a productive member of society and then the victim's families.
If you're studying in a Master's, definitely look at doing a placement with corrections 'cause it's a really fantastic opportunity.
It's a strong mentoring aspect to our programmes, so you have that opportunity to actually being really mentored and supervised by very experienced psychologist in a particular field whether be violent, sex offenders, any other programmes.
It can be stressful but if you learn from the beginning, self-care, looking after yourself, getting good supervision, and making sure you have the correct supports in place that you can have a really long and varied and rich career.
Flexibility in our working hours, the different types of leave, and I mentioned early on that, for example, it allowed me to go on to pursue other further studies such as PhD.
When you really put it into perspective, there is a lot of power in what we do. At the end of the day, it does show that what we're doing is working.
In terms of advice, yes, about being open to change, being flexible, open-minded, but be passionate, be driven, like want to do the work because it's such interesting work and it makes a difference.
Working for Corrective Services NSW
Corrective Services Psychologists provide direct psychological assessment, intervention, and therapeutic services and programs to offenders and remandees within custodial and community locations. There is a supportive supervision structure in place to ensure opportunities for career development.
- Assisting in the formulation and management of case plans
- Providing expert consultation to staff regarding the management of remandees and offenders
- Maintaining concise documentation and psychological notes on all offenders receiving psychological services and participating in programs
- Preparing reports, providing advice, and consultation to the State Parole Authority, Serious Offenders Review Council, and Mental Health Review Tribunal as well as a number of other organisations.
Role requirements
- Minimum 4 year accredited qualification in psychology with current provisional or full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia
- Demonstrated expertise in assessment and treatment in psychology including mental health issues, cognitive impairment, and with respect to behaviour management.
- Demonstrated level of knowledge and understanding of contemporary correctional concepts, principles and practices relevant to psychology assessment and treatments
- Demonstrated knowledge and ability with regards to criminogenic risk assessments, including risks related to sex and violent offending and associated interventions
- Demonstrated advisory, consultation, and report writing skills
- Sound knowledge and understanding of the psychologist's ethical and legal obligations and professional accountability particularly the Departmental policies and procedures
- Well-developed communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills
- Current driver’s licence with ability and willingness to travel throughout NSW.
Working for Community Services
Community Services Psychologists provide trauma informed therapeutic care to disadvantaged children, young people, families and carers. As Therapeutic Specialists, their role is to guide assessment, develop and monitor treatment plans, equip staff through training and reflective practice sessions and collect data on outcomes.
- They conduct psychological, social, emotional, cognitive, developmental, behavioural and functional assessments
- Delivering and evaluating therapeutic interventions including psycho-education, counselling, behaviour management, behaviour support services, group interventions and other evidence based therapies (e.g TF-CBT, PCIT, EMDR)
- Providing consultation to staff and managers to assist in the decision making process on psychological, developmental, emotional and behaviour management issues
- Delivering training to staff, families, carers, foster parents and external agencies in relation to trauma and abuse relevant to a child/young person
- Providing clinical recommendations to internal and external parties
- Maintaining electronic clinical records and provide written reports.
Role requirements
- Tertiary qualifications in Psychology recognised by the Psychology Board of Australia, either:
- Full registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, or
- Provisional registration with an ability to fulfil full registration within the relevant timeframes.
- Knowledge of theoretical and therapeutic frameworks that underpin assessment and intervention in the context of child abuse/neglect
- Current driver’s licence with ability and willingness to travel throughout NSW.
Working for Youth Justice
Youth Justice Psychologists provide a consultancy service to staff regarding the psychological needs of young people within custodial and community locations, including those who sexually offend.
- They assist in the formulation of individual risk, needs, responsivity based case plans
- Delivering training to all staff that support young people with mental health problems, intellectual disability or cognitive impairment
- Maintaining confidential documentation
- Preparing reports, advice and consultation to Children’s Courts, the Serious Young Offenders Review Panel, State Parole Authority, and Mental Health Review Tribunal.
Role requirements
- Minimum 4 year accredited qualification in psychology with current provisional or full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia
- Demonstrated expertise in the psychological assessment and treatment of adolescents, including mental health issues, cognitive impairment, and with respect to behaviour management
- Demonstrated level of knowledge and understanding of contemporary concepts, principles and practices relevant to the psychological assessment and treatment of young people who offend
- Demonstrated knowledge and ability with regards to risk assessments, including risks related to sex and violent offending and associated interventions
- Sound knowledge and understanding of the psychologist's ethical and legal obligations and professional accountability particularly the Departmental policies and procedures
- Knowledge of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture
- Current driver’s licence with ability and willingness to travel throughout NSW.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
DCJ provides services to various communities across the state, making it important to have a diverse and inclusive workforce that contributes to better outcomes for our communities.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make a significant impact to the organisation by improving the way we interact with Indigenous communities and help inform and shape cross-cultural services.
Key skills of a DCJ Psychologist
- Demonstrate professionalism to support a culture of integrity
- Clearly explain complex concepts and arguments to individuals and groups
- Research and analyse information and make recommendations based on relevant evidence
- Utilise facts, knowledge and experience to support recommendation
- Share information and learning across teams
- Maintain own motivation when tasks become difficult
- Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the services provided and relay to customers
- Respond proactively to changing circumstances and adjust plans when necessary
- Be alert to risks and follow safe work practices
- Make effective use of records, information and knowledge management functions and systems.
Pre-employment checks
- National criminal history check including fingerprint checks (role specific)
- NSW Working With Children Check Clearance (role specific)
- Reference checks (minimum of 2 referees)
- Conduct and performance checks (for existing public service employees).
Last updated:
29 Nov 2022
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We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the First Nations Peoples of NSW and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future.
Informed by lessons of the past, Department of Communities and Justice is improving how we work with Aboriginal people and communities. We listen and learn from the knowledge, strength and resilience of Stolen Generations Survivors, Aboriginal Elders and Aboriginal communities.
You can access our apology to the Stolen Generations.