CBT Trainee (CYP)

CNWL; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust is offering a one-year CYP Psychological Training: Therapy Trainee (CBT) funded by NHSE. The role combines academic work with clinical placements to develop skills in child mental health.

The post starts January 2027, with 2.5 days of teaching and 2.5 days delivering CBT with children, young people and families. Trainees will be employed by the service and enrolled at UCL/Anna Freud, with a final UCL Postgraduate Diploma on completion.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of safeguarding children and young people.
• Understanding of CBT theory and its application.
• Willingness to undertake academic and clinical work.

Responsibilities

• Provide interventions using CBT for children, young people and families.
• Balance weekly academic teaching with clinical placement commitments.
• Meet BABCP requirements for accreditation where applicable.
• Collaborate with the CYP Psychological Training Programme team and supervisors.

Skills

Safeguarding knowledge

CBT knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject

Job description

Search here to find a new job, a new career, an opportunity to up skill or to simply change your career direction.

Become part of our team.

We care for you as much as you care for others.

There’s a place for you at CNWL.

We’re passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient's own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do.

Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people.

We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.

With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

Warning alert

Fraud alert: Please be cautious if you are asked for a fee at any stage in the recruitment process. CNWL does not charge fees for job applications, recruitment processes, sponsorship arrangements or employment offers. Always check with the recruitment contact or team if you are asked.

Site Eaglestone Health Centre Town Milton Keynes Salary £39,959 - £48,117 per annum (pro rata P/T) inc HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 03/11/2026 23:59 Interview date 06/11/2026

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.

Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page

Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.

Job overview

Our service has an exciting opportunity for a CYP Psychological Trainings: Therapy Trainee (CBT) to join our team as part of the NHS England (NHSE) funded Children and Young People (CYP) Psychological Training Programmes. This government-funded initiative promotes the growth and skill of the child mental health workforce to meet much needed demand. NHSE covers salary and training costs for a 1-year position, allowing services to employ trainees to support specialist pathways to bridge the gaps in CYP mental health support. This is a unique opportunity to apply your learning from weekly teaching into practical clinical interventions working with clients in the service making a direct impact in the lives of children, young people and their families. this is a training and employment post and candidates will need to manage a demanding combination of academic work, self-study and clinical case work.

We are seeking highly motivated candidates who are enthusiastic about making a difference to children and young people’s mental health through evidence-based interventions based on NICE Guideline recommended treatment. You will be committed to the CYP Psychological Training Programme core principles: Accessibility, accountability, participation, awareness and evidence-based practice and in providing an inclusive and effective service for children and young people, along with a dedication to equity, diversity and inclusion.

This full-time training will begin in January 2027 with around 2.5 days a week for academic work (teaching and personal study), and 2.5 days based at the service seeing clients (children, young people, and carers) related to training assignments. Trainees will be both an employee of the service and an enrolled student with UCL/Anna Freud. Upon completion, qualified trainees will receive a UCL Postgraduate Diploma.

Application Process

This is a dual application process. In addition to applying for this position with us, you must also complete a UCL application for the Course Team to review. The Course Team will liaise with us on whether you meet the academic requirements for the course during the recruitment process. You will only be offered a UCL training place if you are successful in securing this post and you meet the university training requirements.

Working for our organisation

We are passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patients own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do.

Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people. We're always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee were hoping to find our future leaders and well support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.

With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This intensive training post will equip the post-holder to provide interventions for children,young people or families using the core principles of the CYP Psychological Training Programme and consistent with the evidence base in the area of CBT. The post-holder will work in the service, for at least 2.5 days of the week using the newly developed skills whilst attending the training programme or undertaking self-study days for the remaining days, as required by the education provider.

Candidates will need to show evidence of being eligible for meeting BABCP KSA requirements for accreditation if they do not hold a core professional training.

Please note that this is a training post offered as a fixed term opportunity. Successful completion of the training programme does not create an expectation or guarantee of permanent employment at the end of the training contract.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Minimum second-class Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent standard in a relevant subject (e.g. psychology, social work etc). OR Applicants who do not fulfil the academic criteria but with relevant professional experience are encouraged to apply and will be considered on a case-by-case basis,
• Previous training in a mental-health related profession (e.g. psychology, nursing, health visiting, social work, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, special needs teaching, psychiatry, psychotherapy, counselling, CWP, EMHP and low intensity therapies)
• Proven record of previous academic attainment

Knowledge

• Knowledge and understanding of issues relating to safeguarding children and young people
• Knowledge and understanding of CBT theory and its application

Experience

• 2 or more years of experience of working with children and young people in a mental health setting
• Experience of multi-agency working and/or multi-disciplinary working and liaising across internal and external agencies
• Previous experience of working within a CBT framework and/or using CBT informed interventions
• A year or more experience working within a CBT framework and/or using CBT informed interventions (e.g. PWP, CWP, EMHP and Parent Trainer)
• Experience of assessing and managing risk and safeguarding issues
• Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with children, young people, and their families, whilst considering social differences
• Ability to maintain a reflective stance in emotive/challenging interactions with children and their carers
• Ability to use supervision to reflect on practice
• Ability to follow policy and clinical governance procedures and make proposal for change
• Ability to maintain accurate records
• Able to accommodate travel demands associated with the role
• Ability to complete academic work across different learning environments at postgraduate level and balance the academic demands of the course with clinical placement demands
• Understanding of evidence based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influences good clinical practice

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI can be used as a support tool, not a replacement for the applicant’s own work.Applications must remain personal, accurate, and reflective of the candidate’s real experience.AI-generated content must not misrepresent skills, qualifications, or experience.Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct. Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

• Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system
• Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
• If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Jemma Day Job title Team Manager Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01908 724544 Additional information

Russell Hurn

[e-mail]

Any queries applicants have on the course i.e. teaching/content can be sent to the course programme team: [e-mail]