PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
Postgraduate Diploma Child and Young Person IAPT Therapy
Final award (BSc, MA
etc):
Postgraduate Diploma
(where stopping off points exist
they should be detailed here and
defined later in the document)
UCAS code:
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this
programme
specification is
applicable:
January 2015
(e.g. from 2008 intake onwards)
Awarding
institution/body:
University College London
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Brain Sciences
Parent Department:
Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Research Department of Clinical
Educational and Health Psychology
(the department responsible for the
administration of the programme)
Departmental web page
address:
(if applicable)
Method of study:
Full time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to
the programme:




Length of the programme:
(please note any
periods spent away
from UCL, such as
study abroad or
placements in industry)
Level on Framework for
Higher Education
Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
A second class honours degree from a UK university, or an overseas qualification
of an equivalent standard obtained after a programme of study extending over
not less than three years in a university (or educational institution of university
rank), in an appropriate subject (Psychology or related)
A registerable professional qualification appropriate to the programme awarded
by a UK university (medicine, clinical psychology, social work)
or a professional qualification of an equivalent standard appropriate to the
programme awarded by a university outside the UK
or a professional or other qualification obtained by a formal examination and
approved by the Institute.
12 months
Relevant subject
benchmark statement
(SBS)
(see Guidance notes)
Psychology
Brief outline of the
structure of the
programme and its
assessment methods:
(see guidance notes)
Module
Module 1:
CYP IAPT Model
and Basic Skills
60 Credits
Module 2A:
CBT for Anxiety in
Children and
Adolescents
30 Credits
Module 2B:
CYP IAPT CBT for
Depression in
Children and
Adolescents
30 Credits
Module 3:
CYP IAPT Parent
Training for
Conduct Problems
60 Credits
Module 4A:
Systemic Family
Practice: Basic
Skills
30 Credits
Module 4B:
Systemic Family
Practice: Eating
Disorders
30 Credits
Module 4C:
Systemic Family
Practice:
Depression & Self
Harm
15 Credits
Module 4D:
Systemic Family
Practice: Conduct
Disorders
15 Credits
Module 5:
Interpersonal
Psychotherapy for
Adolescents
60 Credits
Assignment
One case report (4,000
words)
Oral presentation and
written assignment (1,000
words)
Oral presentation and
written assignment (2,500
words)
One case report (3,000
words)
Oral presentation and
written assessment (2,000
words)
One written case report
(3,000 words)
Oral Presentation and
written assessment (2,000
words)
Case reports (two x 2,500
words) and one group
report (3,000 words)
Oral assessment and
written assignment (3,000
words)
Essay (3,500 words)
Weighting
50%
30%
20%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
Clinical log (3,500 words)
50%
Written case study (5,000
words)
70%
Clinical log (2,000 words)
30%
Written case study (3,500
words)
100%
Written case study (3,500
words)
100%
One case
conceptualization (4,000
words) and one case study
(2,000 words)
50%
Oral assessment and
reflective analysis (3,000
50%
words)
All students will complete Module 1: CYP IAPT Model and Core Skills, and then will complete
one of the following pathways:

Modules 2A & 2B

Module 3

Module 4A & 4B

Module 4A, 4C & 4D

Module 5
Board of Examiners:
i) Name of Board of Examiners:
PG Diploma In Child and Young Person IAPT Therapy
Professional body
accreditation
(if applicable):
N/A
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
The Child and Young Person’s (CYP IAPT) programme is a Department of Health initiative to improve
access to psychological therapies. This programme was established in 2011 and has since established a
number of CYP IAPT training sites, focusing specifically in the first instance on CBT for Internalising
Problems (Anxiety and Depression) and Parent Training for Conduct Problems, with a later addition of
Systemic Family Practice (Eating Disorders & Depression and Conduct Disorders) and Interpersonal
Psychotherapy for Adolescents in 2014.
In the Comprehensive Spending Review announced in May 2011, the coalition government released £40
million over the next five years to train existing therapists working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Services (CAMHS) with the intention to improve the access and capacity of psychological therapy within
CAMHS. The College is in a strong position to respond positively to this initiative by establishing a
Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Young Person IAPT Therapy, as well as shorter, related certificates
for clinical supervisors and service leaders (in related documentation).
Students applying for the PG Dip in Child and Young Person IAPT Therapy will be experienced CAMHS
professionals with some experience of CBT, Parent Training, Systemic Family Practice or Interpersonal
Psychotherapy for Adolescents.
The overall aim of the programme is to provide specialist post-qualification training for Child and
Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) workers within the CYP IAPT model, following the curriculum
specified by the Department of Health (www.iapt.nhs.uk/children-and-young-peoples-iapt/cyp-nationalcurriculum/).
Specific aims are:


To equip students with a critical understanding of the CYP IAPT model of service change, outcome
monitoring, and fundamentals of evidence based psychological therapies to common mental health
problems in childhood and adolescence (anxiety, depression, and conduct problems). This will be
taught within a compulsory module of 60 units.
To equip students with a critical understanding of the theoretical frameworks and research evidence
of either
o CBT for Internalising Disorders (Anxiety and Depression) as they present in children and
adolescents, in addition to providing intensive and detailed CBT skills training, or
o Parent Training for Conduct Problems as they present in children and adolescents, in addition to
providing intensive and detailed Parent Training skills training. or
o Systemic Family Practice as it relates to children and adolescents presenting with either Eating
Disorders (60 Credits) or Conduct Disorders / Depression and Self Harm (60 Credits).
o Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents
These modules aim to equip students to become skilled and creative independent practitioners of one of
the following:


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CBT for Internalising Disorders
Parent Training for Conduct Problems
Systemic Family Practice for Eating Disorders
Systemic Family Practice for Conduct Disorder and Depression and Self Harm
Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
The programme provides a knowledge
and understanding of the following:
These are achieved through the following
teaching/learning methods and strategies:
 CYP IAPT model for service change
and delivery, including assessment,
outcome measurement, service user
involvement, and application of evidence
based psychological therapies
 Core competencies for working with
children and young people
 Understanding of the ethical issues
involved in working with children &
adolescents
 Fundamental principles and methods of
CBT for internalising disorders.
 Fundamental principles and methods of
Parent Training for conduct problems
 Fundamental principles and methods of
Systemic Family Practice
 Fundamental principles and methods of
Interpersonal Psychotherapy for
Adolescents
-



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Lectures
Workshops
Reading and preparation
Practice tutor groups
Assessment:


Log book of clinical activity and
supervision during the programme, to
include reflective analysis on reports of
feedback from supervisors and young
people and/or parents on their experience
of the therapy offered, and reflective
analysis on a summary report of the
therapist’s clinical outcomes over the
training period.
Oral presentations
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:






Demonstrate proficiency in assessing
and formulating common mental
health problems in childhood and
adolescence, via the use of selfreport, parental/other-report,
observation, questionnaire and
interview methods.
Be proficient in providing basic
cognitive-behavioural formulation of
internalising problems and basic
formulation of conduct problems
using the Parent Training model, in
both written and oral formats.
Be proficient in providing ONE of:
- advanced formulation of conduct
problems using Parent Training
- advanced CBT formulation of
internalising problems
- advanced Systemic Family
Practice with either Eating
disorders OR conduct disorders
and depression and self harm.
- advanced Interpersonal
Psychotherapy for Adolescents
Lectures
Workshops
Practice tutor groups
Assessment:

Written case reports
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical Skills (able to)




Demonstrate proficiency in basic CBT
techniques and basic Parent Training
techniques
Demonstrate proficiency in ONE of
the following:
- advanced CBT techniques
- advanced Parent Training
techniques
- advanced Systemic Family
Practice techniques
- advanced Interpersonal
Psychotherapy for Adolescent
techniques.
Demonstrate capacity to make
theory-practice links and to integrate
outcomes information into practice.
Be able to produce clearly written,
appropriately referenced case-reports
describing and demonstrating the
implementation of advanced
interventions with a child or
adolescent (preferably both).
Ab
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:




Clinical practice with on-going cases
Lectures
Seminars
Practice tutor groups
Assessment:




Audio or audio/visual recordings of therapy
Oral case presentation
Written reflective analyses
Written case reports
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Database searching, communication and
presentation skills, writing skills.

Direct teaching of database searching by
staff; communication, writing, and
presentation skills are taught and practiced
in supervision, via written assignments,
and through oral case presentations.
Assessment:
 Written assignments and oral
presentations.
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
 the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Framework-Higher-Education-Qualifications-08.pdf);
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmarkstatements);
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
The Programme is integral to the College’s response to the Department of Health’s call on 13 June 2011
for tenders from HEIs to provide specialist post-qualification training for CAMHS workers within the CYP
IAPT model, following the curriculum specified by the Department of Health (www.iapt.nhs.uk/childrenand-young-peoples-iapt/cyp-national-curriculum/). A new Draft Curriculum was released by the
Department of Health on 24th May 2013. This revised PIQ reflects that changes outlined in the revised
IAPT curriculum and framework.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and
the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if
he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. Further detailed information
on the learning outcomes, content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course
unit/module can be found in the departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information
contained in this document is reviewed annually by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance
Agency.
Programme Organiser(s)
Dr Peter Fuggle and Professor Eamon McCrory
Name(s):
Date of Production:
Date of Review:
30th October 2014
Date approved by Head of
Department:
October 2014
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
October 2014
November 2014