ACP-UK is a values-driven organisation, and supportive networking is at the heart of what we do. Clinical psychologists are doing important, ground-breaking work all over the UK: in clinical services, in service evaluation and research, in leadership and management, and in the NHS and in partner organisations, such as Universities, the third sector and social enterprises. In recognition of all we have to learn from each other in order to better serve our communities, ACP-UK will set up a placement scheme for full members, i.e. members who are qualified clinical psychologists. We hope this will offer enriching opportunities for clinical psychologists to learn from each other across the career span in a dynamic and interactive way, sharing practice and transformative experiences. You are invited to apply to go on an observation placement to a department or service of interest in order to broaden horizons and enhance practice.

Applicants should identify the place they would like to visit and liaise with a service head or department lead to establish their willingness to host. Placements for qualified colleagues will largely consist of meetings and shadowing activities: successful applicants will have the opportunity to observe a colleague carrying out their work, as far as this is ethical and possible, and will also provide some input of their own, whether in the form of a presentation or a more developed or ongoing link. Placements will be one to two weeks in duration, and it is expected that this development opportunity will be supported by the applicant’s employer and will be carried out in paid work time, at least in large part. ACP-UK will vet placements, ensuring that hosts have realistic expectations as to what is required, and will meet the costs of travel and accommodation. We will also offer a subsistence allowance. We propose funding up to three such placement opportunities in 2020.

Applications for this scheme are invited on up to two sides of A4 under the headings of the questions listed below. We will be looking for placement proposals in which there is a clear sense of the potential contribution to a) the good of our clients or communities, either in the short, medium or long-term; b) the development of the applicant and the psychological service in which they work day-to-day; and c) the host placement, enriching the placement which is visited as well as benefitting the applicant. We would be particularly keen to receive applications from colleagues who are interest in widening access to services and clinical psychology training for marginalised communities, or to developing professional guidelines for clinical psychologists regarding the necessary structure and resources for psychological services.

Please send applications to [email protected] by March 27^th 2020 with ‘Placement application’ in the header. Successful applicants will be announced at the conference in Cardiff on April 21^st.

Arabella Kurtz, Director of Operations

• Are you a full member of ACP-UK?
• Where do you propose carrying out your placement? Please give details of the service/specialty area, host organisation & location.
• Have you liaised yet with your proposed host? How feasible is the plan?
• Are there any other potential sources of funding or support? For example, can the host organisation provide accommodation or subsidised accommodation? Can your employer contribute anything?
• Please give a brief description of the proposed placement and the activities you imagine undertaking.
• What do you hope to gain from the proposed placement, and in particular, how will what you learn benefit the clients and communities we serve?
• What will you contribute to your host organisation/service?
• Are you happy for us to contact your proposed host in advance of announcing who has been selected for the scheme at our annual conference on April 21^st? If so, how do we do this?
• Are you willing to write a report on the placement for the ACP-UK website?