Roles in CAMHS
Assistant psychologist
About the role...
Assistant psychologists work in a variety of roles to support people with mental health conditions.
Aps work as part of a multidisciplinary team. You will provide clinical support to patients and will be supervised by a registered practitioner psychologist with overall clinical responsibility for the patients you work with. Supervision helps you engage in self-reflection, seek and respond to feedback, and develop your professional knowledge and skills. You will need to keep clear written records, draft reports, letters and summaries of assessments and observations of treatments.
What qualifications do I need?
You will usually need an accredited degree in psychology recognised by the British Psychological Society (BPS) which enables eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership.
Universities are usually flexible about which A-levels or level 3 equivalents you need to be accepted onto a psychology degree course.
What experience do I need to bring?
You will need a range of skills to become an assistant psychologist. These include:
• a knowledge of psychological theory
• an interest in how people think and behave
• the ability to relate to a wide range of people, both patients and colleagues
• a sympathetic and patient attitude
• good writing and organisational skills