Job summary
Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster(KCW) Under 5s CAMHS Service is commissioned to provide brief parent-infant and parent-child psychotherapy to families with infants and young children. The team a psychoanalytically informed service.
We are looking for an ACP accredited child psychotherapist with an experience of and passion for Under 5s work. You will be part of our successful service and help us to expand our reach into another Family Hub Westminster and supporting other Hubs across KCW, making relationships with families and local stakeholders. You will offer brief psychotherapy to families and consultation to professionals and parents. We accept and encourage applications from people qualifying in Summer 2025.
Main duties of the job
The role involves a creative and passionate approach to service development, and offers the opportunity of being part of a pioneering initiative. We are looking for clinicians with sound understanding of infant mental health, and who are open to growing and developing in this field.
We are advertising a full-time band 7 post for the Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster(KCW) The post holder will be based within KCW Under 5s CAMHS team and local Family Hubs
The service aims to provide an accessible, destigmatising, culturally sensitive infant/young child mental health perspective through:
- consultation to parents and professionals
- specialist assessment
- 6 session brief work with Under 5s and their families, using evidence-based treatment
- interagency partnership working
- teaching and training in infant mental health and early attachment.
About us
The Child Psychotherapist role requires a motivated, organised and enthusiastic professional interested in supporting a lively Under 5s clinical team. They will be part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team undertaking clinical functions in line with their clinical expertise to implement the under the guidance of a Band 8a Child Psychotherapist and Lead Child Psychotherapist
If you are interested and would like more information, please contact Dr Julie Bithell Under 5s Service Lead.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
To provide an efficient, effective, comprehensive and specialist early intervention psychotherapy assessment and treatment service for children Under 5 and their families with
- highly complex and persistent infant mental health problems and presentations beyond ordinary developmental expectations, their carers/parents and families within care pathways as relevant.
- To contribute to multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of families with children Under 5 with complex infant mental health presentations, developmental and emotional difficulties.
- To offer consultation, teaching and training on infant mental health and attachment to multidisciplinary colleagues
- To contribute to audit and research.
- To actively engage in outcome monitoring, including the use of normed routine outcome measures associated with CYP IAPT
- To work in clinical practice, making use of supervision, within the overall framework of the CAMHS Directorates and the Trusts policies and procedures.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
To provide an efficient, effective, comprehensive and specialist early intervention psychotherapy assessment and treatment service for children Under 5 and their families with
- highly complex and persistent infant mental health problems and presentations beyond ordinary developmental expectations, their carers/parents and families within care pathways as relevant.
- To contribute to multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of families with children Under 5 with complex infant mental health presentations, developmental and emotional difficulties.
- To offer consultation, teaching and training on infant mental health and attachment to multidisciplinary colleagues
- To contribute to audit and research.
- To actively engage in outcome monitoring, including the use of normed routine outcome measures associated with CYP IAPT
- To work in clinical practice, making use of supervision, within the overall framework of the CAMHS Directorates and the Trusts policies and procedures.
Person Specification
Other
Essential
- Clinical Recording Systems: Competent in the use of clinical recording systems. Understands the process for keeping safe, secure and relevant clinical records Understands and is able to use online incident reporting systems
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice.
Desirable
- Ability to teach and train others and present the work of child psychotherapists within public, professional and academic settings
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Masters level preclinical training at an Association of Child Psychotherapists recognised training school
- Post graduate doctoral level training in clinical child psychotherapy at a training school accredited by the Association of Child Psychotherapy (ACP) or Association of Child Psychotherapists Statement of Equivalence
Desirable
- Qualifications/ training in specialist evidence-based approaches to working with children under 5 and their families (i.e. Parent-Infant Psychotherapy, Video feedback approaches)
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Significant experience of assessment and treatment of Under 5s
- Experience of undertaking specialist assessment at a level appropriate to the job
- Extensive knowledge of child development and infant mental health & other relevant theories, practices, and research in the field of child work with Under 5s
- Knowledge of the various assessment tools used in CAMHS, including of specialist assessment measure used with Under 5s
- Assessment of risk/safeguarding: Understands the need for and able to competently assess risk. Understands individual and service safeguarding responsibilities, policy and procedure
- Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication. The ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to children including child protection procedures and policies
- Engagement: Understands the elements of effective engagement and can apply these to working practice.
- Consultation and Liaison: Experience of providing consultation and liaison support to colleagues, referral agencies and services responsible for the care, support and wellbeing of service users and their families/carers
- Interdisciplinary work: Able to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, actively engaging in and supporting duty & peer support, training and skills development
- Cultural competence: Understands the importance of assessment that explores and considers individual cultural identity and associated support needs
Desirable
- Knowledge of research methodology and outcome research design and ability to critically interpret research findings
- Experience of supervising Under 5s clinical work
- Leadership: Ability to lead the development and implementation of new structures and process that impact on staff at all levels
Person Specification
Other
Essential
- Clinical Recording Systems: Competent in the use of clinical recording systems. Understands the process for keeping safe, secure and relevant clinical records Understands and is able to use online incident reporting systems
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice.
Desirable
- Ability to teach and train others and present the work of child psychotherapists within public, professional and academic settings
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Masters level preclinical training at an Association of Child Psychotherapists recognised training school
- Post graduate doctoral level training in clinical child psychotherapy at a training school accredited by the Association of Child Psychotherapy (ACP) or Association of Child Psychotherapists Statement of Equivalence
Desirable
- Qualifications/ training in specialist evidence-based approaches to working with children under 5 and their families (i.e. Parent-Infant Psychotherapy, Video feedback approaches)
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Significant experience of assessment and treatment of Under 5s
- Experience of undertaking specialist assessment at a level appropriate to the job
- Extensive knowledge of child development and infant mental health & other relevant theories, practices, and research in the field of child work with Under 5s
- Knowledge of the various assessment tools used in CAMHS, including of specialist assessment measure used with Under 5s
- Assessment of risk/safeguarding: Understands the need for and able to competently assess risk. Understands individual and service safeguarding responsibilities, policy and procedure
- Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication. The ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to children including child protection procedures and policies
- Engagement: Understands the elements of effective engagement and can apply these to working practice.
- Consultation and Liaison: Experience of providing consultation and liaison support to colleagues, referral agencies and services responsible for the care, support and wellbeing of service users and their families/carers
- Interdisciplinary work: Able to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, actively engaging in and supporting duty & peer support, training and skills development
- Cultural competence: Understands the importance of assessment that explores and considers individual cultural identity and associated support needs
Desirable
- Knowledge of research methodology and outcome research design and ability to critically interpret research findings
- Experience of supervising Under 5s clinical work
- Leadership: Ability to lead the development and implementation of new structures and process that impact on staff at all levels
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
