IAPT Trainee - LD/Autism (Torbay)

The Children's Society; Torquay; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

36 days’ annual leave

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

Pension match up to 8%

Free counselling

Skills development opportunities

2 days volunteering per year

Job summary

The Children’s Society in Torbay is seeking an IAPT Trainee for LD/Autism on a 12‑month fixed term contract. The role is 35 hours per week and is part of the Youth Impact programme. It offers funded training under HEEs recruit to train practitioner funding and is open to staff with or without graduate qualifications.

Closing date: 14 August 2026; salary £29,855 per annum with extensive wellbeing and development benefits. An DBS check and safeguarding commitments are included.

Qualifications

• Level 5 or 6 qualification; may be eligible with Level 4 if substantial relevant work experience.
• No core profession required; training in a mental-health related profession beneficial.
• Two years' experience in a professional setting concerned with the mental health of children and young people, ideally including LD/ASD.
• Some experience of working with families.

Skills

Two years' experience in youth mental‑

Education

Level 5/6 qualification

Level 4 qualification with substantial work experience

Job description

IAPT Trainee - LD/Autism (Torbay) (6146)

Fixed Term Contract - Additional Funding

14 August 2026

Youth Impact Advert

Fixed Term for 12 months from January 2027 until January 2028

35 hours per week

£29,855 per annum

Benefits include but not limited to:

• 36 days’ annual leave,inclusive of flexible bank holidays, increasing with length of service


• Enhanced maternity/paternity leave


• We match up to 8% pension


• Free counselling service


• Opportunities to develop and widen your skills


• 2 days of paid volunteering time per annum to support another part of the organisation

About us:
The Children’s Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We deliver essential local services that provide safe, trusted support to children and young people during times of significant need.

Our Youth Impact domain creates impact for children and young people. With highly skilled and experienced staff working across England and Wales, we provide direct support to children, young people, parents and carers, as well as conduct research and influence Government to make changes. We also provide training for professionals. Our value driven team change the lives of children in this country for the better — and with your help and expertise, tomorrow we can support even more.

About the role:

We are currently looking for a practitioner to train for a qualification under the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Scheme in:

The Psychological Therapies for Children and Young People with an Autism and/or Learning Disability curriculum .

The Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma is a funded role as part of HEEs recruit to train practitioner fundingand isopen to staff with and without graduate level qualifications. It is intended for practitioners working specifically in the field of Autism and/or learning disabilities, as well as those in the broader CAMHS community who work with CYP with Learning Disability/Autism.All applicants will need todemonstratea basic level of clinical competence and experience of having worked withchildren and families within a mental health setting for two years.

Entry Requirements

Students on the programme must meet the following entry requirements:

• ALevel 5 or 6qualification.In some circumstances you may be eligible if you have a Level 4 qualification, in this case you would need to show substantial relevant work experience.


• No core profession is required, though training in a mental-health related profession (e.g. psychology, nursing, social-work, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, special needs teaching, psychiatry, other psychotherapy, counselling) would be beneficial.


• Two years’ experience of working within a professional setting concerned with the mental health of children and young people or families, ideally including some experience of learning disabilities or ASD.


• Some experience of working with families.

Closing date: Midnight on Friday 14th August 2026.
Interviews: Date to be confirmed.

The Children’s Society is committed to safeguarding and protection of the children and young people we work with. As such, our safer recruitment process includes a Basic or Enhanced DBS check, 5 years of references, and additional vetting checks relevant to the role. We have a comprehensive range of policies and procedures in place to promote safeguarding and safer working practices across all areas of our organisation.
In support of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, shortlisting is carried out on an anonymised basis. Personal details are hidden from the shortlisting panel, and candidates are referenced by a candidate number only. As part of this process, we ask that your CV is anonymised before submission - this means removing personal information such as your name, contact details, age, and any identifying details.

AI tools can support your application but only when used appropriately. You’re welcome to use them to improve clarity, structure, and research. However, overuse or misuse (e.g. inventing experience or using AI during assessments) may lead to rejection at any stage. We want to hear the real you - authenticity matters.