NHS Funded Training Posts

The training in child and adolescent psychotherapy provided by NSCAP enables trainees to develop the academic, clinical and research skills needed to prepare them for practice as professional Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists; eligible for membership of the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP). Theory and practice are closely linked and the training reflects an integrated approach, including close attention to the development of psychoanalytic based clinical skills.

The training provides a thorough grounding in the emotional development of children and adolescents, drawing on psychoanalytically orientated developmental perspectives. It enables trainees to diagnose and treat a broad range of mental health problems in childhood and adolescence. It encourages clinical sensitivity and solid practice enabling trainees to respond with sensitivity to the multicultural contexts encountered in clinical work. Supervision and personal analysis are important aspects of the training; and help develop in the trainee the personal qualities necessary for clinical practice.

Clinical trainees in child and adolescent psychotherapy undertake, as part of their training, a four year full-time placement in an NHS CAMH service. This placement is funded by the northern Strategic Health Authorities through NSCAP and the trainee is employed by the NHS organisation in which they are based. Trainees work, under supervision, as core members of multi-disciplinary teams and undertake a range of brief and long-term work as part of their training requirements.

NSCAP is interested in hearing from services who would like to provide a training post. Guidance about the provision of training placements is contained in the document below:

Document 11: An outline of the training requirements for Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists and the process for developing NHS funded training posts in the north of England .