Parent-Infant Psychotherapy - Specialist Training

The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families (AFNCCF) offers an 18 month specialist training in psychoanalytic parent infant psychotherapy.

The training derives from the model developed at the AFNCCF in which psychoanalysis, attachment theory and research, and infant developmental research provide paradigms for the work. A focus of the approach is in the direct work with the baby as patient.

The model is introduced in the book by Baradon, T. with Biseo M., Broughton C.,James J., Joyce A., The Practice of Psychoanalytic Parent Infant Psychotherapy: Claiming the Baby, 2^nd Edition London, Routledge 2016 and numerous PIP publications, and has been evaluated in a variety of contexts.

Who is the training suitable for?

Psychotherapists, clinical and counselling psychologists are eligible to apply.

Pre-requisites for the training

Registration with professional body
Applicants must also have current professional clinical registration with a recognised professional body such as HCPC, UKCP, BCP, ACP, or BPS
Personal psychoanalytic psychotherapy

Applicants must have had a minimum of two years of personal psychoanalytic psychotherapy with an analyst/psychoanalytic psychotherapist registered with BPC psychoanalytic section or be willing to commence 2-3 x weekly psychoanalytic psychotherapy before and for the duration of the training with an analyst as above.

Work experience
Applicants must have at least four years of experience of working therapeutically. Experience of working with children and infants is desirable
Infant observation
Applicants are required to have completed an observation course in psychoanalytic parent-infant observation for a minimum of one year. Applicants may undertake this observation alongside the PIP Specialist Training if they have not yet done so.

What does the training include?

Participation in selected seminars in the International School for Infancy and Early Years and at PIP, Anna Freud National Centre for Children & Families

An introduction to perinatal and infant mental health (4 training days): 7th - 10th January 2019
Principles and Practice of Parent Infant Psychotherapy (3.5 training days): dates 12-15th February 2019
Emotional Abuse in Infancy (4 training days): dates 20-23rd May 2019
Parent-Infant Relational Assessment Tool training (0.5 day): dates TBC
Introduction to psychoanalytic ideas and their application to work with adults, children and infants - participation in this is only required of trainees who do not have a psychoanalytic background

These trainings will take place at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families.

Training cases

Students will be required to see 4 training cases under supervision:

One case of at least four-months duration
Two cases of at least 5.5 months duration
One case of at least nine-months duration

The above cases need to include at least: One case involving a father, one family with parental mental health problems, at least 1 case which is filmed, 2 cases who end therapy in a planned manner.

Two routes are offered to see cases:

The first is an honorary placement as an associate in-training at the AFNCCF who will see cases referred to the Centre.
The second is to see cases at your place of employment, with the support of your employer, while attending the required courses and supervision at the AFNCCF.
The expectation is that successful applicants will start clinical work in February 2019.

Weekly supervision group

Trainees receive 2 hours weekly group supervision in person at the AFNCCF. The group is a powerful learning forum and trainees are encouraged to analyse their own technical choices, interventions, responses and counter transference to the material in the session, and also to each other’s presentations.

The group has two supervisors from different orientations within PPIP (changing 9 months into the training) and is exposed to the work of senior clinicians through team meetings.

Those that do not complete their cases within 18 months will have the opportunity to pay to continue their supervision.

Please note that, exceptionally, in 2019 only face-to-face supervision at the AFC will be available. Remote supervision will not be provided during this intake.

Monthly participation in PIP clinical meetings

The clinical meetings are the forum for team and associates to present cases for in depth discussion. These discussions aim to keep the model an iterative process of elaboration of technique and theory
Reading seminars

Set reading is the basis but the list is extended to incorporate material that is pertinent to the associates at a particular time.
Contextual discussion group

This is a group discussion forum to assist in the transition to the role of parent-infant psychotherapist. The group aims to foster a space where personal, institutional and organisational challenges can be addressed.

Quarterly review meetings at the Centre

These 1-hour meetings with the Course Organiser will need to be attended in person . You will be notified of the date approximately 2 months before each meeting.

This will be an additional time commitment of 5 hours.

Intro to Psychoanalytic ideas

Those without a psychoanalytic background would need to additionally attend the Introduction to psychoanalytic ideas and their application to work with adults, children and infants or the Introductory lectures delivered by the Institute.

Training Commitments

Please note that this training requires a significant time commitment. See here for the breakdown of estimated total hours.

All activities take place at the AFNCC on the 3^rd Thursday of the month. School holiday dates are adopted.

Assessment

Trainees are required to keep a reflective journal and to write a final paper of up to 5000 words in order to pass the training.

Accreditation

This training is accredited by APPCIOS (Association for Psychodynamic Practice and Counselling in Organisational Settings) and the BPC (British Psychoanalytic Council). Graduates can choose to belong to both organisations.

Application

Eligibility to apply (Pre-requisites for training, above)
Submission of an application form (downloadable from this web-page- please email completed form to vanessa.cameron@annafreud.org or alternatively post it to Vanessa Cameron, 12-14 Maresfield Gardens NW3 5SU.
Those short-listed will be invited to an interview with the Course Organiser and Chair of the Training Committee
Applicants may be may be required to have a clinical interview (up to 3 consultations) with the training consultant. Each interview will be at the cost of £75.
A final offer of a place on the training will be offered at the discretion of the interviewers

Fees

The cost of the PIP Specialist Training is £5000

Plus

Fees for clinical interview/s where required: £75 per meeting

Fee for Introduction to psychoanalytic ideas and their application, where required: £350

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 4^th July, if shortlisted the interviews will take place on Tuesday 17^th and Wednesday 18^th of July.

If you have any queries about the course or the application process please e-mail vanessa.cameron@annafreud.org. We will be hosting a webinar with the course tutors on the 3rd of May from 1-2pm- this will be to answer any questions you might have about the course. If you are are interested in joining please email Vanessa.

Please download the application form here.

For more information please click here.