THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Health in Social Science : Clinical Psychology

Postgraduate Course: Child, Adolescents and Families - Clinical Placement (CLPS12009)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Health in Social Science CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 12 (Postgraduate)
Course typePlacement AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits40 ECTS Credits20
SummaryThe CAF Clinical Placement take place predominantly in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and teams. In certain circumstances, in agreement with the Clinical Practice Director, placements may take place in specialist areas, e.g. Paediatrics, if the core competencies for the CAF Clinical Placement can be demonstrated in that specialist setting. Trainees are expected to demonstrate of range of assessment, formulation and intervention competencies with a mix of ages and presenting difficulties from typical CAMHS referrals. These interventions will also cover individual child, adolescent and parent work, as well as systemic/family and multi-agency working.
Course description a) Academic Description
The placement will take place in NHS settings under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist. There may be situations where trainees are supervised by more than one supervisor, by other Applied Psychologist(s) (e.g. Forensic, Counselling) or by member(s) of other professions according to the Programme Eligibility criteria for Supervisor which are found in the NHS and Clinical Practice Placements Handbook.

The placement will be scheduled to last for a minimum of 5-6 months and trainees will typically be on placement for 4 days each week, apart from weeks when they have teaching (see Handbook for details). During the placement, trainees are required to demonstrate principles of work relevant to clinical psychology practice and the application of evidence based practice governed by psychological models and concepts.
During CAF Clinical Placement, trainees will have 1 study day per week, apart from weeks when they are in teaching (see Handbook for details). This time is for reading and study relating to placement as well as relating to thesis and any academic coursework.

b) Outline Content
Trainees should have a range of clinical experience characteristic of that likely to be encountered in general psychological practice. Experience would include:
- Assessment procedures at individual, systemic and societal levels including behavioural cognitive and educational aspects.
- From assessment, establishing a developmentally sensitive formulation
- Experience in behavioural and cognitive approaches to treatment is considered essential. Some exposure to alternative treatment approaches is strongly recommended and might include family therapy, psychotherapy and play therapy.
- Communication skills specific to working with children and their families/carers should be a central focus of the clinical experience.
- Direct treatment with clients as well as indirect treatment where the trainee psychologist is the prime worker should be arranged. Direct contact includes the remote delivery of psychological work.
- There should be collaborative work as part of a team if possible.

c) Student Learning Experience
Trainees will be on placement in NHS settings working clinically with clients/patients. The setting may be in a Psychology Department or in other settings e.g. a multi-disciplinary or multi-agency team. Depending on the settings, trainees may be expected to work with families or carers or staff from NHS and other agencies (e.g. social services, education). Trainees will receive regular supervision from their supervisor(s) in line with guidance from professional/accrediting bodies in addition to other informal contact and input, sometimes from other Psychologists or team members. Trainees can expect to observe their supervisor(s) in line with guidance from professional/accrediting bodies during the placement. Trainees will be expected to show increasing autonomy for their work and their learning over the course of CAF Clinical Placement as they progress towards final year and qualification. Trainees will be required to be observed by their supervisor(s) in line with guidance from professional/accrediting bodies during the placement in order to receive feedback on the performance and for the supervisor to be able to evaluate their progress towards their Standard and Personalised Learning Objectives and implementation of agreed changes. Formative feedback will be provided by the placement supervisor(s) verbally in regular supervision session and, in writing, by completion of the Evaluation of Clinical Competence form prior to mid-placement visit. Verbal formative feedback will also be provided by the mid-placement visitor. Summative feedback will be provided by the placement supervisor(s) at the end of placement through completion of the Evaluation of Clinical Competence Form which is reviewed at the End of Placement Meeting.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Full Year
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 400 ( Revision Session Hours 40, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8, Placement Study Abroad Hours 600, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 0 )
Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) Course should be Level 12 not 8
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate clinical competence as applied to a range of client needs and in a variety of clinical settings in relation to: developmentally appropriate assessment, formulation, intervention and evaluation of psychological difficulties that typically present in Child and Adolescent Mental Health settings (this includes the work with families and carers).
  2. Adopt both direct and indirect modes of intervention to improve and support psychological aspects of health and social care and to evaluate their efficacy, working within a framework of evidence based practice, drawing from and developing the professional knowledge base.
  3. Build successful alliances and communicate effectively with individuals (including clients, carers, supervisor & staff) from a diverse range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds and within multi-disciplinary teams.
  4. Have a deep understanding of the developmental, systemic and social contexts within which psychological problems may develop, how environments may be modified to ameliorate problems and to have a critical overview of the policy, legislative and planning contexts of the services in which clinical practice is undertaken.
  5. Demonstrate high standards of conduct and ethical behaviour consistent with recognised guidelines for professional practice, understand the need for regular evaluation of their work, be skilled in self-reflection and self-awareness, and understand the need for continuing professional development after qualification.
Reading List
Books
Carr A. (2006) The Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology: A Contextual Approach. Routledge, London.
Carr A. (2006) Family Therapy: Concepts, Process and Practice. John Wiley, Chichester.
Dallos, R. & Draper, R. (2005) An Introduction to Family Therapy: Systemic Theory and Practice. Open University Press, Maidenhead.
Daniel B., Wassell, S. & Gilligan, R. (2010) Child Development for Child Care and Protection Workers. Jessica Kingsley, London.
Herbert, M. & Harper-Dorton, K.V. (2002) Working with Children, Adolescents and their Families, Third Edition. BPS Blackwell, Oxford.
Howe D., Brandon, M., Hinings, D. & Schofield, G. (1999) Attachment Theory, Child Maltreatment and Family Support. Palgrave, New York.
Kendall, P.C. (2006) Child and Adolescent Therapy: Cognitive Behavioural Procedures. Guildford, New York.
Phares, V. (2007) Understanding Abnormal Child Psychology. John Wiley, New York.
Rutter, M., Bishop, D., Pine, D. & Scott, S. (2010) (Rutter's) Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford.
Sameroff A.J., Lewis, M. & Miller, S.M. (2000) Developmental Psychopathology. Plenum Publishers, New York.

Journals
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Development and Psychopathology
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Child Abuse and Neglect
Journal of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Trainees completing CAF Clinical Placement will have been required to demonstrate a range of attributes and personal and professional skills in line with the HCPC Standards of Proficiency for Practitioner Psychologists, the HCPC Standards of Conduct and Ethics for Students and the Required Learning Outcomes of the BPS Accreditation Criteria for Clinical Psychology Training Programmes.
KeywordsClinical Psychology,Clinical Practice,Psychological Disorders,Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Contacts
Course organiserDr Amy McArthur
Tel:
Email: Amy.McArthur@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Timothy Abbot
Tel: (0131 6)50 8498
Email: Tim.Abbot@ed.ac.uk
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