Child psychotherapist

Child psychotherapist job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Child psychotherapists work with children who are suffering from symptoms including depression, aggression, phobias, anxiety, physical/psychosomatic disorders, learning difficulties and behavioural problems. They perform controlled sessions (one-five times per week) with individuals, groups and/or families where verbal interaction, toys, puppets, dolls, art materials etc. are used to explore behaviour, attitudes and emotions. Their aim is to help children understand and address their inner conflicts. Contact with patients can be long term, sometimes over a year or more depending on the nature of the problem. Other duties include:

• liaising with professionals such as teachers, psychiatrists, psychologists, paediatric nurses, social workers, family therapists, health visitors etc;
• supervising trainees;
• keeping up-to-date with developments within the profession by attending appropriate courses, conferences and meetings.

Typical employers of child psychotherapists

• National Health Service (NHS)
• hospitals
• mental health services
• community based clinics
• schools
• child guidance clinics
• social services departments
• student health centres.

Only a few psychotherapists are self-employed and work in private practice. Opportunities are advertised via the internet, in national newspapers and a variety of publications including Opportunities, the Association of Child Psychotherapists Bulletin and NHS trusts lists of vacancies.

Qualifications and training required

All candidates wishing to work as child psychotherapists must gain an approved Association of Child Psychotherapists qualification. Relevant degree subjects include psychology, sociology, medicine, nursing, social work and teaching.

Qualification is a lengthy, expensive process – there are few grants available and training can take four-six years to complete. Consequently, many students train part-time whilst working. In addition to a relevant qualification, at least two years’ paid or voluntary experience of working with both normal and disturbed children of all ages and their families is essential. Consequently, psychotherapy is not normally a first career choice. Many people enter the profession later in life, having already been employed in a similar field.

Key skills for child psychotherapists

• resilient listening skills
• observation
• sensitivity
• sincerity
• discretion
• empathy and rapport
• positive outlook
• excellent communication skills.