Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- 12 months (fixed term 12 months)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 363-SSLB7555464
- Employer
- East London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- North Beds CAMHS
- Town
- Bedford
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/11/2025 23:59
Employer heading
CYP-Psychological Therapy Trainee/Infant-EYS Practitioner(0-2)modality
NHS AfC: Band 6
ELFT has long been recognised as a centre of excellence for mental and health care, innovation and improvement. So it is a very exciting time for you to come and work for us. Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Job overview
Our service has an exciting opportunity for a CYP Psychological Training: Therapy Trainee – Infant and Early Years Practitioner modality to join one of our central CAMHS teams as part of the National Health Service England (NHSE) funded Children and Young People (CYP) Psychological Trainings 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.
Main duties of the job
The post-holders will be training on the Children & Young People Mental Health (CYP-MH) Infant and Early Years Practitioner in partnership with the Anna Freud Centre and University College London, and carrying out clinical work in our service to complement their studies and use their newly developed skills.
The Infant Early Years Practitioner (IEYP) training provides practitioners with a comprehensive skill set to assess, formulate and treat infants and young children and their caregivers who are experiencing common mental health and relationship difficulties,
The course not only amplifies core competencies but also unveils avenues to advanced training and registration as a healthcare professional using the latest evidence-based approaches as recommended by NICE and Healthy Child Programme and CYP Psychological Trainings core principles of accessibility, accountability, participation, awareness and evidence-based practice to provide an inclusive and effective service for children and young people in Luton.
Working for our organisation
The post is based within Norh Bedfordshire Specialist CAMHS service and successful candidate will be based in the Early Years Service, within the CAS pathway, providing evidence-based practices whilst undertaking a program of training for this role.
The teams are part of a broader North and South Bedfordshire CAMHS county-wide service and work alongside other teams which offer specialist and highly specialist mental health support to children and families.
We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic early years practitioners to work and train within our service. The post holder will work in the service for at least 2.5-3.0 days of the week using the newly developed skills whilst training for the remaining days.
The post holder will hold an appropriate training case load for the course and work with infants and parents with different cultural backgrounds and developmental needs, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.
The post holders will require a high degree of professional autonomy and self-management, and will be required to account for their professional practice through appraisal and audit.
These are fixed term (yearly) training posts funded by NHSE. After successful completion of the course the fixed term training contract will end. When possible applicants will be encouraged to apply for any vacant posts within the service and will be provided support and advice in job applications.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Training Information
This full-time training will begin on 19th January 2026. The post holder will work in the service for at least 2.5-3.0 days (Wed, Thu and Fri) of the week using the newly developed skills whilst training for the remaining days (Mon and Tue). 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.
As the course is a Postgraduate Diploma, candidates need to be able to complete academic work at postgraduate level, which can be demonstrated through previous qualifications, typically an undergraduate degree or equivalent. NHS England is committed to widening access to training opportunities, so these capabilities can also be demonstrated through a Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes portfolio in place of prior qualifications.
This role will be best suited for applicants that are able to balance a very busy work and study schedule. Applicants must be prepared to work towards their studies outside of protected study time (such as on weekends and after work). Protected study time or teaching days are typically two days a week during term (with possibility of extra university days near start) and will be a mixture of in person and online sessions. Applicants must be willing to travel to London to attend lectures.
Application Process
This is a dual application process. In addition to applying for this position with ELFT, 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.
Direct UCL application link: https://evision.ucl.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login_enc?0qhYzuG1h9udTFM8i9sPhtGiUgIR6D6iP0QBDHq24aUE7Anl4FtDGBDmc3LlBtzaVi6cWmaNYWo=
Application guidance document for candidates: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17bbinRzAlIfH8SKe3t18I2m14L7sli5e?usp=drive_link
For more information about the course and minimum entry criteria, please see the course page and brochures: https://www.annafreud.org/ucl-postgraduate-study/ucl-postgraduate-programmes/child-and-young-person-iapt-therapy-pg-dip/
Person specification
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential criteria
- 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, nursing, psychotherapy, etc). OR Training in a mental-health related profession (e.g. EMHP, PWP, MH nursing, psychotherapy, counselling)
Desirable criteria
- Qualifications that demonstrate a capacity to complete academic work at postgraduate diploma level.
- 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.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Two or more years of experience working with the development and wellbeing of children and young children aged 0-5 and their families.
- Ideally at least two years experience of working with children/parents in a mental health setting.
- Experience of working with safeguarding issues.
- Experience of multi-agency working and liaising across internal & external agencies.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with infants and their families.
- Work in a multi-cultural setting.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of the importance of the 0-5 years on development and understanding of the range of factors that can impact on the developmental and emotional wellbeing.
- Understanding of theory knowledge of early child development and of 0-5s services (e.g. health visiting, early help and the need for holistic approaches).
- Ability to adopt an observational stance, particularly relating to infants and very young children.
- Understanding of evidence-based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influences clinical practice with children aged 0-5.
- Ability to reflect on connection of own experiences of parenting/being parented.
- Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with infants and their families and adapt communication styles according to their varying needs.
- Ability to maintain a reflective stance in emotive/challenging interactions with children and their families.
- Ability to personally manage sensitive and potentially emotionally distressing caseload material.
- Ability to reflect on own practice (in clinical supervision and practice tutor groups with course peers).
- Capacity to work effectively and reflectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
- Ability to follow policy and make proposal for change.
- Ability to maintain accurate clinical records.
- 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 (Level 2) https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/english-language-requirements
- Knowledge and understanding of issues relating to safeguarding children and young people.
- Basic knowledge and understanding of evidence based practice.
- Able to plan, organise and prioritise own workload.
- Basic keyboard skills. Able to record and report on as required clinical information. Competent in use of basic IT packages – word processing, e-mail and internet.
- Aware of the potential impact of discrimination & disadvantage on mental health.
- Able to provide a culturally competent service.
- Able to be flexible and adapt approach according to need.
Desirable criteria
- Understanding of evidence-based practice and the ability to demonstrate how evidence-based practice influences clinical practice.
- Competent use of other IT packages e.g. PowerPoint, Excel, RiO
- Knowledge of the Children’s Act, Mental Health Act, CPA legislation and national treatment guidelines
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Nick Sanderson
- Job title
- Operational Lead EYS
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01234 893300
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