Job summary
- Main area
- CAMHS Practitioner CYP-PT: Therapy Trainee – IPT-A
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months (FTC 1 Year)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 260-TP-993
- Employer
- Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Tavistock and Portman
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £46,419 - £55,046 Per annum including HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/10/2025 23:59
Employer heading

CAMHS Practitioner CYP-PT: Therapy Trainee – IPT-A
NHS AfC: Band 6
It is a condition of this employment that you must live in and remain a resident of the United Kingdom during your employment with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.
Covid-19 Vaccination
Getting vaccinated, and getting a booster, remains the best defence against COVID-19.
We encourage and support staff to get COVID-19 vaccine and a booster dose as and when they are eligible.
Please note in order to progress your application, your data will be processed by our 3rd party recruitment providers – North London Partners Shared Service, who conduct recruitment activities on behalf of The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
___________________________________________________________________________________
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 and their families, young people and adults.
We are committed to improving mental health and emotional wellbeing, believing that high quality mental health services should be available for all who need them. We bring a distinctive contribution based on the importance we attach to social experience at all stages of people’s lives, and our focus on psychological and developmental approaches to the promotion of health and the prevention and treatment of mental ill health
We contribute to the pool of ideas through our own research and development, but are also committed to bringing together the best ideas of the time, old and new, from inside and out, together with the most gifted and able professionals in our fields of endeavour. We aim to share our ideas and practice through as many routes as possible.
As a Trust we aim constantly to be evolving in nature and form in relation to the environment in which we work, to ensure that our contribution remains relevant.
The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Job overview
Band 6 – 1-year fixed term Training Post within: Mental Health Support Team [MHST]
Please note: The position could be based at differing sites, to include: Tavistock Centre, 120 Belsize Lane, LONDON, NW3 5BA and/or Ampthill Square, 219 Eversholt Street, LONDON, NW1 1DR and/or Camden Primary and Secondary Schools, successful candidates will be expected to travel to Anna Freud in North London (Rodney St, N1 9JH) for teaching during the training year.
Course start date: 19th January 2026
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
Main duties of the job
What are we 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 in 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.
Please be aware the 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.
Working for our 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 and their families, young people and adults.
We are committed to improving mental health and emotional wellbeing, believing that high quality mental health services should be available for all who need them. We bring a distinctive contribution based on the importance we attach to social experience at all stages of people’s lives, and our focus on psychological and developmental approaches to the promotion of health and the prevention and treatment of mental ill health
We contribute to the pool of ideas through our own research and development but are also committed to bringing together the best ideas of the time, old and new, from inside and out, together with the most gifted and able professionals in our fields of endeavour. We aim to share our ideas and practice through as many routes as possible.
As a Trust we aim constantly to be evolving in nature and form in relation to the environment in which we work, to ensure that our contribution remains relevant.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.
Person specification
Qualifications
Desirable criteria
- • Demonstrated ability to study and complete academic work at postgraduate study level; • Proven record of previous academic attainment.
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- • Minimum second-class Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent standard in a relevant subject (e.g. psychology, social work) OR • Training in a mental-health related profession (e.g. EMHP, PWP, MH nursing, psychotherapy, counselling) AND • Registered/accredited Professional Qualification in a MH profession - this is a pre-requisite for future registration with IPTUK.
Skills and Competencies
Essential criteria
- • Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with young people and their families and adapt communication styles according to their varying needs; • Ability to maintain a reflective stance in emotive/challenging interactions with young people 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); • Ability to follow policy and clinical governance procedures and make proposals for change; • Ability to maintain accurate records; • Ability to complete academic work at postgraduate level and balance the academic demands of the course with clinical placement demands; • Demonstrates adaptability and able to work inclusively with diverse communities; • Good time management and organisational abilities; • Effective oral and written communication skills; • IT/Computer literate; • Able to accommodate travel demands associated with the role
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- • Basic knowledge and understanding of IPT-A principles; • Knowledge and understanding of issues relating to safeguarding.
Experience
Essential criteria
- • 2 or more years of post qualification experience working therapeutically with young people and/or their families within a mental health setting; • Experience of multi-agency working and liaising across internal & external agencies.
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- • Motivated to learn and be challenged; • Capacity to work well in teams.
Skills and Competencies
Desirable criteria
- • Understanding of evidence-based practice and the ability to demonstrate how evidence-based practice influences clinical practice.
Knowledge
Desirable criteria
- • Understanding of adolescent development and its significance for emotional well-being and mental health.
Experience
Desirable criteria
- • Previous experience of working with safeguarding issues; • Experience of working with adolescents and their families.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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
- Jessica Powell
- Job title
- Team Clinical Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
List jobs with Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in Administrative Services or all sectors