Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity to join our team as a CBT Trainee, as part of the NHS England Workforce, Training and Education (NHSE WT&E) funded Recruit to Train Programme, in partnership with the University of Reading, Charlie Waller Institute. The post-holders will be training on the Children & Young People Mental Health (CYP-MH) CBT Course, which is accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). They will be carrying out clinical work in our service to complement their studies and use their newly developed skills. We are seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic mental health practitioners to work and train within our service. The post holders will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Information about the Service
North Bedfordshire CAMHS is part of ELFT (East London Foundation Trust), which also provides CAMHS services in Luton and East London.

North Bedfordshire CAMHS has well-established multidisciplinary services that provide a comprehensive stepped model of care for children, young people and their families across the locality. https://www.elft.nhs.uk/services/north-bedfordshire-camhs

Main duties of the job
Responsibilities will include direct clinical work and management of complex and sometimes high risk cases with support of your line manager and clinical supervisor. You will be a member of the multidisciplinary team and involved in MDT meetings and broader service developments. You will be expected to liaise with other agencies involved in the care of the children and young people on your caseload, including schools, social care or other community agencies. You will be an employee at the service but also enrolled on a Postgraduate Diploma course. As this is a Postgraduate level training, you will be required to study and perform at this academic level. Applicants must be prepared to work towards their studies outside of protected study time. Protected study time or teaching days are typically two days a week during term and will be a mixture of in person and online sessions. Applicants must be willing to travel to Reading University to attend lectures.

The course you will be completing at the University of Reading as part of this role is a Level 2 accredited course with BABCP. This means that upon completion trainees will meet criteria to apply for provisional accreditation as a CBT therapist with the BABCP.

About us
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Details
Date posted: 21 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 363-SSLB8268957
Job locations: Bedford CAMHS, 9 Rush Court, Bedford, MK40 3JT, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Be a member of the multidisciplinary team, accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service. Assess clients for suitability for CBT intervention as per training requirements under supervision of clinical supervisor/line manager. Make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the teams referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients onto the relevant service or back to the referral agent as necessary. Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for the psychological treatment and/or management of a young persons mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems and employing methods of proven efficacy across the full range of care settings. Involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying therapy formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language. Be responsible for providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive, distressing and emotional information in relation to mental health issues, where there are often barriers to acceptance. Be mindful of the needs of children, young people, families and individuals from a wide range of cultural, religious and social backgrounds and develop with colleagues innovative ways of meeting these diverse needs. Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient. Be responsible for recording, monitoring and reporting on clinical work and communicating complex clinical information to a variety of recipients, orally, in writing and/or electronically. Maintain clinical records, collate statistical information and maintain specialist equipment and resources. Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service. Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols. Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate. Work closely with other members of the team to design and implement care plans under the senior leadership of the team Lead.

Be responsible for developing and maintaining knowledge of local resources and developing working relationships with relevant statutory, voluntary and community groups and organisations. Be responsible for proposing innovative responses to identified community needs and developing these in consultation with senior colleagues. Ensure that professional guidelines for practice are followed appropriately. Receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with good practice guidelines.

To ensure documentation and care plans are comprehensive and in line with the Trust. To record relevant information as consistent with Trust record keeping policy. Collate and report on clinical information across a specific area(s). Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to Trust policies and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (eg BPS, UKCP, BABCP), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health. Ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and inline with the Data Protection Act (1998) and Security and Confidentiality Policies. Ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development. Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with Manager. Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives. Attend relevant conferences / workshops in line with identified professional objectives.

Receive supervision from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards. To receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with good practice guidelines and Trust Policy. Ensure that professional practice guidelines are followed appropriately. To participate in the Trust Appraisal and be committed to on-going Continuing Professional Development including participation in further specialist training as agreed with supervisor/line manager.

Record and report on personally generated clinical information. Enter clinical information as required into local and Trust electronic information systems. Prepare teaching materials and presentations to a professional level. Be familiar with electronic access to research information, for example through electronic libraries, data banks, journals and websites. Use electronic mail regularly and competently for facilitating direct and indirect clinical work as well as service development.

Person Specification
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential

• RMN, OT, SW or equivalent professional qualification
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Professional knowledge acquired through degree/diploma or KSA evidence
• Teaching/mentoring qualification

Experience
Essential

• Post qualification experience in a mental health setting, working with young people or adults with mental illness.

Desirable

• Experience of using Routine Outcome Measures (ROMS
• Experience of working with children and young people who have serious mental illness and their families and carers in the community
• Experience of mentoring and clinical supervision of others

Knowledge & Skills
Essential

• To have ability to manage case load and act as care coordinator for clients on case list
• To be able to function as part of multi disciplinary team and liaise with external agencies i.e. primary care, education, social and health care.
• To have ability to assess client need, both mental health, health and social needs
• Ability to reflect on and critically appraise the performance of self and others.
• Willingness to undergo regular supervision in order to develop own practice.
• Ability to organise own time and diary and that of junior staff and learners
• Have ability to follow policy and make proposal for change
• Understanding of evidence based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influences clinical practice
• Maintain patient records both written and electronic
• Understanding of the legal and social policy issues influencing the work environment.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with relevant parties

Desirable

• To have knowledge and understanding of the research process

Other
Essential

• To have knowledge and understanding of the research process
• Car driver, and willingness to drive for work purposes.
• To be I.T competent
• Commitment to client centred, non discriminatory practice
• Commitment to lifelong learning
• Willingness to be flexible

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: East London NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Bedford CAMHS, 9 Rush Court, Bedford, MK40 3JT, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Integrated CAS Lead, Jenny Sookraj, Jenny.Sookraj@nhs.net, 01234893300

Supporting documents
Privacy notice: East London NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)

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.