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UCL Doctorate In Clinical Psychology

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Intellectual functioning

Clinical Psychologists need to have the ability to work with clients across a range of levels of intellectual functioning
It is important to note that competence can be developed through teaching on the course and practical work in the context of many different specialities (older adults with dementia, neuropsychological services, learning disability services).

Clinical Psychologists should have ability to working with people with a range of intellectual functioning and should demonstrate: 


An understanding of the different contexts of which people who have different levels of intellectual functioning may be a part: e.g. their family, special and mainstream education, daycare, supported living schemes and residential care, and specialist care settings (e.g. acute psychiatric and forensic settings)
An understanding of how different levels of intellectual functioning interact with biological social and psychological factors in a biopsychosocial model
An understanding of the impact of different levels of intellectual functioning across the lifespan. In the case of intellectual impairment, this may include diagnosis and intervention during the childhood years and transitions during late teenage and early adult years, adulthood and older age.
An understanding of the potential impact on family and paid carers of caring for a person with intellectual impairment
An understanding of power differences between professionals and people who are marginalised or disempowered due to cognitive or communication deficits and how to address these in practice (e.g. minimising the risk of acquiescence).


In addition trainees should demonstrate:


An ability to work with people who may be very different from trainees and at high risk of social exclusion, together with the ability to reflect on such work and feelings evoked
An ability to adapt psychological assessments and interventions to the cognitive, communication, sensory, social and physical needs of people with different levels of intellectual functioning, and to the needs of their carers
An ability to develop multi-faceted formulations and interventions which take into account individual, systemic and organisational factors
An ability to complete a detailed functional analysis and translate the results into guidance which is appropriate to the needs of those implementing them, and which take into account common barriers to successful implementation
An ability to work with a range of service providers, including health, social services, education, the voluntary and private sectors
An understanding of the potential vulnerability of adults from marginalised groups and knowledge of adult protection policies
An understanding of capacity and consent issues and ability to obtain informed consent and, where this is not possible, ability to sensitively judge whether any psychological input is in the person's best interests.

In relation specifically to work with people with learning disabilities, the learning disability SIG has developed a detailed specification of the competences ideally required of a Clinical Psychologist at the end of training. This can be found at:
http://www.bps.org.uk/downloadfile.cfm?file_uuid=1B029136-1143-DFD0-7E9E-1BB3A14A2A82&ext=pdf


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