CYP CBT Pathway - Postgraduate Diploma

The formal aims of the programme are to:

Provide high quality training in the core therapy skills relevant to CBT for trainees working with CYP and their families with disorders of anxiety and depression. This will be done by presenting the relevant theoretical bases of the therapies alongside research evidence of their effectiveness. Trainees will develop an understanding of the links between research in the relevant areas of psychological science and practical applications of these therapies.

Provide training consistent with all current key governmental objectives for the CYP Psychological Trainings project, including training in evidence-based practice. The Diploma is a postgraduate qualification programme, suitable for health, mental health and social care professionals with suitable knowledge and experience, which aims to develop and extend professional competence.

Specifically, to be consistent with the National Department of Health priorities for mental health. To create a pool of suitably qualified graduates, trained to standards meeting with the provision of services as specified by the National Service Framework for Mental Health (National Health Service Executive). The National Service Framework promotes the training of staff and the need for the increased provision of evidence-based psychotherapy to service users.

Provide practical support, guidance and supervision in the practice of CBT delivered to CYP and/or their families with affective and anxiety disorders, and to help programme participants to develop the clinical skills necessary for working with these client groups.

Ensure that all graduates of the programme meet recognised minimum clinical competence in working with CBT with clients with affective and anxiety disorders.

The programme is accredited at Level 2 by the British Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapies (BABCP).

You cannot apply directly to the training centre for this course.

Eligible applicants will be working within the Northwest CYP Psychological Trainings Collaborative, either as existing staff or recruited into posts via the Recruit to Train process. Recruitment is a joint process between the Psychological Therapies Training Centre and collaborative partners (please see How to Apply section below). 

 

Applicants will be predominantly qualified members of the main mental health professions (Mental Health Social Workers, Psychiatric Nurses, Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Occupational Therapists in Mental Health, Accredited Counsellors). Please consult the following link for a list of all health, mental health and social care professions currently accepted by BABCP as a recognised core profession, which will be accepted as entry criteria: Core Professions (babcp.com)

 

Applicants without one of these recognised core professions will be considered for eligibility via the Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) framework based on that developed by the BABCP.  The KSA requirements for this training programme will be sent out to applicants.  An example of KSA requirements can be found on the BABCP website Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (babcp.com)

 

Successful candidates will usually have some existing knowledge and experience of cognitive and/or behavioural therapy.  Experience of at least 2 years post core professional qualification clinical work with children and young people is essential, but 3-4 years are usually required for applicants coming via a KSA entry route. Applicants should normally have studied at level 6, however those without an undergraduate degree may be accepted on the basis of passing an entrance essay.

The Northwest CYP Psychological Trainings Collaborative is a partnership between The University of Manchester, Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust and over 70 providers and commissioning bodies of children and young people’s mental health services across NHS, Local Authority and Voluntary sectors working in the Northwest, Yorkshire and West Midlands.

It’s one of five Learning Collaboratives across England that are part of the CYP Psychological Trainings country-wide transformation programme. The collaborative seeks to improve services through better evidence based practice, better collaborative practice, authentic participation and better use of feedback and clinical outcomes across all services.

The training component is in the form of lectures, seminars and supervision of clinical practice. Following an initial induction, attendance will mainly be on two days each week (Wednesdays and Thursdays) over three 10-week terms.   During the year there may be some occasional changes to teaching days to accommodate regional training events facilitated by national and international leaders in the development of CBT. Training provision is a blend of online and face to face learning.

The course curriculum covers the topics set out in the National CYP Psychological Trainings Curriculum. This includes both core skills and CBT specific topics - see CYP IAPT (hee.nhs.uk) for details.

Assessment of competence is ongoing throughout the year and consists of an essay or exam, four case reports (including one verbal presentation), three tapes of clinical sessions, and a portfolio demonstrating clinical work undertaken over the year. A significant amount of private study is required.

Internal recruitment : Speak to your local CYP Psychological Trainings Lead in the first instance if you wish to apply, if you do not know who this is, please speak to your service manager. You will need the support of your service manager before applying. Services apply for funded places as early as May for the following January so plan ahead. Application forms are available via CYP Psychological Trainings Leads within Children & Young People’s services across the Northwest Collaborative from August.  Completed application forms with Service Manager and the CYP Psychological Trainings Lead approval should be sent to the CYP Psychological Trainings Lead. They then send them on to the Training Centre. This process happens annually opening in late summer and closing early autumn. Applications must be funded either with service/ICB approval if they are funding the course, or with a confirmed Recruit to Train place from NHSE (confirmed by the CYP Psychological Trainings Lead). Applicants are invited to interview through the autumn in preparation for the course starting in January.

Applications sent directly to the training centre by the applicant will not be accepted.

 

External recruitment : Training posts are advertised by services through the summer and autumn for the January intake. Training posts are usually 1-year contracts initially to cover the length of the course. Applying for the post and for the course is a combined process with a joint interview. Applicants must be in post and able to attend the training for the commencement of the course.

The Training Centre does not have any involvement with the advertising of these posts.