About this role
Job summary
CAMHS LIST Clinical Associate Psychologist (CAP) - Band 6
A compelling opportunity to deliver high-quality psychological care within a crisis mental health service
Why Join Us?
Step into a role where your psychological skills make a direct difference to children and young people experiencing acute mental health difficulties. As a CAMHS LIST CAP, you will contribute to the delivery of timely, evidence-based interventions that support young people in crisis and help prevent hospital admissions.
You will be part of a supportive, multidisciplinary team committed to delivering compassionate, responsive, and high-quality care within an innovative and evolving service.
If you are motivated, compassionate and committed to improving outcomes for young people, this is an opportunity to grow and thrive within a forward-thinking environment.
Main duties of the job
We are offering an exciting opportunity for a Clinical Associate Psychologist (CAP) to join our Liaison and Intensive Support Team (LIST) at Band 6 level. You will work alongside senior clinicians to support children and young people presenting with moderate to severe and complex mental health needs.
In this role, you will:
Deliver structured psychological assessments and contribute to formulations under supervision. Provide brief, evidence-based psychological interventions (e.g. CBT-informed, low-intensity or guided approaches). Support the delivery of intensive, short-term interventions for young people in crisis. Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to support care planning and risk management. Maintain accurate clinical documentation in line with service and governance standards. Support young people and families in developing coping strategies and improving emotional wellbeing. Work flexibly across community and home settings where appropriate. Liaise with partner agencies (schools, social care, GPs) to support coordinated care. Contribute to service development, audit and quality improvement activities.
About us
Why Work With Us?
At CNWL, our teams are united by a shared commitment to delivering outstanding, patient-centred care. You will be joining an organisation that:
Invests in your professional development and progression into more senior roles. Offers structured supervision and learning opportunities. Encourages innovation and continuous improvement. Values diversity and promotes an inclusive working culture. You will receive regular supervision and support to develop your psychological skills within a specialist CAMHS crisis service.
About Milton Keynes CAMHS
You will be part of Milton Keynes CAMHS, a growing and innovative service delivering responsive and evidence-based mental health care for children and young people.
Milton Keynes CAMHS offers:
A well-established crisis pathway through the LIST service, with opportunities to develop psychologically informed care. Strong partnership working with acute hospitals, schools, GPs, children's services and voluntary agencies. A collaborative and supportive multidisciplinary team culture. A commitment to staff wellbeing, supervision and ongoing professional development. Please check the Milton Keynes CAMHS website for further information.
Milton Keynes CAMHS :: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Job description Job responsibilities
What Were Looking For
We are seeking a practitioner who brings:
Relevant postgraduate qualification (e.g. CAP training or equivalent psychological therapy qualification). Experience of working with children and young people within CAMHS or a similar setting. Knowledge of common mental health difficulties affecting children and young people. Skills in delivering structured, evidence-based psychological interventions under supervision. Ability to assess risk and respond appropriately with senior support. Good organisational skills and ability to manage a defined caseload. An excellent team player who contributes positively to a supportive, collaborative multidisciplinary team environment. Strong communication skills and ability to engage children, young people and families. A commitment to ongoing professional development and reflective practice.
Person Specification
Education/Qualification/Training Essential
An approved qualification in psychology conferring eligibility for graduate basis for registration with the British Psychological Society, (Class 2.2 or higher) Completed BPS [British Psychological Society] accredited CAP apprenticeship training programme including EPA to IFA standards Holding a CAP apprenticeship certificate Understand the range of behavioural change models, including health belief models and interventions that promote mental health for the populations (e.g. Ecological Model; Community Psychology)
Experience Essential
Strong ability to engage with a variety of services and community partners and stakeholders, and to expand existing networks, and to nurture and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders. Understand how to analyse and appraise key theoretical concepts of psychological models of treatment both at individual and group level recognised in evidence-based national guidelines Communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding Recognise and accommodate sensory impairments during all communications and the use of personal communication aids Take account of how conflicting and sometimes contradictory information from carers and other healthcare professionals, in emotive and challenging situations and contexts, may impact on the outcome of assessment Apply and review risk assessments and formulations when working with complex service users within scope of practice Able assess limits of professional boundaries and capacity and understand when to seek appropriate supervision/advice on practice and whom to refer to so as to ensure best care
Desirable
Apply and analyse a range of research approaches including both qualitative and quantitative methods in clinical practice Lived experience of using services, and/or being a carer for someone Evaluate and audit clinical practice through conducting service evaluations/QI projects to inform change through dissemination of findings ensuring best use of publicly funded resources Assess and identify appropriate practice in relation to critical incident and severe adverse events Provide consultation/supervision with regards to psychological formulation, assessment, and intervention Able assess limits of professional boundaries and capacity and understand when to seek appropriate supervision/advice on practice and whom to refer to so as to ensure best care
Knowledge and Skills Essential
To be able to assess and formulate someone's experiences drawing on a range of psychological models and theory Awareness of diversity of cultural norms across the borough, and being able to respond to this appropriately Work cross-culturally and/or in different languages Understand the principles of clinical supervision using them to provide a safe and supportive environment to reflect, review and discuss personal and professional responses to work Able to correctly handle confidential information and knowing how and when to share this information for appropriate professional purposes and only with appropriate individuals, and as necessary with appropriately gained consent Maintain and implement knowledge of contemporary evidence-based practice through appropriate continued professional development Understand and recognise professional duty to challenge and report discriminatory behaviour Ability to maintain accurate clinical records and why all entries in clinical and practice records are dated, timed and signed Ability to analyse and appraise the range of psychological assessment methods used within applied clinical practice to underpin assessment Ability to analyse outputs from specialist psychological assessments across a broad range of patient needs Knowledge of the range of legal, ethical, professional, financial and organisational policies and procedures that apply to clinical research activities Adept in understanding and using models of clinical supervision and requirements for practice in line with the evidence-base and professional codes of conduct Skilled in continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge and skills
Desirable
Experience of working closely with experts-by-experience, local communities, Community and Voluntary and Social Enterprises, to co-produce and co-develop services. Knowledge and implementation of local, regional and national policy Able to understand and critically appraise best evidence and existing practice to inform clinical decision making where there is no agreed consensus on treatment protocols and evaluate outcome Understand and utilise learning styles, tools and techniques that can be used to support learning Experienced in using a range of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies relevant to situation and service context that draw on specialist psychological tools to collect data to evaluate own practice as well as to enhance service delivery
Other Essential
Dedicated in treating residents with dignity, respecting individuals' diversity, beliefs, culture, needs, values, privacy and preferences Able to show respect and empathy for residents and colleagues and have the courage to challenge concerns, working to evidence-based best practice
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship 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).
Employer details Employer name Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Address Eaglestone Health Centre, Hospital Campus, Standing Way
Eaglestone
Milton Keynes
MK6 5AZ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)