Mental Health Practitioner Trainee– Autism Spectrum Condition or Learning Difficulties (ASC/LD)
This is a 1-year fixed term contract. The successful candidate must be able to start the post on 11 th January 2027.
Step2 is an Early Intervention Child and Young People's Mental Health Service working towards improving the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people in Hertfordshire.
We have an exciting opportunity for a CYP Psychological Trainings: Therapy Trainee (ASC/LD) to join our team as part of the NHS England (NHSE) funded Children and Young People (CYP) Psychological Training Programmes. This government-funded initiative promotes the growth and skill of the child mental health workforce to meet much needed demand. NHSE covers salary and training costs for a 1-year position, allowing services to employ trainees to support specialist pathways to bridge the gaps in CYP mental health support. This is a unique opportunity to apply your learning from weekly teaching into practical clinical interventions working with clients in the service making a direct impact in the lives of children, young people and their families.
- Proposed interview date: 22nd September 2026*
Course start date: 18th January 2027.
The post holder will be expected to have 2.5 days a week for academic work (teaching and personal study) and 2.5 days based at the service seeing clients (children, young people, and carers) related to training assignments.
Information about the course content and the different modalities can be found on the Anna Freud webpage: https://www.annafreud.org/ucl-postgraduate-study/ucl-postgraduate-programmes/child-and-young-person-iapt-therapy-pg-dip/
For full details see the attached documents: Job Description & Person Specification, Full advert and UCL CYP PT Therapy - Application Guidance for Candidates .
This is a dual application process. You must also complete a UCL application for the Course Team to review. You will only be offered a UCL training place if you are successful in securing this post and you meet the university training requirements.
Candidates who have not applied to the university by the closing date of this advert will not be eligible for offer of an interview.
Online applications for the UCL training are made on the UCL application portal via the following link:
https://evision.ucl.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login_enc?0qhYzuG1h9udTFM8i9sPhtGiUgIR6D6iP0QBDHq24aUE7Anl4FtDGBDmc3LlBtzaLnpmgGfEEG0=
This vacancy will close early if we receive a high volume of applications.
A big thank you for considering joining us at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust.
You’ll find it a great place to work with many benefits offered to you as a member of our staff.
We put our patients, their families and carers at the centre of our vision - Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities.
Our staff are proud to be Pioneering, Caring and Inclusive in their work to help achieve the Trust vision.
We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds.
We don’t want you to miss out so we’d like you to know that if we have a high level of interest in this role, the vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date, so please make your application as soon as possible - Apply now.
You can apply to Access to Work to get money for communication support at a job interview - please use this link for more information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-communication-support-at-a-job-interview-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition-access-to-work
The use of AI is monitored and if you have used it then you are required to declare this, as well as what type of AI tools you have used and for what purpose. We reserve the right to further test your individual knowledge and skills in relation to the requirements for the post through robust and thorough interview and assessment.
We will communicate any interview arrangements with applicants via e-mail so it is advisable that you check the email address you give on your application on a regular basis.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band. All new appointments (excluding Medical & Dental roles) are subject to a 13 week probation period.
We are proud to be an armed forces friendly employer and support the employment of the armed forces community, including veterans, spouses and partners. For more information, contact
[email protected]
Staff are required to hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use with business insurance (unless the member of staff has a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
HCT will prioritise recruitment of workers living in England under the new immigration rules for care workers effective from 9 April 2025. Employers must first prove that they have attempted to recruit a worker from within England who needs new sponsorship. This ensures that those who came to the UK to pursue a career in adult social care can do so.
