Northern Guild Psychological Solutions

Currently the only accredited UKCP Child Psychotherapy training outside of London this dynamic focused and well structured training will equip you to work as a Child Psychotherapist.

A four year part-time training from an Integrative and Humanistic perspective the course is theory, practice and skills based. In addition to cutting edge theory you will be taught applied arts based creative methods for working with children and have the opportunity to research your work.

Our senior tutor and head of child psychotherapy training, Jennie McNamara is currently Chair of the UKCP Child Psychotherapy Committee. She is therefore well placed to develop and expand the training alongside developments in the profession.

Key Facts about this Course……….

1. Quality, in-depth training delivered by senior registered professionals.
2. Training to a standard that equips you to work as a fully qualified professionally registered psychotherapist with children, young people and adults.
3. To facilitate your personal and professional development.
4. The option to enrol on the MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy (Children) in Year Three is available as it provides both a route to registration as well as an academic qualification.

Accreditation

Students who satisfactorily complete the training programme and pass their final assessments will receive the Diploma in Child Psychotherapy and be eligible for entry on to the  UKCP Register  as a Child Psychotherapist.

Structure of Training

The course takes place over 4 academic years consisting of 10 training weekends each year plus additional specialist modules and seminars. From the start of their psychotherapy practice placement students will be required to attend clinical supervision with a course supervisor within NGP.

Specialist Modules

Over the length of the course students are required to attend specialist modules and  seminars. These will be decided in discussion with the course tutor or at interview and will take into account the candidate’s prior learning.

Training Requirements

To successfully proceed from each module students are required to complete:

1. Attendance at all training modules
2. Prescribed reading
3. Written requirements [pass grade]
4. Personal psychotherapy
5. Attendance at specialist workshops
6. Ongoing work with clients from year 1.
7. Ongoing supervision on work with clients

Year 1: Foundation Year

 Syllabus

• Transactional Analysis (TA). The TA approach is integrative and focuses on the psychodynamic roots of TA based within a relationship model.
• Personality development. Psychological development of the child.
• The core principles of therapeutic work and therapeutic skills and interventions.
• The professional role of the Psychotherapist. 
• Ethics, legal issues and child protection.

Specialist Module – Therapeutic Work with Children

Comprising:

• Sandplay Workshop
• 4 three hour seminars on specific issues in child work including;
• Child Protection
• The child in context – family, education, culture and society 

Before proceeding onto the second year of training students need to have organized their training placement.  Students will be required to have supervision at a ratio of one hour to every four client contact hours.

Training Placement

At some point during the first year students will organise their training placement in consultation with their trainer and supervisor. NGP is well  placed to assist students in finding a placement dependent on the geographical area. Prior to the commencement of this placement the students will be allocated a supervisor. Students will be required to have a minimum of 2 hours of supervision per month or one hour of supervision to four client contact hours, whichever is the greater.

Find out more about our placement scheme

Year 2: Advanced Theory and Development of the Professional Role

Students will continue to follow the Year 1 syllabus at an advanced level.  This will form the basis for the psychotherapy practice.  Throughout this year students develop theoretical understanding and skills in applying the integrative humanistic model.

Child Mental Health, Disorders of Childhood and Psychiatric/Personality Considerations.

Specialist Module – Infant, Mother and Toddler Observation

This module will take place over two years and will include the observation of a mother and infant over one year and a toddler over one year. If students wish they may begin this module in year one.

Comprising:

• Infant, mother and toddler observation placement in students own time
• Peer group and supervision seminars to link observation with theory
• Journal to record this module

Year 3: The Therapeutic Relationship

This module takes the therapeutic relationship as an integrating principle in advanced studies in psychotherapy.  Different aspects of the therapeutic relationship are studied in depth together with ethical and practice issues. Current ideas in Attachment theory, psychological development of the infant, Transference and object relations form the basis of these studies. 

Specialist Module – Creative Methods in Therapeutic Work 

Comprising:

• Imagery and Metaphor in Therapeutic Work
• Introduction to Research        

Year 4: Advanced Psychopathology - An Integrative Approach

During this module students explore comparative approaches to Diagnosis, Psychopathology and Disorders of the Self integrating these with their own core theoretical model as well as standard psychological and psychiatric approaches.  Theoretical learning linked with case presentation enable students to develop an understanding of the material as applied to the practice of psychotherapy.

 Specialist Module - Child Psychiatry and Child Mental Health

 Comprising:

• A series of 3 three hour seminars
• Reading supported by an open book examination
• An observational placement

Workshops

 Over the length of the course students are required to attend the following workshops

1. Brief Focal Therapy
2. Psychotherapy Research
3. In-depth Therapy – The Child Within

Diploma in Psychotherapy Final Assessment

The Final Assessment takes place following completion of formal training. Students who transfer to the MSc in Year 3 are not required to undertake this final assessment as qualification is via continual course assessment.

 Criteria for Accreditation

1. Completion of training modules
2. 500 hours of formal supervised psychotherapy practice. Including 350 hours with children and 150 hours with adults.
3. Observational Child Mental Health Placement- minimum of 60 hours
4. Ongoing personal psychotherapy for the duration of the training
5. Satisfactory completion of all training requirements
6. Submission of a written case study which has been awarded a “Pass” grade
7. Completion of a brief research project into the student’s own clinical practice. Pass grade.
8. Attendance and satisfactory performance at Final Assessment

Entry onto UK Council for Psychotherapy Register

On satisfactory completion of this course students will be eligible for entry on to the UKCP Register as a Child Psychotherapist.

Students must ensure that prior learning, their period of psychotherapy training and their post accreditation practice comply with UKCP and HIPS requirements if they wish to be entered onto and remain on this register. From time to time these requirements change. Please note: completion of a course and/or successful completion of the final examination does not lead to automatic inclusion on to the UKCP register.

In order to be accepted onto the training programme applicants must have:

1. Graduate level competence. This may take the form of a relevant degree or equivalent vocational qualification in a related field, and/or equivalent life and work experience.
2. A personal value system in keeping with the philosophy of the training, including an open attitude towards all people irrespective of their race, creed, gender, sexual orientation.
3. Some basic understanding of the meaning of therapeutic work with children.
4. Relevant experience of working with people in a responsible role, evidenced by a written reference.
5. Suitable personal qualities and a genuine interest in working with people, evidenced by a written reference.
6. A willingness to undergo statutory CRB checks required by law for work with children. These checks take several months and work with children cannot commence until these are clear. There will be a fee for carrying out these procedures. 
7. A personal value system in keeping with the philosophy of the training, including an open attitude towards all people irrespective of their race, creed, gender, sexual orientation.

We have a policy of flexibility and will be pleased to discuss with candidates whether and how they meet our entry requirements. In some circumstances candidates who do not currently meet all the criteria may be accepted on to the course.

For further information

If you have any queries about our courses please contact us. A course leader will be happy to answer any queries that you may have. Alternatively you can download our information and application pack below.

Download Information Pack & Application Form