Trainee CYP-IAPT Systemic Family Practitioner

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust; Peterlee; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Peterlee is seeking Trainee Systemic Family Practitioners for their Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The role is full-time for 12 months, offering a combination of training at Northumbria University and hands-on clinical work. Ideal candidates are passionate about mental health interventions for children and families and must have a relevant registered qualification. Both positions aim to develop competencies in systemic family practices and improve mental health services for young people.

Qualifications

• Core professional training (nursing, social work, occupational therapy) required.
• Minimum of 2 years' experience in mental health services.
• Registered with a professional regulatory body (HCPC, NMC, Social Work England).

Responsibilities

• Provide care and interventions under clinical supervision.
• Participate in a multi-disciplinary CAMHS team.
• Carry own caseload of systemic family practice training cases.

Skills

Effective communication

Clinical supervision

Therapeutic relationship building

Education

Registered qualification in nursing, social work, or occupational therapy

Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) for CBT training route

Job description

Go back Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Trainee CYP-IAPT Systemic Family Practitioner

The closing date is 21 October 2025

As part of our long-standing collaboration with the Children and Young Peoples Psychological Trainings (formerly known as CYP-IAPT) we are seeking to recruit 2 Trainee Systemic Family Practitioners to work within our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) across the Durham and Tees Valley localities. One post is within Durham and Darlington Learning Disability CAMHS and one post is within Redcar CAMHS (Getting More Help Service). We are looking for candidates who are passionate about developing their skills and knowledge and keen to deliver evidence based psychological interventions to children and families. You will provide care and interventions to children and young people experiencing difficulties with depression, self-harm and conduct difficulties under clinical supervision.

These posts are full-time for 12 months, with the successful candidates working within their allocated CAMHS team for the duration, splitting their working week between training at the University of Northumbria and carrying out clinical work within their team. Candidates will work towards achieving a Post Graduate Diploma in Evidence Based Psychological Therapy (Systemic Family Practice). At the end of the fixed term contract, candidates will be encouraged to apply for posts within our CAMH services.

Main duties of the job

As part of the Children and Young Peoples' Psychological Trainings initiative, the programme aims to transform existing mental health services for children and young people by supporting new and existing practitioners to become competent Systemic Family Practitioners. Northumbria University and TEWV are passionate about developing excellent practitioners and equipping trainees with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide effective evidence based systemic and family interventions for children and young people and their families.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding, professional skills and abilities and personal values required of competent systemic family practitioners. During the programme, successful candidates will learn a range of systemic skills across competencies including assessment, intervention and how to provide interventions to children, young people and their families. Collaborative practice is at the heart of systemic practice and we welcome applications from passionate clinicians who strive to work in partnership with children and families. You will access a range of learning modules covering foundation systemic skills alongside specialist modules for supporting children and young people experiencing difficulties with depression, self-harm and conduct difficulties.

About us

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

There is a well-established and supportive Psychological Professions Network within Durham and Tees Valley Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services supported by a highly motivated team of professional leads and senior managers. We also have an established systemic network and active interest group supporting the development of systemic and family interventions across the organisation and specialities.

From education and prevention to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.

Job responsibilities

The course is taught over one year and will include a mix of university contact (e.g. lectures, workshops, tutorials) independent study and contact with children, young people and their families. The clinical work involves being part of a multi-disciplinary CAMHS team and successful candidates will carry their own caseload of systemic family practice training cases. Clinical supervision will be provided weekly.

The training involves weekly teaching and supervision days at the University of Northumbria. Applicants must be willing to travel to Newcastle and have their own transport. Assessment is comprised of a written ecording submissions, case studies and assessed competency and supervision logs.

Location: Training is provided at the University of Northumbria and the clinical team base will be in one of our Community CAMHS bases within the Durham and Darlington localities for the Learning Disability CAMHS post. The Redcar CAMHS post will be based at the Ridings in Redcar. We will ask you at interview for your preferred team/s and whilst every effort will be made to match candidates to their preferred location, this cannot be guaranteed.

Additional information for the post

To be eligible for a trainee post, you must have a core professional training (e.g. nursing, social work, occupational therapy, etc) alongside registration with a regulatory body such as NMC, HCPC, etc. We are looking to recruit motivated clinicians with some experience and an interest in working with families. We welcome interested applicants getting in touch with us to discuss these roles and how we as a service will support you in your development.

Applicants applying on a secondment basis must ensure that prior to applying they have agreement from their current line manager that they can be released. In the event that permanent funding is secured for this post the successful applicant will be confirmed in post on a permanent basis.

*Please note in this instance the course is not optional; there will be a joint interview process including University of Northumbria to appoint to these roles. The roles are dependent on meeting all course requirements.

*Candidates cannot be accepted onto any training programme if they are currently undertaking studies elsewhere (that will not be completed by January 2026).

*We do not accept candidates who have previously studied for the same award at another institution.

*All applicants will need to be available to start the training in January 2026

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at degree level (post 1993) in nursing, social work, occupational therapy. Registered with a professional regulatory body (HCPC, NMC, Social Work England)
• OR Evidence of meeting the Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) requirements of BABCP (for CBT training route only)
• Experience of working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression or other mild to moderate mental health needs
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carer's and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
• Has received training (either formal of through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice
• Good understanding of issues surrounding clinical risk and risk management plans
• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients
• Ability to evaluate and out in place the effect of training.

Experience

• A minimum of 2 years' experience of working in mental health services
• Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
• Demonstrates high standards in written communication
• Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers
• Experience of working in Primary Care\ IAPT Services
• Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust