Psychological Professions Week 2024

Psychological Professions Week 2024 is here. From 11-15 November 2024, the Psychological Professions Network celebrates the vital contributions and growing potential of psychology professionals across the UK.

As part of the celebrations, NCH&C is thrilled to spotlight an exciting new career path – apprenticeship roles in psychology, offering accessible and practical routes for aspiring psychologists.

At NCH&C, we are fortunate to have a wide range of psychological professionals who bring expertise, compassion, and insight to their work every day. Our teams include clinical and counselling psychologists, educational psychologists, and psychological therapies practitioners, all contributing across different services and specialties. This diversity allows us to serve our communities with a depth and breadth of care that reflects our commitment to mental health and wellbeing.

This year marks an incredible milestone at NCH&C with our first-ever Clinical Associate Psychologists (CAPs) in children’s services, Ismay Inkson and Lucy Tyson. They have been working in their roles, developing specialised skills and reaching the completion of their qualifications. Their journey highlights the apprenticeship route as an invaluable path for future psychologists – providing hands-on experience while pursuing an (Master of Science) MSc in a fully funded role.

Traditionally, careers in psychology have required extensive education and experience, sometimes creating barriers for those passionate about the field but limited by resources. The apprenticeship pathway changes that. Through a combination of on-the-job training, support from experienced teams, and a fully funded master’s degree, apprentices gain a unique and thorough understanding of the profession.

Ismay Inkson, based at NCH and working with Starfish Plus in Sprowston, shared her excitement:

“For me, the apprenticeship route into psychology has been a brilliant step. I’ve known for a long time that I want to spend my career working in learning disability and autism services. The apprenticeship has enabled me to further develop my depth of experience and skills in this area while being paid to study for a master’s level qualification in children and young people’s psychology.”

Ismay’s experience reflects the support and encouragement of her team as she navigates the programme, balancing work, studies, and her family.

Lucy Tyson, also based at NCH, echoed this enthusiasm, noting the unique advantages of the apprenticeship model:

“I’ve always known I wanted to pursue a career in psychology, and the apprenticeship role stood out for me because I wanted that hands-on, practical experience alongside further developing my psychological skills. It’s a fully funded MSc apprenticeship, so it felt like a great opportunity and achievable way to access higher education.”

Lucy’s interest in neurodivergence and her commitment to children and young people with learning disabilities has made her placements in children’s services deeply fulfilling. She added, “The support from staff in both services has really been amazing – both generally and in making sure day-to-day placement life aligns with teaching from UEA.”

Both Ismay and Lucy agree that this route not only provides vital experience but also fosters a strong sense of belonging, thanks to the welcoming support of NCH&C teams. This collaboration between services and academic support at UEA allows apprentices to fully engage with both the academic and practical aspects of their roles, ultimately benefiting the children and families they serve.

Join Us in Celebrating Psychological Professions Week!