Trainee Child Wellbeing Practitioner

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) CAMHS is recruiting two graduate Trainee Child Wellbeing Practitioners (CWPs) for a 12-month fixed-term training post. Trainees will study at UCL alongside service work, delivering guided self‑help and parenting interventions for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health issues.

The posts are fixed-term and based in Westminster and Brent CAMHS teams.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Psychology or related subject.
• Previous experience of working with children and young people.
• Ability to study as a self-motivated learner and work under supervision.
• Ability to manage a sensitive and potentially traumatic caseload.
• Demonstrates ability to work well with other professionals/colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Provide guided self-help therapy and parenting interventions.
• Deliver interventions in community settings.
• Work under supervision to gain competency and complete the PGDip.
• Engage with local communities and support service users.

Skills

Self-motivated learner

Team collaboration

Professional communication

Education

Undergraduate degree in Psychology or related subject

Job description

Job Overview

CNWL CAMHS are looking to recruit 2x Trainee CWPs to continue to improve children and young people’s mental health services. The training forms part of the service transformation initiative delivered by NHS England as part of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health CYP Psychological Trainings (PT) (formerly CYP IAPT) programmes.

Please note that there are two 12 month fixed term posts available. One based in the CAMHS Early Intervention Team in Westminster and the second based in Brent CYP Primary Care Mental Health Team.

Please note that this is a fixed-term training post. Completion of the training programme does not create an expectation or guarantee of permanent employment at the end of the contract.

Main duties of the job. This is a training position post holder will undertake training at University College London alongside working in service for [service]. They will be taught to deliver evidence based guided self‑help interventions for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. They will also be taught how to deliver interventions in the community, for example, participation activities, training and group delivery. The post holder will use their newly developed skills to support children and young people who are referred into the service and trainees will receive supervision to support their professional development, as well as be expected to actively engage local communities.

Applicants will need to be ready to start work in early/mid-January 2025 and posts cannot be offered to candidates unless they can guarantee this start date.

Shortlisted candidates will also need to be assessed for their eligibility to join UCL for a place on the PGDip in Child and Young Persons Psychological Wellbeing Practice training programme, which can be accessed via the link below:

https://evision.ucl.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login_enc?0qhYzuG1h9udTFM8i9sPhtGiUgIR6D6iP0QBDHq24aV3AVw8VNXRYxDmc3LlBtzaFHDKnOhbH0M=

The UCL application form will need to be completed at the same time as your application for a post.

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

Please note: This vacancy does not meet the criteria for Skilled Worker sponsorship, unless you meet the criteria by temporary exemption from current changes to immigration rules put in force on 22/07/2025. "Separate provisions are applied to workers who have been sponsored and held continuously Skilled Worker visa since prior to 04/04/2024."

As such, if you don’t meet the Transitional Provision (above) we are unable to consider your application unless you can provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the United Kingdom. If you believe you are eligible for sponsorship or already hold a valid right to work in the UK, please ensure you provide full details of your immigration status in the Pre-Screening Immigration section of your application form.

Please note role eligibility also depends on whether the role meets the salary threshold for the relevant occupational code (SOC CODE).

For further info please visit: Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

We are seeking to recruit two graduate level practitioners to provide guided self‑help therapy and parenting interventions. These posts are salaried at NHS Agenda for Change upper band 4 and fully funded for a one year post graduate diploma in Child Wellbeing Practice through University College London. Further intensive supervision and on the job training will be provided by an experienced supervisor within each team.

During training, the post‑holders will work under close supervision to gain experience across healthcare and community settings to enable them to gain the level of competence required to deliver high‑quality, evidence‑based early interventions for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health problems.

Person specification

Education and Qualification

Essential criteria

• Undergraduate degree, upper second class or above, in Psychology OR related subject (e.g., Psychology, Educa)on, Childhood development, Social Work etc), OR any subject with further training or experience in a relevant field (e.g., Teaching/TA; Learning Support; HCA; Youth Work; Counselling etc) OR relevant professional experience in CYP Mental Health/Educa)on/Mentorship (to be considered on a case‑by‑case basis)

Desirable criteria

• Training in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, counselling or within a specific psychological therapy
• Psychology or other health /social care/youth related undergraduate degree

Experience

Essential criteria

• Previous experience of working with children and young people

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in mental health or related services
• Worked in a service where agreed targets in place to demonstrating outcomes
• Experience of working with diverse populations

Skills and Competancies

Essential criteria

• Ability to study as a self‑motivated learner and implement training with appropriate support
• Ability to personally manage a sensitive, traumatic and potentially emotionally distressing caseload.
• Demonstrates ability to work well with other professionals/ colleagues

Desirable criteria

• Ability to manage own caseload and time
• Demonstrate ability to present mental health psychoeducation to non‑mental health audiences