A programme designed to improve the pathway for Jersey-born clinical psychologists to work in children’s mental health locally has seen its second islander accepted on to a doctorate course.
Natasha Belim, who works for Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services, will start the Clinical Doctorate Programme at the University of Southampton in September 2026. This will allow her to complete her clinical training entirely on the Island.
The programme will see her train as a clinical psychologist while undertaking her placements in Jersey.
Her appointment follows a partnership between CAMHS and the University of Southampton which began in 2024, when Ross Lawless became the first locally based trainee clinical psychologist to take part in the programme while remaining in Jersey.
He is now entering his second year of study.
Clinical psychologists support children, young people and families experiencing mental health difficulties, but specialist roles have proved difficult to recruit to both in Jersey and across the UK.
CAMHS has previously struggled to attract applicants to clinical psychologist vacancies. While many Jersey students return to the Island after studying psychology, opportunities to gain the experience needed to secure a place on a clinical psychology doctorate have been limited.
Those who successfully gained places on doctorate programmes have traditionally had to move to the UK to complete their training, with some subsequently remaining there after qualifying.
The Southampton partnership was created to provide an alternative route, allowing Islanders to gain specialist qualifications while continuing their clinical training in Jersey.
Darren Bowring, associate director for Mental Health and Wellbeing, said the latest appointment demonstrated what the partnership was intended to achieve.
“This is exactly what our partnership was designed to achieve, creating opportunities for local people to access specialist training while remaining in Jersey.
“Clinical psychologists are a highly skilled profession that can be difficult to recruit to. By investing in local talent, we are developing a sustainable workforce of professionals who understand the Island, its communities and the needs of local children, young people, and families.
“This approach strengthens our succession planning and helps ensure CAMHS can continue to meet demand for psychological support in the years ahead.”
The programme is intended to increase capacity within CAMHS, improve access to psychological support and treatment, and create a pipeline of Clinical Psychologists trained locally and able to build their careers in Jersey.
With demand for children’s mental health services continuing to grow, the local training route is intended to help CAMHS develop its future workforce while retaining professionals with an understanding of Jersey and its communities.
