The DCP welcomes this year’s new clinical psychology trainees
The DCP is here to support you however we can.
21 September 2023
A welcome message from Julia Faulconbridge – Communications and Publications lead
On behalf of the Division of Clinical Psychology, I would like to welcome you as the latest recruits to the profession.
I am sure you will have had an arduous journey to this point and that you will be feeling excited and anxious about the training ahead of you.
There will be great support available to you through your courses and we, in the DCP, want to offer you all the support we can too.
We are your clinical psychology community, and we can connect you with other trainees across the UK.
As a DCP member you automatically join the Pre-qualification Group.
The co-Chairs of this group sit on the DCP executive and represent you at the centre of DCP thinking.
There are also places for pre-qualified psychologists on every DCP committee - your voice really matters.
The DCP is the largest professional body for clinical psychologists in the UK, and we're here to make a difference for you as your career develops, for the profession, and for the wider public.
Trainee resources
All the materials here are free for you to access - there is a mixture of trainee resources and samples of what is available to DCP members.
To help you understand the DCP there is an introductory video which you can watch below, a leaflet for trainees and a short guide to the organisation.
There is also a summary of the work of the DCP in 2022, so you can see the breadth and depth of activities we undertake on behalf of our members.
To help you settle into being a trainee, we've also produced some top tips aimed specifically at new trainees:
- 5 tips for Self-Care
- 5 Tips for Developing Your Reflective Skills as a PQCP
- 5 Tips for Making the Most of Supervision
- Top tips for working with children, young people, and their families
Faculty for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Our Faculty for People with Intellectual Disabilities has also recently produced five careers-focused videos, for anyone who might be interested in going into this area of clinical psychology:
- Clinical Psychology for People with Learning Disabilities- a service user perspective
- The best things about being a clinical psychologist working with people with learning disabilities
- What kinds of work do clinical psychologists do with people with learning disabilities?
- What might surprise you about being a clinical psychologist with people with learning disabilities?
Faculty of the Psychology of Older People
Our Faculty of the Psychology of Older People has provided several informative articles to help prepare trainees for working clinically with older adults:
- Ageing well with dementia. Past legacies and future promise - Esme Moniz-Cook
- Complex emotional needs and older people. Setting standards for inclusion - Kathryn Dykes
- Exploring current perceptions and experiences of working with older adults in an IAPT service - Porter & Devlin
- Getting trainees ready for older adult placement - Dow & Jones
- Trauma and health anxiety in later life. A case study - Zortea, Salkovskis & Craig
Publications and information
The DCP publishes the Clinical Psychology Forum monthly, which is a great way to stay informed about professional matters and read interesting new papers from clinical psychologists.
We've made some sample special editions available for you to read, and DCP members can download each month's issue free from BPS Explore.
- Clinical Psychology Forum 332 - Psychology and the climate and environmental crisis
- Clinical Psychology Forum 346 - Climate and ecological emergency
- Clinical Psychology Forum 353 - Interrogating Disability, Part 1
- Clinical Psychology Forum 354 - Interrogating Disability, Part 2
- Clinical Psychology Forum 356 - Public Health and Prevention, Part 1
- Clinical Psychology Forum 357 - Public Health and Prevention, Part 2
Many of our faculties also produce their own specialist publications for their members – you can see examples of articles from our Faculty of the Psychology of Older People.
We also produce a monthly round-up newsletter, DCP In Focus, including the latest news and events, which members receive by email.
You can read previous issues on our website, along with all of our publications from the last five years.
Events and CPD
The DCP and our faculties and branches regularly organise events focusing on themes relevant to clinical psychologists, including ones specifically aimed at trainees.
You can see upcoming events on our website, and the BPS also has its own listing of upcoming events from across the society.
Many of our events are now held online, and this includes professional development webinars. You can watch two examples of these relevant to trainees below:
This webinar included speakers from a variety of roles reflecting upon their previous experiences and transferable skills.
This webinar introduces you to the definition of leadership and management and its relevance to pre-qualified members.
Equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism
This is central to the work of the DCP, and we have two main structures through which we deliver this work for members:
- An EDI lead with an EDI sub-committee, which is really driving this forward in exciting and creative ways
- A long-standing group, the minorities in clinical psychology sub-committee, which has been influential in bringing change
We really hope you will join us and make the most of the benefits which are available as you begin your journey into clinical psychology.
We would also encourage you to become an active member - join a committee, take part in a group and contribute your knowledge and skills in helping us achieve our aims.
If you do, you will find it is probably the best form of professional development around!