Alysia Janes
Senior Lecturer in Psychological Therapies
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Postgraduate Diploma in Children and Young People’s Wellbeing Practice
Key Facts
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Duration
Full Time
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Level
PostgraduatePG PGDip
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Starting
January, March
JAN, MAR
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Funded by HEE
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Waterside
Updated 04/11/2025
Updated 04/11/2025
Overview
The aims of this programme are aligned to the aims of NHS England and the UK Government’s Improving Access to Psychology Therapies (IAPT) for Children and Young People project (CYP IAPT). This curriculum has been developed as part of the Child and Young People Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (CYP IAPT), and complements other programmes offered at the University of Northampton in this training development.
PWPs support Children and Young People with Common Mental Health problems (such as anxiety and depression) using evidence based Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approaches. Low-intensity CBT places a greater emphasis on parent and CYP self-management and are designed to be less burdensome and intensive for families than traditional psychological therapies. The overall delivery of these interventions is informed by behaviour change models and strategies.
Highlights
- To equip you with knowledge and skills needed to assess and engage children, young people and families experiencing a common mental health difficulty
- To enable you to deliver effective low intensity interventions with children, young people and families, informed by a critical and advanced understanding of contemporary research and evidence in child and adolescent mental health
- To enable you to collaborate effectively with children, young people and families, and with other professionals, in a multi-agency service context
- To develop and enhance your ability to reflect on their clinical practice, using a variety of methods including reflective models, supervision and observational feedback.
Entry Requirements
Academic
Essential:
- Undergraduate honours degree at 2:2 or above
- Good solid literacy and numeracy qualifications at a minimum of level 2
Desirable:
- Relevant Honours Degree (e.g. psychology, mental health, sociology etc.) graded at 2.2 or above.
Experience
- A minimum of one year’s experience of supporting children/young people with their mental health.
Attributes
- Ability to manage a caseload of children, young people and families that are experiencing mental health difficulties
- A self-motivated learner, who has the ability to use technology to support their learning
- Ability to reflect on own development
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
Other
- Able to travel to meet the requirements of the post
- A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required for students being admitted to this programme.
This is a ‘Recruit to Train’ programme, and students will work in a relevant CAMHS setting in the voluntary sector, NHS, or a local authority setting, as they study. Given the specialist and bespoke nature of this degree, prospective students will initially be identified through the joint action of the University of Northampton programme leader, and participating NHS services and linked organisations, through an open recruitment process. Due to the above process, this course is not open to international or self-funded applicants.
During the period of training students will be required to:
- Hold a small clinical caseload of children with mild to moderate anxiety, behavioural difficulties, low mood or self harm, and work as appropriate with their parents / carers and other professionals who support them
- Run therapeutic groups
- Have access to wider community organisations that work with children, young people and their families
- Be receiving regular clinical supervision from an appropriately trained and qualified supervisor;
- Video record their sessions with children and families for supervision and assessment purposes;
- Use approved CYP IAPT Routine Outcome Measures (ROMs).
With your application you need to complete and submit an Employer Declaration form which has been signed by your manager with your online application.
What You'll Learn
Key skills are embedded in the learning, teaching and assessment strategies for the Postgraduate Diploma.
It is likely that students on this Postgraduate Diploma will come from a broad range of backgrounds and will have varied skills when they begin the programme. The modules are structured to support you in developing your existing skills to enable graduate success. The focus now is on taking skills to an advanced level and encouraging you to develop greater expertise in chosen areas.
The transferable skills which are particularly emphasised on this programme include the ability to critically evaluate, synthesise and apply research and theory in a practical organisational context. You are encouraged to examine the tensions between theory and practice and to develop flexibility and creativity in applying research and theory to real-world contexts. You are encouraged to work in action learning sets and in reflexive and problem focused group work, building strong skills in teamwork, equipping students to facilitate group projects in a variety of employment settings.
The diploma places a strong emphasis on work-based learning, and you will develop and assess the knowledge and skills developed in workshops, individual and online learning contexts, supported by academic staff as well as supervisors in learning sets in their places of work. The certificate consists of two, 30 credit modules assessed at Level 6.
Compulsory Modules
This module builds the knowledge, attitudes and competencies required to operate effectively in a CAMHS context and to engage with and assess children, young people and families where there are mild presentations of anxiety and depression, conduct difficulties and where parenting support is needed.
This module provides students with robust training in evidence-based low-intensity psychological treatments for working with children, young people and familiesStudents focus on behaviour change models and strategies in exploring low-intensity psychological treatments that place greater emphasis on patient self-management and are designed to be less burdensome than traditional approaches.
Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 25/26. The modules relating to the academic year 26/27 will be available from June 2026.
Fees and Funding
The course is fully funded by Health Education England (HEE) and students’ participation in the diploma is with the full support of their employer, who will nominate or employ students to undertake the diploma.
Staff
Fiona Reeves
Lecturer in Psychological Therapies (CYP - IAPT)
Jynna Yarrum
Senior Lecturer in Psychological Therapies (Clinical Lead)
Tamana Bassi
Senior Lecturer in Children and Young People (LIST)
Kathryn Congreve
Lecturer in Psychological Therapies
