Program Overview

---

Advanced Clinical Practice and Supervision (Senior Wellbeing Practitioner)

(PGDip)

Award

Postgraduate Diploma

Typical Offer

2:2 degree

Duration

2 years

Course Type

Part-time

Campus

Highfield

Next course starts

January 2024

About this course

This diploma in advanced clinical practice and supervision will develop your supervisory skills as a clinician. You must be working within a mental health team, supporting children and young people with mental health problems. Our training will develop your clinical expertise and your supervisory practice and better equip you to pursue roles as a Senior Wellbeing Practitioner.

You need to have previously trained as an educational mental health practitioner (EMHP) or a children's wellbeing practitioner (CWP). You will build on your professional development, both as a supervisor and an advanced clinical practitioner.

The course will support your understanding of specific cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. It will also focus on the use of whole school approaches in schools. Meta supervision will support your reflection and learning from clinical supervision, and provides an opportunity to consider any challenges within the process.

Evidence based interventions are taught to support a wider range of clinical presentations, whilst adhering to the low intensity CBT protocol. You will have the opportunity to advance your clinical skills in practice and to gain feedback on your application of these skills.

We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected.

Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).

Course lead

Mrs Sarah Monk is a trained cognitive behavioural therapist (CBT) specialising in children and young people’s mental health and low intensity working. Sarah has worked in a child and adolescent mental health service and is accredited by the British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). Sarah is a qualified CBT supervisor and the programme director of the education mental health practitioner (EMHP) course.

Course location

This course is based at Highfield.

Awarding body

This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.

Entry requirements

• A 2:2 honours degree (or its international equivalent) in a relevant subject, with clinical training and experience.
• You must have completed either of the following courses:
  • Education Mental Health Practitioner (PGDip)
  • Children's Wellbeing Practitioner (PGCert)
• You must have at least 2 years experience after qualifying. If you do not have a degree, you can still apply if you have completed either of these courses. You must also have 2 years experience within a low intensity practitioner role.
• We will also consider an equivalent professional qualification, from an approved university.

English language requirements

• If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English.
• You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
  • overall score: 6.5
  • reading: 6.0
  • writing: 6.0
  • speaking: 6.0
  • listening: 6.0

Course structure

This advanced clinical practice course takes place over 12 months, from January to January. It is taught using both online and on campus teaching. The course has 4 modules.

Year 1 overview

• In module 1 you will look at the theory of supervision. You will consider what aspects make for a rich learning environment and how a supervisor can achieve this. You will also attend additional training days based on your specific clinical experience and training needs.
• In module 2 you will put your learning in to practice, under the guidance of qualified university staff. You will undertake supervision work and analyse your clinical skills supervision, receiving feedback from your peers and tutor.

Year 2 overview

• Module 3 will focus on building on your current clinical practice by exploring the evidence base for the treatment of clinical presentations. For example, obsessive compulsive disorder and social anxiety. You will also build further clinical understanding of eating difficulties and trauma related presentations.
• Module 4 considers a wide range of adaptations to clinical practice to support those presenting with neurodiversity, including autistic spectrum condition (ASC) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specific treatment interventions are taught and recommendations for adaptation and consideration to existing interventions.

Modules

The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

For entry in academic year 2025 to 2026

• Year 1
• Year 2

Year 1 modules

You must study the following modules in year 1:

Supervision I

Across all psychological interventions in child mental health or education settings, it is increasingly recognised that clinical supervision plays a fundamental role in improving clinical outcomes; supporting practitioners and ensuring safe and effective practice.

Supervision II

Within CYP mental health settings and education settings, it is becoming increasingly recognised that clinical supervision plays a fundamental role in improving clinical outcomes, supporting practitioners and ensuring safe and efficient practice.

Year 2 modules

You must study the following modules in year 2:

Adapting Low Intensity Practice with CYP with Neurodiversity

This module will provide an appropriate introduction to working with CYP with Autism and Learning Disability. CWPs/EMHPs will need to extend low intensity support where a child or young person has autism, ADHD or a learning disability.

Enhanced Practice in Early Intervention

The CYP LI specialist workforce is proving invaluable in working with mild to moderate mental health conditions. This module aims to expand the scope and breadth of the conditions that CYP LI practitioners can work with.

Learning and assessment

Learning

You'll learn through a variety of methods, including:

• online lectures
• regular supervision feedback
• meta supervision
• feedback on clinical practice
• workshops and demonstrations
• practice in clinical placement
• independent learning (studying on your own)

Assessment

We'll assess you through:

• reflection on supervision and clinical practice
• a community implementation project (presentation)
• video feedback on clinical practice and supervision practice
• your clinical portfolio

Careers and employability

The employability and enterprise skills you'll gain from this course are reflected in the Southampton skills model. When you join us you'll be able to use our skills model to track, plan, and benefit your career development and progress.

Work experience opportunities

Choosing to do work experience is a great way to enhance your employability, build valuable networks, and evidence your potential.

Careers services and support

We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you.

Fees, costs and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for this course are paid by Health Education England on behalf of the NHS. For access to this training course, please discuss this with your line or service manager. There is no self funded option available.

What your fees pay for

The fees pay for your training as part of your ongoing professional development within a current clinical role.

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.

How to apply

You must apply for this course through your clinical service. You can speak to your service manager if you feel this course matches your skill set. Interviews are conducted jointly with the University and your service.

On occasion, roles may be advertised on NHS Jobs. Visit the NHS Jobs website.

Application deadlines

There are different application deadlines for this course. Applications are expected to close:

• International students: Tuesday 29 July 2025, midday UK time
• UK students: Tuesday 9 September 2025, midday UK time

We advise applying early as applications may close before the expected deadline if places are filled.

Supporting information

When your clinical service requests a place for you on the course, we will ask for any additional supporting information you may need to provide.

What happens after you apply

You will be asked to interview with the University for acceptance on to the course. If successful, you will be sent an application link to apply to the programme.

Unfortunately, due to number of applications we receive, we may not be able to give you specific feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful.

Equality and diversity

We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.