Trainee Clinical Associate Psychologist | Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Are you a motivated, compassionate psychology graduate with a strong interest in child and adolescent mental health and a commitment to developing their clinical practice?

We are excited to offer a Trainee Clinical Associate Psychologist (CAP) opportunity within Dorset Healthcare CAMHS, combining academic study with the University of Bath MSc Clinical Associate Psychologist programme alongside hands-on clinical experience.

In this role, you will work under the supervision of experienced psychologists to deliver evidence-based psychological assessment and interventions for children, young people and families with a range of mental health needs. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills in formulation, assessment, and intervention, while working as part of a supportive multidisciplinary CAMHS team. This role requires the ability to balance academic study, clinical responsibilities, and personal development within a structured training pathway.

The Trainee Clinical Associate Psychologist This post is part of an 18-month funded MSc training programme with the University of Bath, where you will combine academic learning with supervised clinical practice. This is a Band 5 role whilst training, with the scope to move into a Band 6 role upon successful completion. This can be discussed at interview stage.

You will work closely with Practitioner Psychologists and the wider multidisciplinary team to develop competencies in

• Psychological assessment and formulation
• Delivering evidence-based interventions
• Working therapeutically with children, young people, and families
• Contributing to service delivery within CAMHS

The post holder will

• Undertake structured interviews, psychological assessments, and observations
• Contribute to formulation and care planning for children and young people with complex presentations
• Deliver evidence-based psychological interventions (individual and group)
• Support risk assessment and management planning
• Work collaboratively with families, schools, GPs, and partner agencies
• Maintain accurate clinical records and produce professional reports
• Contribute to audit, research, and service development activities

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary CAMHS team, promoting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

At Dorset HealthCare we’re on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We’re a dynamic, forward-looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people.

We do things differently here – it’s one of the reasons the CQC rated us ‘outstanding’ in 2019. It’s also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you’re looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities.

Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities and we celebrate diversity. We’re an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.

Working with us you’ll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don’t know. And you’ll be working towards our vision to be better every day through excellence, compassion and expertise in all we do.

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact dhc.wideningparticipation@nhs.net

Please note visa sponsorship for this role is unfortunately not available. Ensure you hold valid right to work in the UK and will not require sponsorship if successful.

This advert closes on Thursday 11 Jun 2026