European Interdisciplinary Association for Therapy with Children and Young People

Document 2: TRAINING STANDARDS

Preface

For a period of five years, ending December 1^st 2013, EIATCYP accredited Member Organisations may consider registration for those of their clinical members who have worked with children and young people for several years, through grandparent procedures. However in the line with developments in several European countries the following training standards take effect from September1^st, 2008 for those who wish to work with children and young people.

Ethics and Anti Oppressive Practice

Policy Statement

EIATCYP recognises and respect the child’s individual human rights including the right to self-determination, within reasonable levels of their need for safety, protection and care and in accordance with the law relating to Child Protection and the rights or parents and carers.

EIATCYP recognises and acknowledges the need to value the validity of a child’s subjective experience and appreciates that their creative adjustments are their best possible ‘way of being’, in the circumstances. This may, and frequently does manifest in ways that are challenging and difficult for others.  EIATCYP acknowledges the child alone is rarely, if ever, the sole problem.

EIATCYP encourages and promotes awareness of  power issues in the  therapeutic relationship; the nature of the clinicians own process, conscious and unconscious,  with regard to dependency and vulnerability of the child’s physical emotional, psychological needs.

EIATCYP requires Member Organisations to promote non-discriminatory practice in terms of race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation and disability, which permeate the child’s life, and with regard to the experience of children and young people in the context of the wider field: socio political, cultural and ecological.

EIATCYP requires Member Organisations to have a published equal opportunities policy that aims to ensure that no candidate in training, or any applicant positions receives less favourable treatment on grounds that cannot be shown to be justified.

EIATCYP recognises and encourages the development of the capacity for reflexive practice including the maturity to recognise when the therapist should seek other professional advice and support.

1. EIATCYP Member Organisations are required to have training programmes 

     that:

• will enable the trainee clinician to identify and work with a child at a level  consistent with the child’s experience, developmental phase and needs.

• supports and challenges the trainee to work with the child to develop their skills and resources to engag realistically with their life situation and to  help realise their potential.

• promote multidisciplinary work with children, along with the necessity for inter and intra-professional dialogue, cooperation and collaboration.

• require trainees address issues of personal development in training through  individual personal therapy throughout a training programme and on a weekly basis.

2. Entry requirements to EIATCYP accredited training programmes

 2.1       Candidates for training in EIATCYP Member Organisations will possess a stable personality able to sustain a therapeutic  relationship and a level of emotional warmth and competency in relation to children and young people.

2.2      Candidates for training in EIATCYP Member Organisations will have the potential to identify and contain personal issues arising from engaging in  therapeutic work with children.

2.3       A personal life compatible with the value base and professional ethics of a  relational developmental model.

2.4       Entry to training is at post graduate level or equivalent level that will support candidates to cope satisfactorily with the academic demands of EIATCYP accredited training programmes.    

2.5       If there is any uncertainty about a candidate’s academic capacity for training  then EIATCYP Member Organisations procedures for the  accreditation of prior learning (APL) can be applied. This can include provision of a  candidate’s CV, a portfolio of relevant work  with children, formal and informal  education, and references from an appropriate person(s). In addition, a written project of a minimum 2,000 words relating to psychotherapy can be required by the EIATCYP Member Organisation, at their discretion.

2.6      A minimum two References

2.7       Enhanced police check (current and clear)

2.8      Interview(s) must be conducted by senior teaching members of EIATCYP Member Organisations

3.Core curriculum

The EIATCYP agreed core curriculum is intended to support trainees to achieve a clear grasp of the  relational developmental approach  underpinning the practice of child psychotherapy or psychotherapeutic counselling as conceptualised and taught by the EIATCYP Member Organisation from assessment to termination. The curriculum will be subject to change subject to periodic review and revision by the EIATCYP Board in the light of developments in the field.

3.1 EIATCYP Member Organisations may provide training and development in child psychotherapy and/or psychotherapeutic counselling to:

• graduate psychotherapists (and psychotherapeutic counsellors) who already have clinical experience in working with adults. Areas of knowledge and understanding are conceptualised and delivered over a minimum of 18 to 24 months.
• Trainees with a relevant first degree or equivalent who meet the entry requirements above and will pursue a programme lasting a minimum four years for accreditation as a psychotherapy working with children and young people.
• Trainees with a relevant first degree or equivalent who meet the entry requirements above and will purse a programme lasting a minimum three years for accreditation as a psychotherapist working with children and young people.

3.2 Themes and subject areas underpinning the core assumptions of a relational developmental approach shall include:

Pre birth and birth transition

• Creative adjustments
• Life Script
• Interpersonal relations (repetition and/or reparation)
• Theory of change from a relational developmental perspective

• Family, Community and School
• Special Educational Needs, Emotional, Social & Behavioural Difficulties
• Mental Health issues

• Attachment theory
• Theories of Child and Adolescent Development
• Shame and Envy
• Neuroscience

• Assessment/Risk Assessment, Diagnosis
• Termination  of therapy including premature endings
• Child protection legislation
• Interdisciplinary and Multi-agency Working with emphasis on appropriate procedures  and protocols for information sharing
• Supervision
• Anti oppressive practice

3.2       Supervision hours and clinical practice hours will in vary length vary according to which of the three types of programme a trainee is enrolled. 

• for Training at post qualification level, that is, where admission to an accredited  programme requires the candidate already be a practising Psychotherapist/Psychotherapeutic Counsellor with Adults, training shall not

            normally be shorter than 18 to 24 months, requiring 200 hours of clinica  practice and a minimum 60 hours of supervision.

• for trainees on an accredited four year programme the requirement is a minimum 450 hours clinical practice and 150 hours of supervision.

• for trainees on an accredited three year psychotherapeutic counselling programme the requirement is a minimum of 300 clinical practice hours and 100 supervision hours.

3.3       Trainees on EIATCYP accredited programmes are required to undergo their own personal therapy on a weekly basis for the duration of their training programme irrespective of previous therapy undertaken. This is considered a  fundamental ethical requirement, given that  the curriculum and accompanying  training experiences will stimulate and re- stimulate past and current personal issues.       

3.4       The accredited training programme must adhere to the EIATCYP Code of  Ethics and Professional Practice.

3.5       The rights of students are to be safeguarded through:

• EIATCYP approved procedures and processes of quality assurance
• EIATCYP approved Complaints Procedure
• EIATCYP approved Grievance procedure
• EIATCYP approved Equal Opportunities Policy.

3.6       Trainees and staff of all EIATCYP Member Organisations are required to  familiarise themselves with the EIATCYP approved Health & Safety policy and procedures.