Whole Team Development: Children and Young People’s Mental Health Inpatient Unit Programme
A training programme for CAMHS Inpatient Units across the Midlands, North East and Yorkshire and Humber region, designed and facilitated by experienced CAMHS cliniciansOur programme blends 10 live training days with additional e‑learning to meet the national curriculum, focusing on collaboration, therapeutic relationships and psychologically safe team cultures. Delivered by Associate Development Solutions (ADS) in partnership with NHS England Workforce Training and Education.
Format
10 online training days
plus additional e-learning modules
Duration
12-day national curriculum
delivered over 3 months
Date
Cohorts commence January, March and September
Who this is for
Whole inpatient multidisciplinary teams working with children and young people’s mental health (CYPMH) across the Midlands, North East and Yorkshire and Humber. Senior team member attendance is encouraged to embed learning and support a psychologically safe culture.
Entry requirements
Places must be requested through the NHSE WTE Demand Scoping exercise, in coordination with your Trust’s Chief Psychological Professions Officer. Unit managers decide who can attend and when, so please consult your unit manager.
Why this programme
NHS England Workforce Training and Education has commissioned ADS to design and deliver this training programme in accordance with the Inpatient CAMHS Whole Team Training national curriculum. The initiative aims to facilitate consistent practices across teams, fostering collaborative, needs-led care and driving outcome-informed improvements.
What you’ll learn (curriculum at a glance)
- Collaboration: care planning, participation, outcome measures, team working, needs‑led service design.
- Developing a therapeutic relationship: core skills and formulation to support young people.
- Developing psychological safety within the unit culture for staff, young people and families.
Curriculum by session
National curriculum delivered over 12 days. The Midlands CYP MH Inpatient Training Team provides 10 live online training days; the remaining study time is completed via e‑learning modules. Attendees must complete the ‘Least Restrictive Practice’ e‑learning before the first live day.
Live training curriculum
Day 1: Setting the scene
Programme overview and learning contract. Understanding the role of self-awareness and reflection within all clinical roles, alignment of personal and organisation’s core values, CYP MH service transformation principles.
Day 2: Focus on the child
Core skills and developing a therapeutic relationship, rapport building and NLP.
Formulation as a collaborative approach.
Day 3: Focus on the child
Prevalence of mental health problems, attitudes towards mental health, cultural awareness and diversity. Brain development, attachment theory and application to inpatient setting.
Day 4: Focus on the child
Person centred care, participation including outcome measures and trauma informed approaches to care.
Day 5: Team effectiveness
Key components of effective team practice, and staff development and support, including getting the most out of your clinical supervision.
Day 6: Introduction to system working
Exploring group dynamics, conflict management and effective challenging.
Day 7: Introduction to specific clinical presentations
Neurodiversity, OCD, psychosis and person-centred care approach in the context of recovery. Addressing Stigma as part of inpatient care interventions.
Day 8: Introduction to system working
Collaborative practices to promote effective outcomes and discharge planning. Developing our professional development plan.
Days 9 & 10: Eating Disorder Management
Enhances clinicians understanding of the similarities and differences between clinical eating disorder; provides insight and understanding of the risks associated with eating disorders and safe management; develops confidence in the core therapeutic skills when working with eating disorders; provides a safe and engaging learning experience for attendees to share and learn about current best practice.
E‑learning modules
Access to eLearning modules is provided for up to 12 weeks after the live training. Recommended minimum of three additional e‑learning programmes to be completed in work time. Topics include (selection):
- Creating Emotionally Intelligent Environments
- The Amazing Developing Brain
- Persuasion
- Developing Emotional Resilience
- Working with Diversity and Inclusion
- Least Restrictive Practice
- Understanding and Contributing Stigma
- Understanding and Working with Young People with Depression
Delivery and time commitment
Live sessions are delivered on Microsoft Teams. Training runs from 9:15am to 4pm.
Mentorship and consolidation of practice
Each attendee is assigned a unit mentor during the live training and for up to two months afterwards while e‑learning is completed. The focus of this role is to support attendees develop their clinical practice based on their learnings from the programme.
Units’ forums for reflective learning (individual or group) can be utilised to support this key component of the attendees learning experience. It is recommended that meetings are held fortnightly, subject to staffing capacity; mentors provide mid‑programme feedback.
Price
Places are fully funded by NHS England Workforce Training and Education and are available to healthcare workers and all professional groups working within clinical health care organisations across the Midlands Region, the North East, and Yorkshire and Humber region in an inpatient setting.
Your trainers
Amanda Newman
Clinical Lead
Amanda Newman is a CAMHS clinician, service leader and executive coach with more than 30 years’ NHS experience.
She is a Registered Mental Health Nurse and ILM Level 7 coach, with expertise in CAMHS, eating disorders, early psychosis and safeguarding.
Amanda has led inpatient CAMHS development programmes for nine years, focusing on collaborative practice and compassionate leadership, and uses a coaching approach to support sustainable improvements for young people and families.
Paul Anderton
Trainer / Sector Specialist
Paul Anderton is a Registered Mental Health Nurse and trainer with extensive experience in CAMHS and child psychiatry.
He has held senior roles in both inpatient and community settings and delivers participatory training for CAMHS teams.
As a Programme Leader for ILM leadership qualifications, Paul supports teams to improve therapeutic practice and risk management in complex environments.
Gemma Jones
Trainer / Sector Specialist
Gemma Jones is a Registered Mental Health Nurse and leader with experience in inpatient, community and forensic mental health services.
She has held senior roles internationally, managing multidisciplinary CAMHS and early psychosis services.
At Associate Development Solutions, Gemma leads workforce and service development initiatives, focusing on psychologically safe leadership and sustainable service design, and brings practical experience in leading teams through complex change.
What participants take away
Access to fully funded training opportunities provided by NHS England Workforce Training and Education, specifically for healthcare professionals in the Midlands, North East, and Yorkshire and Humber regions.
Expert instruction from experienced trainers and clinicians, including registered mental health nurses with extensive backgrounds in CAMHS, eating disorders, early psychosis, and safeguarding.
Insights into collaborative practice and compassionate leadership, with a focus on sustainable improvements for young people and families in clinical settings.
Practical strategies for participatory training, therapeutic practice, and effective risk management within complex healthcare environments.
Guidance on trauma-informed leadership and sustainable service design, drawing on real-world experience in both inpatient and community mental health services.
Opportunities to strengthen leadership skills through coaching approaches and support for teams navigating complex change.
The benefits of a 10-day, CPD-accredited training programme.
I enjoyed looking at the different ways we can help young people participate and feel heard