CAMHS Practitioner and CYP-PT Therapy Trainee CBT

This 12-month CBT trainee post is within Lewisham CAMHS, with two places in Horizon CAMHS and one in the community CAMHS GP Youth Clinic. The work combines case management, assessment and treatment of children and young people with delivering CBT under clinical supervision. It is a full-time recruit-to-train role starting in January 2027, split between about 2.5 days of KCL academic work and 2.5 days seeing clients. Applicants need an eligible professional qualification and registration, and must apply to the KCL diploma course as well.

What the job involves

• Manage cases and assess and treat children and young people with mental health difficulties in the team
• Carry a clinical caseload and deliver CBT therapy
• Conduct routine risk assessments and manage risks with support from the team manager and senior clinicians
• Work with CAMHS colleagues across professional disciplines
• Participate in internal and external networks to coordinate care plans across agencies
• Spend most working time in clinical practice
• Attend KCL teaching and complete personal study as part of the postgraduate diploma
• Use newly acquired skills with clients and undertake clinical work linked to training assignments

What’s required

Qualifications

• First-level qualification in occupational therapy, clinical or counselling psychology, or social work (or equivalent) with related CAMHS experience
• Alternatively, a systemic psychotherapy qualification, or a first-level art, drama, music therapy or psychotherapy qualification leading to statutory-body registration, with relevant CAMHS experience

Registration & licences

• Registration with NMC, HCPC, Association of Child Psychotherapists, UKCP or Social Work England

Experience

• Supervised clinical experience with children or adolescents with mental health needs, or clear evidence of transferable skills
• Experience working with supervisors, service users, carers and the MDT to assess needs and plan and deliver care
• Experience taking responsibility for care delivery in a defined area and maintaining a safe therapeutic environment
• Understanding and some experience of group, individual and family work, multidisciplinary work, clinical governance and audit, and CAMHS clinical supervision

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge of child and adolescent mental health disorders and difficulties common among looked-after children, including attachment
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Children Acts, Mental Health Act, Human Rights Act and Mental Capacity Act, and London child protection procedures
• Knowledge of risk assessment and management, clinical governance and practice, confidentiality and information sharing
• Ability to work therapeutically with the client group using a range of interventions, work under pressure, and take on new concepts
• Good written and verbal presentation skills, basic IT and clinical database data-entry skills, and ability to work in a changing environment
• Reflective therapeutic practice, adapting work in response to reflection, and effective multidisciplinary teamwork

Other

• Apply to the KCL course alongside the job application and meet the university course requirements

Nice to have

• Training in clinical supervision
• Further post-qualifying training or education in working with children and adolescents with mental health problems
• For nursing applicants, ENB 998, mentorship training or equivalent experience and training
• Experience working with families in a multi-racial urban environment
• Knowledge of relevant research and its application to CAMHS assessment, treatment and case management
• Knowledge of research-informed and evidence-based assessment, treatment and case-management methods
• Practical skill in using a specific therapy

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