We know that IAPT (that’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies!) can be a world of acronyms that leaves you feeling a bit confused, so we have put together a glossary of commonly used terms and other definitions to help you make sense of it all.
For general terms relating to mental health, written by young people for other young people, see the Anna Freud centre’s website.
There are currently 30 names in this directory
Accreditation
A way for someone working in a particular area to get recognition and confirmation of their ability by a respected organisation. For example, therapists working with young people might be accredited by BABCP or BACP.
BABCP
British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies. Provides accreditation for people who give CBT therapy (more about that later!) https://www.babcp.com/Default.aspx
BACP
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Provides accreditation for people working as counsellors. (Not to be confused with the above!) https://www.bacp.co.uk/
CAMHS
Children’s Adolescent Mental Health Services. NHS services which provide support to children and young people having difficulties with emotional or behavioural wellbeing.
CBT
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. A talking therapy used to manage problems by noticing and changing particular thinking styles or behaviour patterns – find out more here: https://www.babcp.com/public/what-is-cbt.aspx
CCG
Clinical Commissioning Group. Clinically-led statutory NHS bodies responsible for planning and commissioning of healthcare services in local areas. See more at https://www.nhscc.org/ccgs/
Counselling
A talking therapy involving a therapist listening to you and helping you find ways to deal with problems. Find out more here - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/counselling/
CWP
Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner. CWPs are trained to offer brief, focus-based interventions for children and young people experiencing anxiety, low mood or behavioural difficulties.
CYP IAPT
Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies. An NHS and EE-funded programme which aims to transform children’s mental health services.
EBP
Evidence-based Practice. Use of practice (e.g. forms of therapy) relying on scientific research combined with clinical expertise.
EMHP
Education Mental Health Practitioner. EMHPs train to deliver evidence-based interventions to children and young people within educational settings such as schools and colleges.
Future in Mind
A government initiative to transform the way CAMHS are delivered nationally. Read the report here.
FYFVMH
Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. A report produced for the NHS by the Independent Mental Health Taskforce in February 2016. Read it here: http://bit.ly/35Kzp14. Funding from the implementation plan has helped to increase the CYP IAPT workforce.
Green Paper
A paper published by the government in 2017 which detailed proposals for expanding access to mental health care for children and young people. Read it here: http://bit.ly/33NukDv
HEE
Health Education England. Organisation supporting delivery of excellent healthcare and interventions in England, including funding CYP IAPT programmes. https://www.hee.nhs.uk
IY
Incredible Years. A series of programmes for parents and teachers which aim to help treat behavioural problems in children aged 3-12 years. http://www.incredibleyears.com/
KSA
Knowledge, Skills and Attitude. Applicants who do not have a BABCP recognised core professional training or qualification can complete a ‘KSA’ portfolio to show how they meet the requirements for CBT or Parenting training.
LTP
Long Term Plan. NHS report published in January 2019 with a 10-year plan for improving the NHS. The report promised that over the next decade the goal is for 100% of children and young people who need specialist care to be able to access it. Read it here: http://bit.ly/2BtR1A9
MHST
Mental Health Support Teams – a new government initiative aiming to put mental health support staff into schools to help children and young people deal with mild to moderate mental health and emotional wellbeing issues.
Participation
This is one of the key principles of CYP IAPT and means involving children and young people in mental health services and the decisions that may affect them.
RCADS
Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale. An outcome measure designed as a self-report questionnaire for young people with mental health difficulties such as separation anxiety, social phobia, anxiety disorder, OCD and low mood. View more here: http://bit.ly/2Msn35X
ROMs
Routine outcome monitoring refers to the practice of measuring children and young people’s progress during therapy via standardised instruments such as questionnaires. Find out more here: https://www.corc.uk.net/outcome-experience-measures/
RTT
Recruit to Train. Creation of therapist roles into which new members of staff external to the organisation are recruited, expanding the workforce.
SDQ
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. An outcome measure designed to be a brief emotional and behavioural screening questionnaire for children and young people. Find out more: http://bit.ly/31o6sVb
SFP
Systemic Family Practice. View available courses here on our website: https://swcypiapt.com/for-candidates/cyp-iapt-training/pg-dip-in-systemic-family-practice/
STP
Sustainability and Transformation Partnership. A way of working in partnership, created when NHS organisations were asked to come together with local authorities, charities and others to improve services in their areas.
Third Sector
Non-governmental and non-profit-making organizations such as charities and voluntary groups. Mental health services that are not part of the NHS are sometimes referred to as third sector.
THRIVE
A framework used by mental health services developed by the Anna Freud Centre. View it here: https://www.annafreud.org/media/9254/thrive-framework-for-system-change-2019.pdf
VIG
Video Interaction Guidance. An intervention where the client is guided to reflect on video clips of their own successful interactions. https://www.videointeractionguidance.net/aboutvig