Postgraduate Certificate in Working With the 0-2 Age Group Pathway

The formal aims of the programme are to:

Provide high quality training in the core therapy skills relevant to working with 0-2s. This will be done by presenting the relevant theoretical bases of the therapies alongside research evidence of their effectiveness to enable students to develop an understanding of the links between research in the relevant areas of psychological science and practical applications of these therapies.

Provide training consistent with all current key governmental objectives for the CYP Psychological Trainings project, including training in ‘evidence-based practice’ and the provision of ‘lifelong learning’. As the Certificate is a postgraduate qualification programme, suitable for health, mental health and social care professionals with suitable knowledge and experience, the programme aims to develop and extend professional competence in all relevant professions.

Specifically, to be consistent with the National Department of Health priorities for mental health. To create a pool of suitably qualified graduates, trained to standards meeting with the provision of services as specified by the National Service Framework for Mental Health (National Health Service Executive). The National Service Framework promotes the training of staff and the need for the increased provision of evidence-based psychotherapy to service users.

Provide practical support, guidance and supervision in the practice of therapies delivered to 0-2s and their parents/carers and to help programme participants to develop the clinical skills necessary for working with this client group.

Ensure that all graduates of the programme meet recognised minimum clinical competence in working with 0-2s for early relational difficulties.

You cannot apply directly to the training centre for this course.

Eligible applicants will be working within Northwest CYP Psychological Trainings Collaborative. Recruitment is a joint process with collaborative partners. 

This innovative programme is designed for professionals who work with infants and child at risk of mental health problems across a variety of settings. This includes Health Visitors, Early Education Workers, Psychologists, Social Workers, Early Years Family Workers etc.

Eligibility criteria for the PG Certificate is a registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level; health visiting, midwifery, nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or within a psychological therapy or Evidence of meeting the Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) requirements of BABCP Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (babcp.com)

Candidates should ideally have a minimum of 2 years of working in a core profession within an early years, infant mental health and/or family work setting or the ability to evidence of a minimum of 4 years of equivalent knowledge and skills.   Applicants should also have an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification (level 6) or be able to demonstrate competency to work at a postgraduate level through an essay after interview. In addition they should be in a position to influence transformation within their organisation. Candidates will require support from employing organisation.  Applicants will complete an application form and will then later be invited to interview. 

The Northwest CYP Psychological Trainings Collaborative is a partnership between The University of Manchester, Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust and over 70 providers and commissioning bodies of children and young people’s mental health services across NHS, Local Authority and Voluntary sectors working in the Northwest, Yorkshire and West Midlands.

It’s one of five Learning Collaboratives across England that are part of the CYP Psychological Trainings country-wide transformation programme. The collaborative seeks to improve services through better evidence based practice, better collaborative practice, authentic participation and better use of feedback and clinical outcomes across all services.

The training component is in the form of lectures, workshops and supervision of clinical practice. Following the initial induction period (usually 3 days a week over a fortnight) and the 2-day AVIG Initial Training Course, attendance is weekly, on mainly 1.5 days per week over three 10-week terms. Students on the Working with 0-2s pathway will largely be in teaching and supervision on a Thursday and Friday.

Internal recruitment : Speak to your local CYP Psychological Trainings Lead in the first instance if you wish to apply, if you do not know who this is, please speak to your service manager. You will need the support of your service manager before applying. Services apply for funded places as early as May for the following January so plan ahead. Application forms are available via CYP Psychological Trainings Leads within Children & Young People’s services across the Northwest Collaborative from August.  Completed application forms with Service Manager and the CYP Psychological Trainings Lead approval should be sent to the CYP Psychological Trainings Lead. They then send them on to the Training Centre. This process happens annually opening in late summer and closing early autumn. Applications must be funded either with service/CCG approval if they are funding the course, or with a confirmed Recruit to Train place from NHSE (confirmed by the CYP Psychological Trainings Lead). Applicants are invited to interview through the autumn in preparation for the course starting in January.

Applications sent directly to the training centre by the applicant will not be accepted.

External recruitment : Training posts are advertised by services through the summer and autumn for the January intake. Training posts are usually 1-year contracts initially to cover the length of the course. Applying for the post and for the course is a combined process with a joint interview. Applicants must be in post and able to attend the training for the commencement of the course.

The Training Centre does not have any involvement with the advertising of these posts.

We are happy to answer questions related to the course itself, but unfortunately are unable to provide any general career advice.