Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Collective Leadership Programme

Job summary

CNTW is seeking a 0.6 part-time Band 7 ACP registered Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist to join the Mental Health Team within Sunderland CYPS. The role involves specialist assessment and treatment of children and young people, in collaboration with families and multi-agency partners.

You will work within the multidisciplinary team at CYPS Monkwearmouth Hospital Sunderland, with some travel across CNTW sites. The post supports professional development within an integrated service.

Qualifications

• Substantial NHS CAMHS experience.
• Advanced knowledge and skills in psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
• Experience working with children, adolescents and their families.

Responsibilities

• Assess and treat infants, children and young people as part of the CAMHS pathway.
• Provide supervision to a range of professionals.
• Collaborate with multi-agency partners (Social Care, Education).

Skills

Communication skills

Analytic skills

Supervision

Consultation

Team working

Child development knowledge

Education

ACP registration

Masters level CA Psychotherapy training

Doctoral level research methodology

Job description

Hello!

We are so delighted you are considering coming to work with us at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW).

We know the power of looking into an organisation, one you might want to work in, or one where you are going to get help, and being able to say, 'I've seen somewhere I can fit in and be myself.' We're on a journey to make the Trust an inclusive employer, representative of the community we serve and we want more of our community to consider applying for jobs with us.

Opportunities for you

Spanning east to west coasts from Northumberland to Cumbria and from the Scottish Borders down to Middlesbrough we've got exciting new opportunities available at every level and in every area.

We offer flexible working, helping work fit around family and caring responsibilities, or training and development needs and there's lots on offer in the way of benefits, such as, lease cars, childcare schemes, staff discounts, season tickets for travel and a cycle to work scheme. All this in a vibrant workplace supported by the following staff networks.

• Cultural diversity staff network
• Disabled staff network
• LGBT+ staff network

We also have a number of staff support groups which are open to any staff to attend. These Include:

• Armed Forces and Veterans Staff Network
• Mind, Health and Wellbeing Community
• Menopause toolkit and cafes and staff carer support group

We offer fantastic personal development opportunities through our Collective Leadership Programme and other Organisational Development initiatives. Whatever you are looking for, you will be joining a supportive, friendly team, offering varied and interesting roles, with opportunities for career progression.

We\'re always seeking to improve as an organisation. Do you want to be part of that?

Please note that it is a requirement of this Trust that all external applicants pay for their own DBS certification if a DBS check is required for the post. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first monthly pay

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Sunderland Children and Young People\'s Service (CYPS) for a 0.6 part time Band 7 ACP registered Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, to join our Mental Health Team. This incorporates work with children and young people who are cared for in partnership with Together for Children.

Our Children and Young People Services are fully integrated and provide specialist mental health assessment and intervention for children and young people 0-18 years and their families and carers, with complex and enduring mental health needs, including those young people with a learning disability.

The multi-disciplinary team works closely together with our multi-agency partners in Social Care and Education.

You would be part of the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Trust wide support structures.

The post is based at CYPS Monkwearmouth Hospital Sunderland, with some travel across the sites of the CNTW Trust.

Sunderland is a lively city and coastal area, in the North East of England with a rich history.

We would very much welcome your expressions of interest and application.

Main duties of the job

You would be employed as a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist within the multidisciplinary team and would be involved in the specialist assessment, care and treatment of infants, children and young people as part of their family. This would be an integral part of the Child Psychotherapy pathway into the service.

Your work would also be with families and carers; and in partnership with our multi-agency partners.

Working for our organisation

We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 2nd October 2026

Closing date : 18th October 2026

We welcome your application.

Person specification

Education and Qualification

Essential criteria

• Masters level pre- clinical training at a training school / institution recognised by the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP) and Post graduate training at doctorate level in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy at a training school accredited by the ACP.
• Maintenance of ACP registration.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Substantial experience of working within an NHS Children and Young People\'s Mental Health and Learning Disability Service.
• Advanced knowledge and skills in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and its effective application to the mental health problems of children and adolescents with complex disorders and diagnoses including pervasive and severe emotional and psychological difficulties.
• Experience of working regularly and intensively with children and young people and their family/ carers.

Skills and Competencies

Essential criteria

• Communication and relationship skills at the highest level in situations where complex formulations need to be considered.
• Analytic and judgement skills in processing the great complexity of information arising from clinical work. Skill in formulation and forming care plans.
• Advanced skill in supervision. An ability to deliver regular supervision to a range of professionals.
• Highly developed skills in providing consultation to other professionals.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Sufficient knowledge of other modalities to engage appropriately with colleagues and their work and clients.
• Masters or Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology consistent with psychoanalytic work.
• Well-developed skills to communicate effectively, orally and in writing at an age appropriate level (including use of play, drawing etc) complex, highly technical and / or clinically sensitive information to adults, children, young people, their families, carers and professionals within and out with the NHS including reports for court.
• Knowledge of child development/ mental health issues.
• Ability to work with people from culturally diverse communities in a variety of contexts including highly specialist skills for working therapeutically in family homes.
• Up to date knowledge of relevant legislation and ethical issues, and their implication for both clinical practice and professional management to the full range of client groups.
• Skills in flexibility planning and organising own working week, prioritising case load, balancing clinical sessions appropriately with other workload.
• Physical skill in using key board, audio/ visual equipment, car driving.
• Basic IT skills.
• Ability to work autonomously, setting appropriate goals in accordance with professional ethics guidelines and Trust policies.
• Ability to manage working in situations of multi- level stress e.g. clients experience of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, organisational transitions.
• Ability to move between different levels of context in a single day, switching between clinical work, supervision, consultation, teaching, strategic thinking and planning and able to conceptualise at the highest level in order to assist colleagues who are experts in their particular field.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

Please ensure to check out all of the supporting documents linked to this advert, for useful information about working for us, information from our Chief Executive and much more.

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