Child, adolescent and family mental wellbeing: multidisciplinary practice (ED24, online)
Discover our award-winning training in child, adolescent and family mental healthcare and practice – now delivered entirely online.
This award-winning course explores the fundamental principles of child, adolescent and family mental healthcare and practice, informed by systemic, psychodynamic and child development theories.
Drawing on a range of modalities and approaches, participants are supported in developing a theoretical framework and toolkit of therapeutic skills that can be immediately applied to their practice.
Validated by the University of Essex and accredited by the Association of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT), this one-year training will now be delivered entirely online.
Please note: you may see the ED24 course also referred to as PTPCTP007 in communications from our application system.
About this course
On this course you will learn through theoretical seminars and lectures, infant observation and/or family observation, work practice discussions, experiential groups, personal tutorials and a four-day group relations conference. All teaching takes place in multidisciplinary groups.
Group Relations Conference (GRC)
All ED24 students must attend a Group Relations Conference as part of the course, preferably in person. Students may either join the multidisciplinary Spring Group Relations Conference at the Tavistock Centre in London or choose another Group Relations Conference to attend elsewhere. A list of recognised conferences will be provided.
If you choose to attend another Group Relations Conference, we are able to offer a refund of your course fees up to the value of the Tavistock and Portman’s internal Group Relations Conference fee, charged to courses where this is a mandatory requirement.
Theoretical seminars
Theoretical seminars will develop your understanding of psychodynamic, systemic and developmental concepts and how they can be applied in working effectively with children, young people and families where emotional and mental health difficulties exist.
You will study child and family development theories and research, and explore the factors that affect mental health and wellbeing in children, young people and families and common presenting issues. Issues relating to equalities, diversity and inclusion are addressed directly through specific theoretical lectures as well as being embedded in the lecture and seminar series more broadly.
Observation
You will undertake an observational module, choosing between an infant/young child or family observation. These seminars will draw upon psychodynamic and systemic theories and develop your observational skills and capabilities.
You will be encouraged to think carefully about aspects of your own and the observed family’s identity and the relationship between these as part of the observation process. If you choose and successfully complete the family observation module you will achieve the AFT foundation level award.
Please note that it is your responsibility to arrange this observation, and to cover the costs of any travel associated with this, but you will be given guidance and support with this task during induction and throughout the first term of the course.
Work discussion
These small, multidisciplinary professional practice groups will draw on your practical work experience and aim to develop your capabilities in thinking and in practice. These components aim to facilitate the integration of relevant theoretical ideas and research in order to develop advanced therapeutic practice skills in working with children, young people and families.
Experiential group
The experiential group will take place every week and offers an opportunity for students to gain an understanding of the processes at work in groups and their own role in these processes. You will be encouraged to explore your experience of working in the group with others who can be different from yourself in terms of race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic background and you will learn from others’ perspectives and examine your own relationship to these.
Personal tutor
A personal tutor will be assigned to support your professional and personal development throughout the course.
Who is this course for?
This course is for you if you work with children, adolescents or families, and wish to improve your knowledge and capabilities. You may be a:
- social worker
- safeguarding officer
- doctor
- nurse
- educational professional (teacher, teaching assistant, learning mentor, SENCO, one-to-one support)
- counsellor
- psychotherapist
- health visitor
- occupational therapist
- creative arts therapist
- child and adolescent primary mental healthcare worker
- child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) practitioner or working with children and families in the voluntary or statutory sector
- caring support worker
- probation officer
- police officer
- housing officer
We are proud of our diverse, multidisciplinary teaching and learning community, and actively encourage applicants from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority / Global Majority and other diverse backgrounds.
Course details
In order to undertake this course, we ask that you:
- hold an appropriate professional qualification relevant to your chosen career
- have significant practical and/or direct experience in working with children, adolescents and/or families
- have an undergraduate degree, degree equivalent, or evidence of other relevant post-registration education/experience
- are in a full-time or part-time post (paid or voluntary) in which you are working with children, adolescents and/or families experiencing difficulties, be they behavioural, emotional or psychological, where you have a remit to make a difference in your work.
Home
£5,400 per year (2025/26)
There are no international fees as this course is delivered online.
You will be charged course fees for each year of your course. If your course is longer than one year, the fees that you will be charged after the first year will be subject to an annual uplift, which is not normally expected to exceed 6% or the Consumer Price Index (as stated on 01 September of that academic year) if higher than 6%. At its discretion and in rare instances, the Trust may determine a figure greater than either, to reflect costs associated with the activity (e.g. assessment, teaching, administration etc.), which shall not exceed 10%. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions, and Student Fees & Refund Policy for further information.
Financial support may be available to help you fund your studies at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.
Assessment
In order to achieve a postgraduate certificate, you need to gain a pass mark on three academic essay submissions, which are spread out over the spring and summer terms, and have a minimum of 75% attendance on all parts of the course.
If you choose to undertake the family observation module, and successfully complete this activity and additional assessed work, you will achieve a foundation level award from the Association of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT).
Attendance
Teaching sessions will be delivered online on Mondays from 10:00am to 5:00pm (UK time).
Please note that you will also need to set aside a minimum of 1-2 hours each week for approximately 20 weeks of the course for either an infant/young child observation or a family observation, including time for writing notes. It is your responsibility to arrange this observation, but you will be given guidance and support with this task during induction and throughout the first term of the course.
Students on the this course have appreciated its multi-modal approach and made use of it to develop their work in settings such as education, social care and CAMHS.
Others have used it as a stepping stone into further systemic, psychodynamic or multi-modal training.
Application deadlines
There are a number of important application deadlines associated with our postgraduate courses, however we encourage you to apply as early as possible, as spaces on our courses are limited and can be competitive.
Applications for this course are expected to close on the following dates:
- Monday 6 January 2025: Early decision deadline
- Monday 30 June 2025: Summer application deadline
Why study with us?
This is a unique opportunity to study on an award-winning, multidisciplinary course, now delivered entirely online.
Over the year, you will be supported in developing a theoretical framework for understanding child, adolescent and family development and family functioning that will inform your practice. You will gain advanced knowledge and hone key therapeutic skills, drawing on systemic and psychodynamic theories.
You will develop the capability to undertake informed early assessment, and skilful and effective preliminary work – knowing how and where to refer children, adolescents and families for more specialised treatment whilst always having the service user perspective at the centre of your practice.
The course was awarded the ‘Excellence in multi-professional education and training 2014 award’ by Health Education North Central and East London and is accredited by the Association for Family Therapy.
Course facilitators
-
Jason Maldonado-Page
Principal Systemic Psychotherapist and Social Worker
Validations and accreditations
This course is validated by the University of Essex.
This course is accredited by the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice.
Apply now
Start your application for this course.
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