Clinical Psychologist - NMC ProVita Abu Dhabi

The Psychologist works as part of a multidisciplinary pediatric rehabilitation team to develop individualized, evidence-based intervention plans that support the child’s emotional well-being, behavioral regulation, cognitive and adaptive functioning, participation, independence and overall quality of life across school, home and community environments.

The role includes the assessment and management of children with complex conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, ADHD, learning difficulties, behavioral and emotional concerns, and other developmental or neurodevelopmental conditions. Intervention may include psychological assessment, behavioral and emotional interventions, cognitive and developmental support, social and adaptive skills training, coping and adjustment strategies, caregiver guidance, and school-based psychological support according to the individual needs of the child.

The Psychologist collaborates closely with children and families, caregivers, teachers and school personnel, physicians and the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team to ensure coordinated, family-centered and child-focused care. The role also includes providing guidance and education to caregivers and relevant school staff to promote consistency of therapeutic and behavioral strategies across the child’s environments. Services are delivered in accordance with Department of Health (DOH) requirements, applicable professional and ethical standards, organizational policies and procedures, and the professional scope of practice for Psychology.

• Conduct comprehensive, age-appropriate psychological and developmental assessments for children and adolescents, covering cognitive, emotional, behavioral, adaptive, social, developmental and functional domains.

• Perform detailed psychological and behavioral evaluations using standardized, validated assessment tools appropriate to the child’s developmental level, presenting needs, cultural context and educational environment.

• Conduct functional behavioral assessments (FBA) and identify behavioral, emotional, developmental and environmental factors contributing to challenging behaviors and functional difficulties.

• Develop and implement individualized, evidence-based behavioral intervention plans, incorporating Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles and other appropriate psychological and behavioral approaches.

• Design, monitor and modify individualized behavior support programs targeting communication, social interaction, emotional regulation, adaptive functioning, independence, learning readiness and reduction of challenging behaviors.

• Apply evidence-based ABA strategies, including positive reinforcement, prompting, shaping, task analysis, functional communication training, antecedent-based interventions and other clinically appropriate behavioral techniques.

• Monitor behavioral and developmental outcomes through systematic data collection, analysis and documentation, using objective measures to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and make appropriate modifications.

• Provide individual psychological and behavioral interventions for children and adolescents presenting with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, developmental delay, learning difficulties, emotional and behavioral concerns, and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

• Provide age-appropriate psychological support to children experiencing anxiety, emotional dysregulation, adjustment difficulties, social challenges, low self-esteem or other psychological concerns that may affect participation and functioning.

• Support the development of emotional regulation, coping skills, social skills, adaptive behaviors, communication and independence in collaboration with the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team.

• Participate actively in multidisciplinary team (MDT) assessments, case conferences and rehabilitation planning to ensure psychology and behavioral goals are integrated into the child’s overall rehabilitation plan.

• Collaborate closely with Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, physicians, nurses, educators and other members of the multidisciplinary team to promote coordinated and consistent interventions.

• Collaborate with parents, caregivers, teachers and school personnel to develop consistent behavioral and psychological strategies across clinical, school, home and community environments.

• Provide caregiver and family education, psychoeducation and behavioral coaching to enhance understanding of the child’s developmental, psychological and behavioral needs and support implementation of recommended strategies at home.

8. QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
	ESSENTIAL	PREFERRED
Education	Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a relevant postgraduate qualification in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, or equivalent qualification that meets the DOH Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) for the applicable Psychology license. Education and training must meet the requirements for obtaining/maintaining a valid DOH Psychology License.	Master’s degree or higher in Clinical Psychology, Child Psychology, Developmental Psychology, or a related field. Additional formal training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), developmental psychology, behavioral intervention, or pediatric rehabilitation.
Experience	Master’s degree or higher in Clinical Psychology, Child Psychology, Developmental Psychology, or a related field. Additional formal training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), developmental psychology, behavioral intervention, or pediatric rehabilitation. Additional formal training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), developmental psychology, behavioral intervention, or pediatric rehabilitation.	3+ years of clinical experience, preferably in pediatric psychology, developmental services, pediatric rehabilitation or school-based rehabilitation. Experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, learning difficulties and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Experience in implementing ABA-informed behavioral intervention programs and functional behavioral assessments.
Certification and Licensure	Valid DOH License in the applicable Psychology specialty. Valid BLS Provider Certificate. Relevant professional registration/certification as required by DOH and the organization.	Recognized ABA certification, such as BCBA or equivalent internationally recognized ABA qualification, where applicable to the scope of practice. Additional certifications in pediatric behavioral intervention, developmental assessment or relevant evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
Job Specific Knowledge and Skills	Strong knowledge and demonstrated competency in psychological assessment, diagnosis/formulation and evidence-based psychological interventions. Knowledge and practical application of behavioral assessment and intervention, including Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and individualized behavior support planning. Working knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles, including positive reinforcement, prompting, shaping, task analysis, functional communication training and data-based intervention. Ability to assess and support children with developmental, behavioral, emotional, cognitive and neurodevelopmental needs. Knowledge of child safeguarding, confidentiality, informed consent and ethical standards applicable to pediatric psychological practice. Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary pediatric rehabilitation team and collaborate with families, caregivers, educators and other professionals. Strong clinical documentation, communication, behavioral data collection and outcome-monitoring skills.	Advanced knowledge of pediatric psychology, developmental disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions. Experience with standardized pediatric cognitive, developmental, behavioral, adaptive and psychological assessment tools. Knowledge of school-based behavioral and psychological interventions, individualized education/behavior plans and classroom behavioral strategies. Additional competency in CBT, play therapy, family therapy, social skills interventions, emotional regulation and other evidence-based pediatric interventions. Experience with caregiver coaching, teacher training and implementation of behavioral strategies across home, school and community settings. Knowledge of assistive communication, functional communication strategies and collaboration with Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy services.