A Clinical Associate in Psychology, usually shortened to CAP, is a relatively new addition to the UK mental health workforce, created specifically to widen access to psychological treatment at a time when demand has outstripped the supply of fully qualified clinical psychologists. A CAP holds a postgraduate apprenticeship qualification, sitting between more junior support roles and a fully qualified clinical psychologist.
What a CAP can and cannot do
Within their scope, CAPs deliver evidence-based psychological interventions for defined and relatively well-understood difficulties, always under the supervision of a clinical psychologist. What they do not do is carry out complex psychological assessment, or work unsupervised with people presenting significant risk, both of which remain the territory of more senior qualified psychologists.
A role still finding its shape
Because the role is new, it is currently governed through employer arrangements rather than statutory registration with a body like the Health and Care Professions Council, which is the case for established psychologist titles. This is likely to change as the profession matures, but for now it means the standards a CAP works to are set by the service employing them rather than by a national regulator, which is worth knowing when weighing up who is offering treatment.