Roles in CAMHS
Child and adolescent psychotherapist
About the role...
As a child and adolescent psychotherapist (CAPT) you will use specialist skills and knowledge to work with infants and children, young people up to age 25, and their families. Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a wide range of NHS mental health services, your training will enable you to contribute a psychoanalytic approach to team thinking, to assess and treat problems that can be severe or long-standing, and also to lead and supervise colleagues. As a CAPT you will seek to get to the core of difficulties which lie underneath worrying, confusing or even dangerous behaviours. You will adapt your approach to the individual child, and work in an age-appropriate way, assessing and supporting the child, their family or carers, through a combination of talking, playing and drawing.
What qualifications do I need?
Child and adolescent psychotherapist is a graduate entry profession. You must have completed a recognised pre-clinical course which includes extended psychoanalytic infant and young-child observations, work discussion seminars, psychoanalytic theory and child development lectures. The courses are normally self-funded and offer an opportunity to decide whether psychotherapy with children and young people is the right profession for you and help the development of reflective practice, emotional availability and awareness of oneself.
What experience do I need to bring?
To train as a child and adolescent psychotherapist you must have experience of working with children and adolescents but this experience may be gained in a wide range of occupations across health, education, social care and other sectors. Prior experience of working in mental health services is not essential. Applications from those with lived experience and from a diverse range of backgrounds are encouraged.