This page provides guidance for those looking to train as a Forensic Psychologist when they are not in a trainee psychologist role. This situation is becoming increasingly common, particularly with the introduction of postgraduate diplomas in forensic psychology (PG Dip).

I offer supervision to individuals pursuing a forensic psychology training course who, for various reasons, cannot secure a coordinating supervisor in their current job role. This could involve completing a PG Dip in forensic psychology or following the stage 2 route set by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Potential candidates include assistant psychologists working in secure units or forensic community settings, as well as forensic mental health practitioners who engage directly with forensic clients.

Why would I need an external co-ordinating supervisor?

This situation arises when an individual works for an organisation that is supportive of their desire to pursue training, but does not provide financial assistance for it, and the individual is not in a trainee forensic psychologist role.

Typically, trainee positions are found within the Prison Service. To follow any forensic psychology pathway, it is essential to have a clinical supervisor in your workplace. This supervisor must be a qualified psychologist who can provide two hours of supervision each month, focusing on your day-to-day clinical work. In my role as a coordinating supervisor, I oversee all aspects of the course to ensure you are meeting the necessary requirements. I review your work and submissions, providing guidance on what is expected. Additionally, I assess practice diaries on a biweekly basis. You will need to have supervision with me every two weeks, which means you will have weekly supervision sessions with both your work supervisor and me.

People often seek an external coordinating supervisor for two main reasons: either their work supervisor is not a Forensic Psychologist, or it falls outside their supervisor’s job scope to assess and review the coursework.

First Steps

Take some time to reflect on your reasons for considering a career in forensic psychology. Only pursue this path if you genuinely have an interest in working in forensic settings with individuals who have committed offences. While training as a Forensic Psychologist may seem easier compared to clinical or counselling psychology, it will restrict the environments in which you can work. Forensic contexts are challenging and demanding, requiring you to engage with people who have complex needs. If your interest lies more in working with a diverse range of mental health presentations and therapeutic settings, you may want to explore a different branch of psychology.

Read the HCPC standards of proficiency for psychologists, as these are the areas you will need to evidence if you complete a PGDip.  If you are interested in a PGDip, there are currently ones running a the University of Derby and Cardiff University. Others may be developed, so it is worth searching on line as well. Make sure that any course leads to HCPC registration.

Read the BPS Stage 2 handbook. 

Invest in a book that covers the different areas of Forensic Psychology. Neil Gredecki and Polly Turner’s 2021 book is a good overview.

Speak to others who have trained in forensic psychology for their views on doing this. 

If you can, do try and get a Trainee Forensic Psychologist role in the Prison Service. It will mean that you are employed to train, will not have to fund it yourself, and will have a network of support around you.

Advice to take on board when considering this route:

Below are some observations and guidance I’ve learned from my experience as an external coordinating supervisor.

• Some courses offer a two-year PGDip to become a registered Forensic Psychologist with the HCPC. There is also a two-year route through the BPS. While this may seem like the quickest way to become a Forensic Psychologist, you will need significant prior experience and must already be established in a relevant role. This includes using Structured Professional Judgement (SPJ) risk assessments, such as the HCR-20.  It also involves completing offending behaviour programmes or therapeutic work, and having experience assessing risk and understanding offending behaviour. Most trainees will need to complete a three- or four-year course.
• Training will require you to work evenings and weekends. If you have other life priorities, there will likely be times when it is challenging to balance these with your training course. Whatever time you think you’ll need, I would recommend doubling that estimate.

• Therapy and interventions are only one aspect of the role of a Forensic Psychologist. Some Forensic Psychologists do not engage in therapy work at all. Risk assessment is a significant part of the role, which distinguishes forensic psychology from other psychology disciplines. If your role mainly involves therapy work, it may be difficult to complete a training course.

• Forensic psychology work does not focus on therapy for mental health problems. When working with clients, you will need to demonstrate an ability to assess offending behaviour and understand it in the context of mental health, trauma, and lifestyle factors. You must formulate and develop a treatment plan. Any work you undertake will need to be clearly linked to reducing recidivism. For instance, offering CBT for anxiety alone would not suffice; you must show a direct connection between the therapy and the person’s offending behaviour, explaining how the work contributes to reducing risk. 

• Direct work with offending behaviour is essential. This includes efforts specifically aimed at reducing the likelihood of future offences, which may encompass violence, firesetting, sexual offences, domestic violence, gang membership, or stalking.

• While you will require your manager’s support to complete training, it is important to consider the responsibilities of your role and what you are employed to do. Engaging in a forensic psychology course will likely require you to perform work outside of your official job description, such as consultancy or offending behaviour work. It is important to discuss this with your manager from the outset to ensure you have sufficient scope to complete this work.

• Reading literature related to all modules of a course will be necessary. This includes in-depth reading on forensic risk assessment, offending behaviour, treatment, training, and consultancy within forensic settings. Such reading will likely require a significant time commitment. In PGDip courses, you will need to complete comprehensive literature reviews, while the BPS route will involve reflecting on literature in your practice diary.

• When completing training and consultancy, you must demonstrate that there is a genuine need for this work before proceeding. You cannot update training that is already available or undertake projects based solely on personal interest. There is a rigorous process involved to ensure that stakeholders (i.e., managers) support the work and that you have assessed the needs of the staff adequately.

• Maintaining a practice diary can be challenging. It is essential to keep this documentation up to date, ensuring it is reflective and linked to your work experiences. Realistically, it should not take more than 1/2 hour a day to do a diary, although it may do at the start.  I always expect to see diaries every two weeks, otherwise it is easy to get behind on these (I know from personal experience!!)

I hope that this information is useful. I think it is important to be realistic about the process of training from the outset. Training as a Forensic Psychologist can be extremely rewarding and enjoyable, especially if you like to be challenged! But it is also something that takes a lot of energy and dedication to achieve.

If you would like to discuss supervision with an external co-ordinator please get in contact here.