This full-time training will begin in January 2026 with around 2.5 days a week for academic work (teaching and personal study) and 2.5 days based at the service seeing clients related to training assignments. The trainee will be both an employee of the service and an enrolled student with King’s College London. Upon completion, qualified trainees will receive a KCL Postgraduate Diploma.
Our service has an exciting opportunity for a Recruit to Train Trainee (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy-CBT) to join our team as part of the NHS England (NHSE) funded Children and Young People (CYP) Psychological Training Programmes (formerly CYP-IAPT).
Recruit to Train is a government-funded initiative aiming to grow the child mental health workforce to meet much-needed demand. To help reach this goal, NHSE covers salary and training costs for a 1-year post, allowing services to employ trainees to aid in implementing new or expanding existing specialist pathways to bridge the gaps in CYP mental health support.
This is a unique opportunity to apply your learning from weekly teaching into practical clinical interventions working with clients in the service, making a direct impact in the lives of children, young people, and their families.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking highly motivated candidates who are enthusiastic about making a difference to children’s mental health through evidence-based interventions based on NICE Guideline recommended treatment.
You will be committed to the CYP Psychological Training Programme core principles: accessibility, accountability, participation, awareness, and evidence-based practice and in providing an inclusive and effective service for children and young people, along with a dedication to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
This is a dual application process. In addition to applying for this position with us, you must also complete a KCL application for the Course Team to review. The Course Team will liaise with us on whether you meet the academic requirements for the course during the recruitment process. You will only be offered a KCL training place if you are successful in securing this post and you meet the university training requirements (such as academic background, relevant experience, and visa approval).
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualifications that demonstrate a capacity to complete academic work at postgraduate diploma level.
- A registerable professional qualification (e.g. clinical or educational psychology, social work, counselling, mental health nursing, occupational therapy etc)
- Applications MAY be considered from those who do not have a registerable professional training if they have at least 3 years’ experience in a CAMHS or equivalent setting and can demonstrate equivalence through the RPL (recognition of prior learning) process
- Minimum second-class Bachelor’s Degree from a UK University or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in a relevant subject (e.g. psychology, social work etc).
Experience
Essential
- A minimum of two years experience of working with children /families/ young people in a mental health setting
- A good understanding and some experience of the following: Group, individual and multi-disciplinary work, clinical governance and audit and the process of clinical supervision in CAMHS
- Experience of working with safeguarding issues
- Experience of multi agency working and liaising across internal & external agencies.
Desirable
- Working with children, young people and families in a multi-racial urban environment
Knowledge
Essential
- A good working knowledge of Mental health disorders in children and adolescents
- Knowledge of Assessment of risk and management of risk factors
- The principles of clinical governance and practice and confidentiality and information sharing
- Knowledge and understanding of issues relating to safeguarding children and young people
Desirable
- Knowledge of Relevant research and its application to assessment and treatment of CAMH disorders. Research informed and evidence based methods of assessment and treatment
- A foundation in or basic knowledge of CBT
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with children, young people, and their families
- Ability to maintain a reflective stance in emotive/challenging interactions with children and their families
- Ability to use supervision to reflect on practice
- Ability to organise own time and diary, to manage competing demands and a high case load.
- Capability to complete academic work at postgraduate diploma level, including IELTS or equivalent to the appropriate level for students with English as a foreign language (BAND D) https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/entry- requirements/english-language.aspx
Desirable
- Understanding of evidence based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influences clinical practice
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Closing Date: 03 November 2025
