Under 5s Child Psychotherapist (ACP)

CNWL; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust is inviting applications for a Band 7 Child Psychotherapist to join Brent Under 5s CAMHS Service on a 0.8 (4 days a week) basis. The post supports brief parent-infant psychotherapy and consultation to professionals within Brent CAMHS and local family hubs.

The successful candidate will provide expert assessment and treatment, work within a multidisciplinary team and contribute to teaching and training in infant mental health.

Qualifications

• Experience of infant mental health assessment and brief psychotherapy.

Responsibilities

• The role provides early intervention psychotherapy assessment and treatment for children Under 5 and families.

Skills

Infant mental health expertise

Consultation skills

Teaching and training

Education

Masters level preclinical training

Postgraduate doctoral training in clinical child psychotherapy

Pre-qualification training in health/education

Job description

Search here to find a new job, a new career, an opportunity to up skill or to simply change your career direction. Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.

There’s a place for you at CNWL. We’re passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people. We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career. With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

Warning alert

Fraud alert: Please be cautious if you are asked for a fee at any stage in the recruitment process. CNWL does not charge fees for job applications, recruitment processes, sponsorship arrangements or employment offers. Always check with the recruitment contact or team if you are asked.

Main area Children and Adolescents Psychotherapy and Mental Health Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Fixed term: 12 months (or Secondment - Maternity Cover) Hours Part time - 30 hours per week (4 days a week) Job ref 333-G-CA-1775

Site Brent CAMHS- Monks Park Health Centre Town Wembely Salary £55,524 - £62,652 pro rata per annum incl. HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 19/10/2026 23:59

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.

Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page

Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.

Job overview

Brent Under 5s CAMHS Service is commissioned to provide brief parent-infant and parent-child psychotherapy to families with infants and young children. The team a psychoanalytically informed service.

We are looking for an ACP accredited child psychotherapist with an experience of and passion for Under 5s work. You will be part of our successful service and help us to expand our reach and supporting other Hubs across Brent, making relationships with families and local stakeholders. You will offer brief psychotherapy to families and consultation to professionals and parents.

Main duties of the job

The role involves a creative and passionate approach to service development, and offers the opportunity of being part of a pioneering initiative. We are looking for clinicians with sound understanding of infant mental health, and who are open to growing and developing in this field. As this is a brand-new service, we are looking forward to growing and developing together with you.

We are advertising a 0.8 (4 days a week) band 7 post for the Borough of Brent. The post holder will be based within Brent CAMHS team and the local Children’s Centres/family hubs.

The service aims to provide an accessible, destigmatising, culturally sensitive infant/young child mental health perspective through:

• consultation to parents and professionals
• specialist assessment
• 6 session brief work with Under 5s and their families, using evidence-based treatment
• teaching and training in infant mental health and early attachment.

Working for our organisation

The Child Psychotherapist role requires a motivated, organised and enthusiastic professional interested in supporting a lively Under 5s clinical team. They will be part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team undertaking clinical functions in line with their clinical expertise to implement the under the guidance of a Band 8b Child Psychotherapist and Lead Child Psychotherapist for the Under 5s BHH (Brent, Harrow & Hillingdon) and the Lead Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist in CNWL.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

To provide an efficient, effective, comprehensive and specialist early intervention psychotherapy assessment and treatment service for children Under 5 and their families with

• highly complex and persistent infant mental health problems and presentations beyond ordinary developmental expectations, their carers/parents and families within care pathways as relevant.
• To contribute to multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of families with children Under 5 with complex infant mental health presentations, developmental and emotional difficulties.
• To offer consultation, teaching and training on infant mental health and attachment to multidisciplinary colleagues
• To contribute to audit and research.
• To actively engage in outcome monitoring, including the use of normed routine outcome measures associated with CYP IAPT
• To work in clinical practice, making use of supervision, within the overall framework of the CAMHS Directorate’s and the Trust’s policies and procedures.

Other

• Ability to form good working relationships with others in a multidisciplinary setting.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice.
• Ability to teach and train others and present the work of child psychotherapists within public, professional and academic settings

Training and Qualifications

• Masters level preclinical training at an Association of Child Psychotherapists recognised training school
• Post graduate doctoral level training in clinical child psychotherapy at a training school accredited by the Association of Child Psychotherapy (ACP) or Association of Child Psychotherapists Statement of Equivalence
• Pre-qualification training and qualifications in relevant fields in health, social care or education settings

Experience

• Experience of specialist psychotherapeutic assessment and treatment of children, adolescents and their parents as a full member of a multidisciplinary team located in community, primary care, outpatient or inpatient setting
• Experience of working with a wide variety child, adolescents across the whole age range (0-18) and their parents, and presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity and complexity
• Experience of working in different CAMHS Tiers.
• Experience of the application of child psychotherapy in different cultural contexts

Knowledge and Skills

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychotherapeutic assessment, intervention and management.
• 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, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to children and adolescents including child protection procedures and policies
• Ability to tolerate anxiety without recourse to premature action whilst appreciating the role of the supervisor
• Awareness of the implications of working within a managed system
• Knowledge of NHS, Social Care and Education Structures, National policies and frameworks.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Knowledge of research methodology and outcome research design and ability to critically interpret research findings

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI can be used as a support tool, not a replacement for the applicant’s own work.Applications must remain personal, accurate, and reflective of the candidate’s real experience.AI-generated content must not misrepresent skills, qualifications, or experience.Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct. Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

• Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system
• Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
• If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name: Claudia de Campos, Job title: Brent, Harrow and Hillingdon Under 5s Lead, Email address: [e-mail], Telephone number: 020 3317 5050.

Additional information: If you are interested and would like more information, please contact:

Claudia de Campos

or Dr Jane Lowe

on 020 3317 5050