Psychologist (Special Needs)- Gaza Response

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Program

Operation Egypt Country Office

CONTRACT LENGTH: Until Nov. 2026.

With possible extension based on performance and budget availability. Contingent upon confirmation of funding

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3: The post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ORGANISATION PROFILE / PROGRAMME SUMMARY:

Save the Children International is the world’s leading independent organisation for children. We work in 120 countries and work, together with our partners, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. In Egypt, Save the Children International has been working to ensure that children’s rights are respected, protected and promoted since 1982. We carry out both long-term development work and, more recently emergency humanitarian work.

This project is part of Save the Children Egypt’s Gaza Response portfolio, aiming to provide comprehensive Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services for displaced Palestinians in Egypt, including medical evacuees and their accompanying family members.

The project seeks to enhance the well-being and resilience of affected individuals through a multi-layered approach that combines community-based psychosocial support, specialized counselling, and referral to advanced mental health care when needed, while also linking with Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) interventions to alleviate financial stress among the most vulnerable families.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Psychologist (Special Needs) is responsible for providing structured psychosocial and developmental support to children with disabilities affected by the Gaza crisis and currently residing in Egypt. The role focuses on enhancing children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and communication skills through individual and group-based interventions that promote inclusion, participation, and resilience.

The postholder will work directly with children and caregivers to design, implement, and monitor individualized developmental plans, while coordinating closely with MHPSS, Education, and Case Management teams to ensure holistic and inclusive services aligned with Save the Children’s standards.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: MHPSS Officer

Dotted Line : MHPSS TA

Staff directly reporting to this post: NA

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

1. Direct Support to Children:

• Conduct structured individual and group sessions focusing on communication, life skills, emotional regulation, and social interaction.
• Facilitate play-based and activity-based interventions adapted to different types of disabilities (intellectual, physical, or sensory).
• Support children in developing self-expression, independence, and adaptive behaviors in safe and engaging settings.
• Regularly monitor progress and adapt session content to meet each child’s developmental level and learning pace.

2. Assessment and Individual Planning:

• Conduct developmental and psychosocial assessments using standardized and SCI-approved tools.
• Observe and document children’s emotional, behavioral, and adaptive functioning in structured and natural settings.
• Develop and implement Individual Development Plans (IDPs/IEPs) based on assessment findings and continuous observation.
• Ensure assessment tools are applied ethically, interpreted accurately, and used to guide programmatic interventions.
• Maintain updated case files with clear assessment results, goals, and follow-up actions.

3. Caregiver and Family Engagement:

• Conduct psychoeducation and skills-building sessions for parents and caregivers to strengthen their understanding of disability and child development.
• Provide caregivers with practical tools and home-based activities to reinforce learning and developmental progress.
• Offer guidance on positive parenting, communication, and coping strategies that promote inclusive family environments.

4. Coordination and Collaboration:

• Collaborate closely with MHPSS, Education, and Case Management teams to ensure children with disabilities are fully included in project activities.
• Coordinate with community facilitators and teachers to adapt group activities to be accessible for all children.
• Participate in multidisciplinary case discussions and referrals, ensuring timely communication and documentation.
• Support inter-agency coordination efforts and share technical input on disability inclusion when needed.

5. Documentation, Quality Standards, and Reporting:

• Maintain accurate, confidential records for each child, including assessments, development plans, and progress updates.
• Apply standardized data collection and documentation tools as per SCI MHPSS and inclusion guidelines.
• Contribute to monitoring and evaluation by providing quantitative and qualitative data on children’s developmental progress.
• Ensure adherence to child safeguarding and data protection standards in all documentation and assessments.
• Share regular reports, success stories, and recommendations with the MHPSS Officer and Technical Advisor.

6. Capacity Building and Awareness:

• Support awareness sessions on inclusion, disability rights, and child protection for staff, caregivers, and community members.
• Provide on-the-job coaching or short orientations for facilitators on engaging children with disabilities effectively.
• Participate in supervision, reflection, and professional development opportunities provided by the MHPSS technical team.

5. General Responsibilities

• Uphold and promote Save the Children’s policies and practices related to Child Safeguarding, Code of Conduct, Health and Safety, and Diversity and Inclusion.
Demonstrate commitment to Save the Children’s values and humanitarian principles in all activities and interactions.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice ) Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.

• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same.
  

• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others. Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters.

• Values diversity as a source of competitive strength.

• Approachable and active listener.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.

• Willing to take disciplined risks. Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity. Confidentiality and Data Protection:

• Ensures that beneficiaries’ data are kept confidentially and in line with data protection policies.
  

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology or special education / sciences of special Needs (كلية علوم ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة) or a related field.
• Minimum of four years of direct experience working with children with disabilities in developmental, psychosocial, or educational settings.
• Proven ability to conduct developmental and psychosocial assessments using standardized tools.
• Strong understanding of child development, learning difficulties, and disability inclusion principles.
• Experience in designing and implementing individualized developmental or educational plans.
Additional qualifications such as a Master’s degree in Developmental or Educational Psychology, previous experience in humanitarian or NGO contexts, and familiarity with Save the Children’s MHPSS, Inclusion, and Child Safeguarding frameworks are considered strong assets.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport with children and caregivers.
• Strong observation, analytical, and documentation skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and maintain professional boundaries.
• Proficiency in organizing and facilitating structured developmental or psychosocial activities.
• Commitment to child safeguarding, inclusion, and ethical data handling.
• Fluency in Arabic and good working knowledge of English.
Flexibility, empathy, and resilience when working with vulnerable populations.

Additional Job Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.