CAMHS Practitioner CYP-PT: Therapy Trainee – CBT x 3 Posts

Overview

A Vacancy at Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. CYP Psychological Therapy CBT Training Role. Band 6 – 3 x Training posts within: Camden CAMHS Unit: Wellbeing Team, Mental Health Support Team [MHST] and Community CAMHS Team. 1-year fixed term Training Post(s). January 2026 – January 2027.

Based at: Tavistock Centre, 120 Belsize Lane, London NW3 5BA; Ampthill Square, 219 Eversholt Street, London NW1 1DR; Camden primary and secondary schools.

Position Details

Job Title: CAMHS Practitioner CYP-PT Therapy Trainee CBT. The Camden CAMHS Wellbeing Team and Community CAMHS Team recruit two CBT Recruit to Train Trainees to join their teams as part of the NHS England (NHSE) funded Children and Young People (CYP) Psychological Training Programmes (formerly CYP-IAPT).

Recruit to Train is a government-funded initiative aiming to grow the child mental health workforce to meet demand. This is a unique opportunity to apply 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.

Training Context

The Camden CAMHS Wellbeing Team works with children and families aged 4-18. We provide group and individual CBT and parent training interventions to parents and young people with mild to moderate anxiety, low mood, or challenging behaviour. The Team also has an active role in community engagement, offering trainings to universal services and service user involvement projects. The team includes 3 CWP’s, 4 Trainee CWP’s, a parenting practitioner, systemic practitioner, CBT Therapists, a supervisor and service lead.

The Community CAMHS Team operates in the North and South of the Camden borough and supports CYP 0-18 years with emotional wellbeing needs, often moderate+ in nature and aligned with the Getting More Help area of the THRIVE model. The community teams have a strong MDT culture with several disciplines offering evidence-based talking therapies. They work with internal clinical colleagues and external partner agencies (school, children’s services, voluntary and charitable organisations).

The Mental Health Support Team [MHST] work within Camden primary and secondary schools, offering direct interventions to CYP in school settings (1:1 and group formats) and supporting schools with a whole-school offer. MHSTs work closely with other CAMHS colleagues in the Camden CAMHS Unit and external services.

Course and Employment Details

Although this is a fixed term contract, there may be opportunities for employment after the course is completed. The team values a supportive working environment, continued professional development and career advancement.

The Tavistock works closely with community multidisciplinary Teams and provides a training-centred environment for trainees. The position may require travel to Anna Freud in North London for teaching during the training year.

Course start date: 19 January 2026.

Training Information

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.

Please view the attached document ‘UCL CYP PT Therapy – Application Guidance for Candidates August 2025’ for the university application link and more information on how to apply. More information about the course content and the different modalities can be found on the Anna Freud webpage: https://www.annafreud.org/ucl-postgraduate-study/ucl-postgraduate-programmes/child-and-young-person-iapt-therapy-pg-dip/

There is also a useful training FAQ section for prospective candidates: Prospective Trainees_ CYP IAPT Therapy Programme FAQ\’s.docx – Google Docs.

What we are looking for

We are seeking highly motivated candidates who are enthusiastic about making a difference to children’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 to providing an inclusive and effective service for children and young people, along with a dedication to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Please review the job description and person specification for more information on the role. Please ensure you address each point of the person specification in your application. Information on your application form (name and contact details, qualifications and prior relevant experience) will be shared with the Anna Freud staff team as part of the recruitment process. By submitting your application to this role, you are agreeing to your details being shared with Anna Freud. Due to the high volume of applications, we may close this position before the closing date.

Organisation

The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health trust with a focus on training and education alongside a full range of mental health services and psychological therapies for children, families, young people and adults. We are committed to improving mental health and emotional wellbeing with high-quality services for all. We contribute to the pool of ideas through research and development and share ideas and practice through multiple routes. As a Trust we strive to evolve in relation to the environment to remain relevant.

This advert closes on Monday 29 Sep 2025.