Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP) Apprentice

Job overview

We are recruiting for an exciting Band 5 Clinical Associates in Psychology CAP apprenticeship post. Clinical Associates in Psychology fill an identified skills gap between assistant psychologists and qualified clinical psychologists. CAPs are trained to work with a particular service user group and in this case with adults with severe and enduring mental health problems. They are able to practice autonomously with appropriate support, working within their scope of practice, under the supervision of a registered clinical psychologist. CAPs work with specific populations and therefore provide a more prescribed range of activities than Clinical Psychologists. The purpose of this role is to provide high quality, evidence-based psychological interventions to service users. The CAP Apprenticeship is an eighteen-month full-time training divided between work-based experience (up to 4 days per week) and academic teaching and study, which leads to a Masters level qualification.

Main duties of the job

Work placements will be within South West Essex Adult Community Psychological (SW ACP) Service. The expected start for the apprenticeship is October 2025. The SW ACP Service comprises of qualified Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Assistant Psychologists, support workers and peer support workers who contribute to the multidisciplinary team. The post holders will be fully integrated within multi-disciplinary teams in South West Essex, therefore they will work alongside a variety of experienced professionals from different backgrounds, including community mental health nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, support workers and employment specialists.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We are particularly keen to hear from applicants with a Psychology degree who have a commitment to working in the local region, from those with diverse backgrounds and from people who bring lived experience relevant to mental health work. Ideally we would wish to recruit someone with familiarity in working with people experiencing mental health problems or within a multi-disciplinary team. The Clinical Associate in Psychology role is a new psychology career path in its own right, therefore the selection process will aim to recruit those suitable for and committed to training for this role. If successful in their training, on qualification, CAPs will be eligible to apply for a Band 6 CAP role.

Please note that since April 2022 if you are successful in being selected to undertake the CAP apprenticeship training, in line with national Health Education England policy, you will not be eligible to access further HEE funded training (including the doctorate in clinical psychology) for at least two years after completion of the original CAP training. Further information on the main responsibilities can be found in the job description.