Our service has an exciting opportunity for a CYP Psychological Trainings: Therapy Trainee (CBT) to join our team as part of the NHS England (NHSE) funded Children and Young People (CYP) Psychological Training Programmes. This government-funded initiative promotes the growth and skill of the child mental health workforce to meet much needed demand. NHSE covers salary and training costs for a 1-year position, allowing services to employ trainees to support 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. this is a training and employment post and candidates will need to manage a demanding combination of academic work, self-study and clinical case work.
We are seeking highly motivated candidates who are enthusiastic about making a difference to children and young people’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.
Main duties of the job
Please note the position will be based at Eaglestone Health Centre, Eaglestone, Milton Keynes but successful candidates will be expected to travel to Anna Freud in Central London (Rodney St, N1 9JH) for teaching during the training year.
Training Information:
Course start date: 19th January 2026
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 (children, young people, and carers) related to training assignments. Trainees will be both an employee of the service and an enrolled student with UCL/Anna Freud. Upon completion, qualified trainees will receive a UCL Postgraduate Diploma.
Application Process:
This is a dual application process. In addition to applying for this position with us, you must also complete a UCL 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 UCL training place if you are successful in securing this post and you meet the university training requirements.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Minimum second-class Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent standard in a relevant subject (e.g. psychology, social work etc). OR Applicants who do not fulfil the academic criteria but with relevant professional experience are encouraged to apply and will be considered on a case-by-case basis,
Desirable
- Previous training in a mental-health related profession (e.g. psychology, nursing, health visiting, social work, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, special needs teaching, psychiatry, psychotherapy, counselling, CWP, EMHP and low intensity therapies)
- Proven record of previous academic attainment
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of issues relating to safeguarding children and young people
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of CBT theory and its application
Experience
Essential
- 2 or more years of experience of working with children and young people in a mental health setting
- Experience of multi-agency working and/or multi-disciplinary working and liaising across internal and external agencies
Desirable
- Previous experience of working within a CBT framework and/or using CBT informed interventions
- A year or more experience working within a CBT framework and/or using CBT informed interventions (e.g. PWP, CWP, EMHP and Parent Trainer)
- Experience of assessing and managing risk and safeguarding issues
Skills/Competencies
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with children, young people, and their families, whilst considering social differences
- Ability to maintain a reflective stance in emotive/challenging interactions with children and their carers
- Ability to use supervision to reflect on practice
- Ability to follow policy and clinical governance procedures and make proposal for change
- Ability to maintain accurate records
- Able to accommodate travel demands associated with the role
- Ability to complete academic work across different learning environments at postgraduate level and balance the academic demands of the course with clinical placement demands
Desirable
- Understanding of evidence based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influences good 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: 05 November 2025
