The programme aims to support trainees in the development of core competencies across the three years of training.
All trainees gain experience of working across the life-span, of working in residential and community settings, and with people who have severe and/or enduring problems.
How Are Placements Monitored?
Trainees will be visited at least once per placement by a member of the programme team.
Clinical supervisors offering placements are expected to provide supervision in line with BPS guidelines. We provide training events to support them with this. We also gather feedback on supervision from trainees to monitor this.
Initial Placement Meeting
The advisor meets with the supervisor and trainee at the beginning of the first placement to agree a placement contract. This discussion will cover arrangements for work particularly related to the specialty, identifying particular aspects of work that the trainee needs to develop and supervision arrangements.
In subsequent placements, the responsibility for agreeing the placement plan rests with the trainee and supervisor (unless this is the first time that a supervisor has provided a placement on the Course, in which case the advisor will join the initial placement meeting). The trainee will be expected to contact the supervisor before the placement starts, to discuss the practical arrangements and initial ideas for the placement plan. The trainee will be expected to complete the standard Placement Contract form with the supervisor, within a fortnight of commencement of the placement. The contract should be copied to the programme by the trainee within two weeks of the start of the placement so that the content can be monitored.
Mid-Placement Review
Half way through each placement the trainee's advisor meets with the supervisor and trainee for a mid-placement review. The advisor meets with both the supervisor and the trainee alone, and then all three meet together. These discussions provide opportunities to discuss general progress, identify areas of strength, areas for development, further targets, and any additional work that needs to be carried out. Within this, both supervisor and trainee feedback are sought and considered. A record of the mid-placement review is made and sent to the supervisor and trainee.
End of Placement Arrangements
At the end of the placement, the supervisor completes the Supervisor's Assessment of Trainee Form and discusses this with the trainee. Trainees are also asked to provide feedback about the placement and supervision on the forms provided. This should be done after the Supervisor's assessment is completed. Trainees also need to keep a log of their clinical work. All the forms need to be returned promptly to the programme.
If at any stage during the placement either the trainee or the supervisor is concerned about any aspect then contact is made, as soon as possible, with the trainee's advisor or the year tutor to discuss the matter. Potential difficulties can then be tackled at an early stage
International Training Opportunity
In July 2016 the Department of Clinical Psychology at UEA undertook its first International Training Opportunity (ITO). Two ClinPsyD trainees successfully applied to complete this, as part of their final clinical placements.
This was supported by a small bursary designed to cover travel and basic accommodation costs. The ITO is open to all of our students in their final year of training as long as they have successfully completed all assignments to that point.
Placements
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Trainees undertake two placements per year. In Year 1, they complete adult and older adult placements. In Year 2 they complete learning disabilities and child placements. This enables trainees to choose specialist placements in their final year. These may be completed concurrently or consecutively across the year depending on the specialism chosen. There is rich variety of specialist placements available, for example forensic, neuropsychology, specialist centres for brain injury, clinical health psychology, social services, leadership skills and specific therapeutic modalities including CAT and CBT.
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The number of days trainees are required to spend on placement varies across the three years. Trainees can be on placement for up to 4 days per week. They are also allocated research and study days to help them manage the varying demands of the programme, for example, thesis research.
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Placements are typically allocated within a trainee’s base location or a location geographically close to this base.
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In the third year, trainees are able to indicate their preferences for specialist placements from our database of specialist placements available. Trainees can opt for specialist placement preferences outside of their base location.