Dr. Charlene Rouski

Dr Charlene Rouski is a Senior Clinical Psychologist and Lead for the Care Experience and Adoption Service. She provides strategic oversight, liaises with key stakeholders and offers clinical 
and operational leadership across the team.


Charlene brings extensive experience working with young people, adults, and families with complex needs across residential care, fostering, adoption, and services supporting care‑experienced young people. A significant part of her role involves shaping psychologically informed systems. She works closely with Senior Leadership teams in Local Authorities, and partner organisations to embed trauma and attachment informed practice at a whole‑system level.


In addition to direct clinical work, Charlene offers psychological consultation facilitates multi‑agency formulations and delivers specialist training. She provides clinical guidance and leads on service development initiatives, including the design of therapeutic care models, outcomes frameworks, 
and psychologically informed pathways.


Charlene completes comprehensive psychological assessments and delivers therapeutic interventions to children, young people, adults, and families. She also supports Local Authorities with complex safeguarding referrals.


Her practice is grounded in attachment‑informed and trauma‑informed approaches, with specialist interests in developmental trauma and self‑harm. She is trained in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and Theraplay.
 
Publications and Presentations


Rouski, C, Knowles, S, Sellwood, W, & Hodge, S. (2020). The quest for genuine care: A qualitative study of the experiences of young people who self-harm in residential care. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 10.1177/1359104520980037.


Rouski C, Hodge S, & Tatum L. (2017) An exploration of the impact of self-harm in an inpatient adolescent setting on staff: a qualitative study. Mental Health Nursing 37(2): 12-17.


2016 Presentation at CYPF BPS Annual Conference: An exploration of the impact of self-harm in an inpatient adolescent setting on staff: a qualitative study