• Year one
• FHEQ level 8
• 60 credits
• Core module
• Module lead: Ilana Inspector

Module aims
The aims of the module are to:

• bring together trainees’ learning from the early stages of clinical work with patients together with core concepts from psychoanalytic theory
• integrate learning from the Psychoanalytic Observation Studies course and the teaching of psychoanalytic theory in the first year with the beginning of clinical work
• advance trainees towards a capacity for critical reflection on the clinical material
• take up full membership of the multi-disciplinary team in the role of trainee child and adolescent psychotherapist
• establish clinical work under supervision, and to begin to understand the psychoanalytic processes underpinning clinical work
• establish the model of learning from experience, including learning through supervision

Module assessment
You are required to produce a portfolio of work, drawing on your clinical and professional practice in your training post and conceptual knowledge and skills learned during the first year of training. The portfolio will include two written assignments. The ‘Clinical Conceptualisation’ assignment comprises two 3,000 word session reports, two 250 word file summaries, and a 3,000 word transference commentary.

The ‘Practice Based Learning’ assignment comprises a 1,500 word written task, reflecting on the experience of embarking on the clinical training programme. You are also required to attend two progress review meetings, and submit associated documentation.

• Year one
• FHEQ level 8
• 30 credits
• Core module
• Module lead: Brinley Yare

Module aims
The aims of the module are to:

• acquire systematic knowledge and detailed understanding of key theoretical paradigms and techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry in child psychotherapy, comprising concepts, methodologies, designs, and methods
• develop the capacity to evaluate research critically within the context of child psychotherapy in the NHS
• undertake an advanced literature search
• gain knowledge of key contemporary empirical child psychotherapy research, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses
• learn about and practise qualitative data analysis

Module assessment
You are required to write a 5,000 word critical bibliography demonstrating the capacity to search for and review five to six empirical child mental health research papers on a defined topic, including the search strategy employed, brief critical evaluations of the selected papers, and brief conclusions.

You are also required to write a 3,000 word qualitative analysis of a child, demonstrating the capacity to apply one of the qualitative data analysis techniques taught on the module, and to reflect on and make informed judgements about, complex issues in the absence of complete data.

• Year two
• FHEQ level 8
• 60 credits
• Core module
• Module lead: Marta Cioeta

Module aims
The aims of the module are to:

• pursue an area of interest and to develop a clinical specialism
• acquaint you with relevant literature and clinical research in a specialist area of practice
• develop skills in working with a particular patient population
• further your knowledge of the diverse roles within professional networks and to further your understanding of statutory frameworks
• increase the range of cases they are working with and, with the help of the supervisor, ensure they are working with a balance of ages, genders, backgrounds and presenting problems. You may gain experience in working with people from a wide range of ethnicities/heritages, including when necessary, working with translators
• develop your capacity to work with complexity, and develop your awareness of the impact of differences and trauma on the psychosocial and internal worlds of the young people and families they work with
• support you to progress in your capacity to undertake intensive casework, establishing your capacity to use supervision, including intensive case supervision
• undertake an increased range of assessments, and begin therapeutic work with parents and other specialist work
• support you in becoming more familiar with working with colleagues from different professional backgrounds, and undertaking co-working of cases, discussing cases from a psychoanalytic perspective in their multi-disciplinary team meetings

Module assessment
You are required to produce a portfolio of work, drawing on your clinical and professional practice in your training post and conceptual knowledge and skills learned during the first year of training. The portfolio will include two written assignments. The ‘Clinical Conceptualisation’ assignment comprises a 6,000 word account of clinical work linked to an area of specialist clinical practice.

The ‘Practice Based Learning’ assignment comprises a 1,500 word written task, reflecting on the experience of becoming fully engaged in long term casework, particularly the intensive training cases and associated individual supervisions, and work with parents/carers. You are also required to attend two progress review meetings, and submit associated documentation.

• Year two
• FHEQ level 8
• 30 credits
• Core module
• Module lead: Brinley Yare

Module aims
The aim of the module is to develop your ability to conceptualise, design, and undertake ethically sound small-scale quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis projects within the context of child psychotherapy in the NHS.

Module assessment
You are required to submit a 4,000 word research dissertation project proposal, demonstrating the capacity to conceptualise and design a proposal with appropriate scope, complexity, and sophistication. You must also complete an ethical application document and all associated documents appropriate to the project.

• Year three
• FHEQ level 8
• 90 credits
• Core module
• Module lead: Phillip McGill

Module aims
The aims of the module are to:

• develop the capacity to formulate psychoanalytic ideas and hypotheses in relation to the assessment of children and adolescents so as to make informed decisions about treatment
• understand the critical differences between a report of an assessment for psychotherapy and a state of mind assessment
• formulate psychoanalytic ideas and hypotheses in relation to clinical assessments and treatment and to translate these into clear, jargon-free communication in the best interests of their patients
• support you to have have an established caseload of weekly and intensive three times weekly psychotherapy cases with children and young people of different ages, genders and presenting problems, family work and therapeutic parent work
• support you in making consistent progress in your capacity to understand your patients’ communications and in your ability to respond to patients appropriately, based on a sound understanding of psychoanalytic concepts and the impact of trauma, difference and diversity such as socio-economic, ethnicity, sexuality, disability and gender on the work
• enable you to write clearly, succinctly and in a style appropriate to a range of tasks, in language that is meaningful and accessible to other professionals, young people, families and carers
• develop skills in summarising from a large amount of clinical experience/data. This is with the aim of capturing the significant and key clinical facts that are relevant to the context of the report
• develop your ability to make recommendations which are firmly based on clinical evidence and realistic, and to explain the underpinning rationale for each recommendation
• acquaint you with the tasks and structures of key external agencies and to locate the role of the child psychotherapist in complex professional networks
• support you to undertake therapeutic parent work with a parent or parental couple whose child or adolescent may or may not be in child psychotherapy treatment
• support you to be a full active member of your multi-disciplinary team, contributing to all areas of team development, and developing your clinical practice in an area of specialist interest, usually linked to their research project
• engage in joint-thinking with your service supervisors in relation to case management. There is joint reflection and discussion about the criteria for ending cases, e.g. when sufficient change has taken place in the patient
• apply learning from a Group Relations Conference to develop your understanding of power and authority in team and inter agency dynamics, and the significance of race and gender as well as other aspects of difference, in groups and organisations. You will experience and learn about this in relation to your own functioning
• develop your experience of communicating in writing with professionals in the multi-agency network on complex matters

Module assessment
You are required to produce a portfolio of work, drawing on your clinical and professional practice in your training post and conceptual knowledge and skills learned during the first year of training. The portfolio will include two written assignments. The ‘Clinical Conceptualisation’ assignment comprises three to five anonymised reports or significant letters written for external agencies, demonstrating awareness of role and task, totalling 6,000 words.

The ‘Practice Based Learning’ assignment comprises a 1,500 word written task, reflecting on the experience of being an established member of a clinical team in placement and on beginning to develop areas of particular interest or clinical specialism. You are also required to attend two progress review meetings, and submit associated documentation, and to attend a Group Relations Conference.

• Year four
• FHEQ level 8
• 90 Credits
• Core module
• Module lead: Sarina N Campbell

Module aims
The aims of the module are to:

• write a paper which demonstrates your clinical knowledge, skills and understanding, as well as your grasp of psychoanalytic theory and practice and relevant research. The paper gathers together key elements of learning from all strands of the course
• develop the clinical competencies required to become a fully qualified child and adolescent psychotherapist registered as a full member of the Association of Child Psychotherapists
• develop your teaching and supervision skills, and where possible to gain experience in the supervision of a practitioner or trainee from another professional discipline wishing to develop your understanding of how psychoanalytic ideas can enhance your practice

Module assessment
You are required to produce a portfolio of work, drawing on their clinical and professional practice in their training post and conceptual knowledge and skills learned during the first year of training. The portfolio will include two written assignments. The ‘Clinical Conceptualisation’ assignment comprises an 11,000 word clinical case study.

The ‘Practice Based Learning’ assignment comprises a 3,000 word written task, reflecting on the training programme in its entirety and thinking ahead to future plans and ambitions. You are also required to attend two progress review meetings, and submit associated documentation.

• Years two to four
• FHEQ level 8
• 180 credits
• Core module
• Module lead: Brinley Yare

Module aims
The aims of the module are to:

• develop the capacity to conceptualise and design a doctoral project that makes a small, but original, contribution to the literature and evidence base on psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
• develop the capacity to assess issues of feasibility and scope in the design of their research project and as they arise in the course of the work.
• implement their research study within the context of child psychotherapy in the NHS, so as to be able to continue to undertake these activities at an advanced level, contributing substantially to the development of new techniques, ideas, or approaches.

Module assessment
You must write a thesis comprising of 24 – 28,000 words. This may be presented either as a single dissertation or as 3 linked articles of 6 – 8,000 words each plus appropriate linking passages.