Improving Access to Psychological Theraphies (IAPT)

Children and Young People’s IAPT Therapy graduates Zoe Kattah, CommUNITY Barnet, and Faith Unoarumhi, Aidexcel, have both achieved their postgraduate qualification this summer from the University of Reading and University College London respectively. Both postgraduate training courses, Enhanced Evidence Based Practice and Parent Training in Children and Young People’s IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) are part of the NHS transformation programme to improve the effectiveness of psychological services for children and young people.

This is great news for children, young people and families in Barnet, and also for us here at CommUNITY Barnet.

"Young People Will Be Able To Access Mental Health Services Early"

Julie Pal, Chief Executive, Community Barnet, is really excited about the opportunities that this present; ‘I am really proud to see how the sector has embraced this opportunity to extend its capacity building through the IAPT training. Most importantly, Barnet children, young people and their families will be able to access mental and emotional wellbeing services early as more Children’s Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (CWPs) are trained within the sector.’ The curriculum provided trainees, who become CWPs, with theoretical and practical skills based on social learning theory based interventions. These interventions help assess and treat children with severe conduct problems and ADHD (recommended by NICE) using the latest evidence based practice. As part of the qualification, Faith and Zoe are also trained in the Incredible Years Pre-school and School Aged programmes for groups, and advanced individualised parenting for high risk, complex family situations.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy As part of our continuing commitment to improving the lives of Barnet’s children and young people, Jo Domingo, CommUNITY Barnet, is undertaking the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) postgraduate course at King's College, London. This means that Barnet will have three qualified community IAPT therapists who can provide short-term clinical support for our young people which can complement other therapeutic interventions therapies that are available from Barnet’s children and young people’s voluntary and community sector.

What Does This Mean for the Sector?

The IAPT training enables Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners to offer brief (6-8 weeks) low intensity evidence based interventions to children and young people struggling with low level anxiety and depression. This collaborative approach helps them gain a better understanding of anxiety, worry and low mood, as well as why they feel and think the way they do. Through therapy, they will gain skills to help them feel and cope better.

Further information about the 2017 training, funding and how to apply will be circulated in the next few weeks. In the meantime, you can find out more about CYP IAPT and the postgraduate training offers here.

To find out more or refer a child or young person for this brief CBT based therapy, contact Jo or Zoe at Community Barnet on 020 8364 8400.

To find out more about the individualised parenting or refer a family, please email Faith at Aidexcel Services, or email Zoe at Community Barnet.