By Dr Melody Smith, Clinical Psychologist
For many psychology graduates, the path to the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) can feel confusing and competitive — especially when it comes to deciding what counts as ‘relevant experience’. If you’ve recently finished your degree and are facing rejections from Assistant Psychologist (AP) roles, you’re not alone. Most aspiring clinical psychologists don’t walk straight into AP posts. Instead, they take gradual steps through roles that help build their confidence, clinical knowledge, and reflective capacity.
In this blog, we’ll unpack what’s meant by ‘relevant experience’, explore some common and lesser-known routes, and offer guidance on how to choose opportunities that align with your values, learning needs, and goals. Whether you’re working in a secure unit, a children’s home, or exploring research assistant roles, we’ll help you see the value in each step — and how to make it count.
What Does ‘Relevant Experience’ Really Mean?
For DClinPsy courses, relevant experience refers to roles that give you direct exposure to psychological distress, therapeutic models, and multidisciplinary working. It’s also about your capacity to reflect on what you’re learning, not just what you’ve done. This means that a variety of roles — not just Assistant Psychologist posts — can be highly valuable if approached thoughtfully.
Most applicants begin with frontline support roles. Healthcare Assistant (HCA) or Support Worker roles in inpatient or community mental health settings are popular because they offer real-time experience with people experiencing complex mental health needs. These roles are often advertised on NHS Jobs under Mental Health Support Worker or HCA positions and are available across a wide range of services including acute wards, CAMHS units, and rehabilitation services.
Children’s Residential and SEMH/LD Settings
The short answer is yes — absolutely. Working in therapeutic or residential children’s homes, particularly those supporting children with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs or Learning Disabilities (LD), is increasingly recognised as valuable preparation for clinical training.
These roles tend to involve working closely with children who have experienced trauma, disrupted attachments, or neurodevelopmental difficulties. If you’re supporting emotional regulation, co-producing care plans, or liaising with psychologists or therapists — you’re gaining rich, transferable experience. The settings may differ from adult mental health services, but the underlying psychological thinking, interpersonal skills, and resilience required are closely aligned with the DClinPsy competencies.
Websites like Indeed, Community Care Jobs, and specialist agencies such as Horizon Care or Outcomes First Group regularly advertise roles in these settings. If you pursue this route, choose organisations that offer training, supervision, and reflective spaces — these can be excellent preparation for future AP roles or DClinPsy applications.
Research Assistant (RA) Positions
Research experience is another highly valued component. Clinical psychology is grounded in evidence-based practice, so courses look for applicants who can think critically about research and, ideally, contribute to it.
RA roles — especially those involving clinical populations or mental health outcomes — help you build skills in data collection, analysis, ethical governance, and dissemination. Many aspiring psychologists apply for RA posts within universities, NHS trusts, or research charities. You’ll often find these on jobs.ac.uk, NHS Jobs, or FindAPhD. Projects funded by NIHR or linked to Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) or IAPT services are particularly relevant.
Even if you’re working in a non-clinical RA role, you can still use reflective writing and supervision to draw links between your research and psychological practice. That bridge between theory and application is key.
So, What’s the Most Effective Route?
There’s no single ‘correct’ route to the DClinPsy. The most successful candidates usually combine different types of experience over time, showing progression, reflection, and a growing understanding of the role of a clinical psychologist.
What matters is not just the job title — but how you engage with the work. Are you developing formulation skills? Are you learning to work compassionately with complex behaviour? Are you thinking psychologically about the systems people live within?
In fact, some of the most compelling personal statements come from those who began in under-valued roles but used supervision, reflective practice, and further learning (e.g., webinars, the ACPsych Hub) to develop psychologically-informed ways of working.
If you’ve been rejected from AP roles, don’t see it as a sign you’re not ready. See it as a sign you’re on the journey — and these early roles are your foundation. Rejections are part of the process, not the end of it.
Where to Go from Here?
If you’re unsure where to start or how to reflect on your current role, our DClinPsy Prep Pathway offers structured support, reflective workbooks, and step-by-step resources to help you grow your portfolio with confidence.
We also offer 1:1 interview coaching and personal statement reviews, helping you translate your experience — whatever form it takes — into strong, grounded applications.
Visit www.aspiringclinicalpsych.com to learn more about becoming a member and joining a community that’s here to support you every step of the way.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re working in a children’s home, supporting adults with psychosis, collecting data for a trial, or considering your next step — it all counts. The key is how you make sense of your experiences and how you grow from them.
Many roles offer relevant learning. Every interaction matters. Keep reflecting, stay curious, and trust that your path will unfold with time, support, and a bit of self-compassion.
You’re not behind — you’re building. And we’re here to help.
