CYP-PT: Therapy Trainee [Parent Training]

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is offering a full-time CYP-PT Therapy Trainee position as part of an NHSE funded programme in partnership with The Anna Freud Centre, UCL and Kings College London.

The post holder will train on the CYP-PT Trainee Therapy Course and undertake clinical work to apply newly learned skills within our service, with support to develop as a mental health practitioner.

Qualifications

• Qualifications demonstrating the capacity to complete postgraduate diploma level.
• Degree level qualification or evidence of academic capability.
• Training in a mental-health related profession (e.g. psychology, nursing, health visiting; social-work, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, etc.).
• Knowledge of safeguarding children and willingness to work with diverse families.
• Experience of working with children and families in a mental health setting.

Responsibilities

• This is a fixed term training post funded by NHSE; completion leads to a KCL Postgraduate Diploma.
• Balance a busy work and study schedule while gaining practical clinical experience.
• Attend lectures and undertake protected study time as part of postgraduate training.
• Travel to London for lectures and to the Harrow clinic as required.

Skills

Communication

Safeguarding

Teamwork

Adaptability

Education

Postgraduate Diploma level training

Degree level qualification

IELTS / English language requirement

Job description

Job Overview

Our service has an exciting opportunity to join our team as a CYP-PT Therapy Trainee, part of the NHS England (NHSE) funded programme in partnership with The Anna Freud Centre, University College London, and Kings College London. The post-holder will be training on the Children & Young People Psychological Therapies (CYP-PT Trainee) Therapy Course and carrying out clinical work in our service to complement their studies and use their newly developed skills. We are seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic mental health practitioners to work and train within our service. The training post will equip the post-holder to provide interventions for children, young people or families using evidence-based intervention consistent with the course they are attending. The post holder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Job Overview

Our service has an exciting opportunity to join our team as a CYP-PT Therapy Trainee, part of the NHS England (NHSE) funded programme in partnership with The Anna Freud Centre, University College London, and Kings College London. The post-holder will be training on the Children & Young People Psychological Therapies (CYP-PT Trainee) Therapy Course and carrying out clinical work in our service to complement their studies and use their newly developed skills. We are seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic mental health practitioners to work and train within our service. The training post will equip the post-holder to provide interventions for children, young people or families using evidence-based intervention consistent with the course they are attending. The post holder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Main duties of the job

This is a fixed term post with this training year funded by NHSE. After successful completion of the course the fixed term training contract will end however applicants would be encouraged to apply for any vacant posts within the service and will be provided support and advice in job applications. This role will be best suited for applicants that are able to balance a very busy work and study schedule. You will be an employee at the service but also enrolled on a Postgraduate Diploma course. As this is a Postgraduate level training, you will be required to study and perform at academic level. Applicants must be prepared to work towards their studies outside of protected study time (such as on weekends and after work). Protected study time or teaching days are typically two days a week during term (with possibility of extra university days near start) and will be a mixture of in person and online sessions. Applicants must be willing to travel into London to attend their lectures and our clinic which is based in Harrow. More information about the courses and how the training works can be found here (AFC website) and here (KCL website) including the course brochures, and we strongly recommend you read the FAQs. NHSE have implemented a rule regarding beneficiaries of their training year funding – this affects candidates who have been on one of the courses listed on the NHSE website from 1st August 2022. We recommend you read this if you plan to apply to future trainings.

Working for our organisation

The post holder will be expected to support their team, department and organisation to achieve the Trust’s Values in their day to day work:

• Compassion
• Respect
• Empowerment
• Partnership

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Job description and person specification attached.

Training Information

This full-time training will begin in January 2026 with around half a week for academic work (teaching and personal study), and half a week based at the service seeing clients related to training assignments. Trainees will be both an employee of the service and an enrolled student with KCL/Anna Freud. Upon completion, qualified trainees will receive a KCL Postgraduate Diploma.

Application Process

This is a dual application process. In addition to applying for this position with us, you must also complete a KCL 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 KCL training place if you are successful in securing this post and you meet the university training requirements (such as academic background, relevant experience, visa approval).

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Qualifications that demonstrate a capacity to complete academic work at postgraduate diploma level.
• Degree level qualification (if you do not have a degree level qualification you can submit alternative evidence of your academic capability.
• A 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, other psychotherapy, counselling)

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Demonstrates an appreciation of the importance of working with parents to address child behavioural problems.
• Knowledge and understanding of issues relating to safeguarding children.

Desirable criteria

• Demonstrates an appreciation of the range of factors that can impact on the presentation of child behavioural problems.
• Demonstrates an understanding of services that work with children and families with behavioural problems.
• Demonstrates knowledge of theory in relation to child conduct problems (e.g., social learning theory).

Experience

Essential criteria

• Two years professional experience working with children with behavioural problems and their families
• Experience of working with safeguarding issues
• Experience of multi agency working and liaising across internal & external agencies

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working with child behaviour problems using parenting approaches

Other

Essential criteria

• Able to travel to meet the requirements of the post.
• Team player; mentor, teach and support others in the team.

Skills And Abilities

Essential criteria

• Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with families, children and tier network, e.g., schools, nurseries etc
• Ability to adapt communication style according to the varying needs of families
• 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 organise own time and diary
• Ability to follow policy and make proposal for change
• Ability to maintain accurate records
• Capability to complete academic work at postgraduate diploma level, including IELTS or equivalent to the appropriate level for students with English as a foreign language (BAND D) https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/entry-requirements/english-language.aspx

Desirable criteria

• Ability to adopt collaborative approach to working with parents of children with behavioural problems
• Understanding of evidence based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influences clinical practice