Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• ACP-recognised pre-clinical training to Master’s level (or equivalent).
• Post-graduate doctoral-level training in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy at an ACP-accredited training school.
• Full membership of the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP) or eligible for membership.
• Evidence of compliance with ACP Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements.

Desirable

• Training in clinical supervision for Child & Adolescent Psychotherapists.
• Additional therapeutic training/qualification (e.g., MBT, DDP, systemic therapy, IPT, DBT, trauma-focused therapies including EMDR).

Previous Experience

Essential

• Post-qualification experience (Band 7+ level) delivering specialist psychotherapeutic assessment, formulation and treatment for children, adolescents and families within CAMHS or equivalent statutory settings.
• Experience working with a wide range of mental health presentations across childhood and adolescence, covering the full range of clinical severity.
• Experience delivering Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) using evidence-based and NICE-aligned models.
• Experience providing specialist psychodynamic consultation to professionals supporting children with complex needs.
• Experience of therapeutic work with parents and carers.
• Experience applying Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy approaches in diverse cultural contexts.

Desirable

• Experience supervising trainee CAPTs or other clinicians (e.g., assistant psychologists/psychotherapists, CWPs, social workers).
• Experience contributing to or facilitating group therapy for adolescents.
• Experience contributing to service development, quality improvement, audit or research projects.
• Experience supporting reflective practice for MDT colleagues.
• Experience working with children in care (LAC).

Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Competencies

Essential

• Highly developed skills in specialist assessment, formulation and psychotherapeutic intervention across Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy modalities (including STPP, longer-term work, brief interventions, parent/parent-child psychotherapy, and state-of-mind assessments).
• Strong understanding of child development, the impact of trauma and adversity, and the capacity to assess and manage risk in complex and emotionally charged contexts.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex and sensitive information to young people, families and professionals.
• Knowledge of safeguarding legislation, child protection procedures, and relevant NHS, Social Care and Education frameworks (including NICE guidance).
• Ability to provide highly specialist psychodynamic consultation to colleagues and partner agencies.
• Commitment to anti-racist, anti-discriminatory and culturally attuned practice.
• Ability to apply clinical governance processes (supervision, audit, outcome measurement, evaluation) to maintain high-quality practice.
• Experience using Routine Outcome Measures (ROMs) in clinical practice.

Desirable

• Knowledge of research methodology and ability to critically evaluate research and outcome data.
• Ability to contribute to pathway, protocol, or policy development.

Personal Qualities and Professional Attributes

Essential

• Ability to build effective working relationships within multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams.
• Emotional resilience and capacity to work with distress, trauma, and complex risk.
• Ability to reflect on clinical work and use supervision constructively.
• Ability to work flexibly, manage competing demands and prioritise effectively.
• Good IT skills, including the use of electronic clinical records, word processing, email, and the internet.
• Strong interest and ability to contribute to service improvement and team development.
• Sensitivity to issues of culture, identity, power, and diversity; commitment to equitable practice.

Desirable

• Ability to contribute to service innovation and development.
• Experience presenting at conferences or professional forums.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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: 16 March 2026