We have two new MA courses that we are going to be running at Pen Green. The courses are taught by The Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust at Pen Green and are accredited by the University of Essex.

MA in Working with Children, Young People and Families: a Psychoanalytic Approach (M7)

This course, taught by experienced child psychotherapists, is designed to enhance professional work with children, young people and their carers. It is the pre-requisite course for the M80 training in Professional Doctorate in Psychoanalytic child and adolescent psychotherapy. Learning is rooted in detailed observation understood within a psychoanalytic framework.

The course aims to:

  • Develop students’ skills in baby and child observation and in applying observation in a work setting
  • Develop understanding of human development informed by a psychoanalytic approach and child development research
  • Provide a wider frame of reference for thinking about current work
  • Enhance students’ capacity to make decisions about career development

On successful completion of the course students will be awarded an MA. The following awards are also available: Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma.

The course will be taught over two years involving every other Saturday morning on site at Pen Green in Corby and supplemented by fortnightly webinars, online reading and telephone tutoring. The entry requirements for the course are as follows:

  • At least one year of prior experience (paid or voluntary) directly working with children and/or adolescents and/or families
  • Currently undertaking direct work with children, young people, parents or families, for a minimum of one to two days per week
  • First degree or equivalent, or able to demonstrate the ability to meet the academic demands of the course

This course is particularly interesting for:

  • Teachers
  • Teaching Assistants
  • Nurses
  • Doctors
  • Healthcare Assistants
  • Psychologists
  • Family Support Workers
  • Family, child and adolescent mental health professionals
  • Social workers
  • Youth justice and community youth workers

PG Cert in Child, Adolescent and Family Well-being: Multidisciplinary Practice (D24)

This innovative course introduces the fundamental aspects of child, adolescent and family mental healthcare and practice, and is informed by both psychodynamic and systemic theory. The course was awarded the ‘Excellence in multi-professional education and training 2014’ by Health Education North Central and East London, and Peter Griffiths, the course tutor, was awarded ‘Trainer of the Year’ award in the same year.

The course aims to:

  • Enable students to develop a theoretical framework for understanding child, adolescent and family development and family functioning that will inform their practice
  • Gain advanced knowledge, clinical capabilities and skills in working with children, adolescents and their families, drawing upon both psychodynamic and systemic theories
  • Develop the capacity to undertake informed early assessment, skilful and effective preliminary work and/or the knowledge how and where to refer children, young people and families for more specialist treatment from other services
  • Develop a framework for understanding the organisational dynamics of childcare and mental health and in particular, the factors that can impede effective communication
  • Enable enhanced professional expertise, particularly in working with unconscious and systemic processes in families and organisations

On successful completion of the course students will be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate.

The course will be taught over two years involving every other Saturday morning on site at Pen Green in Corby and supplemented by fortnightly webinars, online reading and telephone tutoring. The entry requirements for the course are as follows:

  • At least two years of practical experience in work with children and families since qualification- preferably more
  • A first degree, degree equivalent, or evidence of other relevant post-registration education/experience
  • Currently working in a full-time or part-time post (paid or voluntary) with children and/or families experiencing difficulties, be they behavioural, emotional or psychological
  • Students will need to bring examples of work for discussion and reflecting during the lifetime of the course

This course is particularly interesting for:

  • Those working in the field of child, adolescent or family mental health, and wishing to improve their knowledge and capabilities
  • Counsellors
  • Social Workers
  • Nurses
  • Education professionals
  • Psychotherapists/Occupational Therapists/Creative Arts Therapists
  • Child and adolescent primary mental healthcare workers/CAMHS practitioners

For further information on how to apply please contact: 01536 443435 or email: