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AIBU?

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Is it ridiculous to try and become a child psychologist at 42?

113 replies

Spookygoose · 17/11/2025 20:39

AIBU to even consider trying to do this? I’ve got a very high-paying but soul destroying career that I’ve begun to really hate (and which is completely unrelated to psychology). I want out and would love to train as a child psychologist. I own my own home outright & I’m married with one primary-age DD. I’ve got the funds to put myself through a psychology conversion MSc and then the 3 or 4 year doctorate to be able to practice as a licensed psychologist. However, I could not move to another area of the country for the doctorate (which I know is sometimes necessary). I live in the South East. I know doctorate programs are also ridiculously competitive and I’m not confident I’d be one of the most academically gifted students. My previous career was in the arts and I’ve always been creative but not amazing when it comes to maths and science. On top of that, even in the likely event I managed to get onto a doctorate not long after the MSc, is still be pushing 50 by the time I qualify. Am I dreaming or has anyone actually done anything similar?

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goldenlilliesdaffodillies · 26/01/2026 12:54

I retrained as an HCPC registered Arts Therapist (there are different modalities) and qualified at 50, so I wouldn't rule out retraining due to age. I did a part time Masters alongside teaching. It was very gruelling emotionally and practically (juggling children, work and studying/placements), but just about doable as my family were very supportive- but it did take it's toll. Post qualification, permanent jobs are rare and there is great competition. Most of the therapists I trained with have portfolio careers made up of combined part time roles. I don't know if this is the case with Child Psychologists? There is huge demand for Arts Therapists but not lots of funding (particularly in the NHS).
I appreciate this is a different role to the one you hope for- but thought it might help give some perspective at retraining as a mature student. I wouldn't rule out applying if I were you, but get as much experience in the area you want to work in and go in with your eyes open- and always have a Plan B. Good luck!

thetallfairy · 26/01/2026 11:53

Shinyandnew1 · 26/01/2026 10:13

How This will change in 2029?

Who knows!

What I mean is that the white paper is due to come into effect then ?

So ehcs with out EP input?

No one knows it seem
Very hard to know what the landscape will be like

InveterateWineDrinker · 26/01/2026 11:46

A friend of mine in the Netherlands did this in her mid-fifties after she was made redundant during covid.

She was fortunate that it coincided with other life events that allowed her to take a (big) financial hit. Her personal life had been a mess for many years and the learning helped untangle that as well as enable a career change.

She is a completely different person now, much happier and fulfilled.

Shinyandnew1 · 26/01/2026 10:46

CraftyNavySeal · 26/01/2026 10:26

A friend of mine is a child mental health practitioner (I think that’s what it’s called). She is based in schools.

The training was NHS funded and was only about a year iirc. She said once you work your way up the salary is about the same as a psychologist. Might be worth looking into.

That's interesting as the EMHP Facebook group I'm on is full of people (mostly teachers!) who have done the year training and then all leaving because there is no career progression and they are stuck on a low wage!

CraftyNavySeal · 26/01/2026 10:26

A friend of mine is a child mental health practitioner (I think that’s what it’s called). She is based in schools.

The training was NHS funded and was only about a year iirc. She said once you work your way up the salary is about the same as a psychologist. Might be worth looking into.

Shinyandnew1 · 26/01/2026 10:13

How This will change in 2029?

Who knows!

Skibbidirizzohio · 25/01/2026 23:41

I retrained as a CYP psychotherapist which included an MSc in my late 30s. Zero regrets. It’s never too late OP!

CotswoldsCamilla · 25/01/2026 22:23

Mental health issues in kids and teens are through the roof post covid. Therapists are few and far between. Have a few friends unable to find suitable therapists for their offspring. I don’t think you’ll be short of patients if you do qualify, OP.

thetallfairy · 25/01/2026 22:19

Shinyandnew1 · 19/01/2026 18:40

@thetallfairy what don't you get?

There are not enough EPs in many areas to get Needs Assessments done within the statutory time frame of 20 weeks. This means there are long waiting lists and LEAs are spending an absolute fortune hiring private EPs from all over the country to do online assessments to try to keep on top of it. It is not a good use of money and it's not working.

There is a new SEND white paper due any day now. There have been lots of rumblings about this bringing big changes-perhaps EHCPs being scrapped altogether or the need for an EP assessment being removed.

Clearly not sustainable

How This will change in 2029?

Crazyfrog44 · 19/01/2026 21:40

Nope. The educational psychologist who came to see us only started her psychology degree aged 44.

curious79 · 19/01/2026 21:36

I say this as a psychologist: you can work in psychological fields, and as a therapist of some kind with children, without necessarily being a chartered psychologist. And it is a profession that values ‘grey hairs’ so if you start it and you’re good at it / enjoy it you could have a 30+ year career ahead of you.

Always go for it.

I read an article in the Guardian the other day about a man who trained to become a doctor and finally qualified at the age of 50. Definitely don’t be put off by all this talk about competition. If we were all put off by the odds of failing at something we would never go for anything. Fortune favours the brave!!

BlackCatDiscoClub · 19/01/2026 21:36

You are not unreasonable to make the change to a more fulfilling career. Even at 50 you will still have around 15 years of career left, spend it doing something that interests you! Also, very sadly, we believe that 1 in 5 of gen alpha will have experienced mental illness during their childhood, so I would imagine it will be a very needed career choice.

PurpleCoo · 19/01/2026 21:26

It's a very competitive career pathway. You won't just walk onto the DClinPsy. You will need to work as an AP or similar role for at least a year or two, to get on the doctorate. You won't just walk into an AP post. You need relevent clinical experience to work as an AP. It's also a lot of hard work on the doctorate. You will be on placement in the NHS for 3 days a week, plus attending uni 1-2 days a week, plus have course work requirements. The actual thesis is just part of it, you have to do case reports and essays too. It's an incredibly stressful thing to do. It's more then a full time job commitment. If you do all that, and qualify, it's stressful working on CAMHS, and lots of pressure within NHS services with very little thanks.

But, if that doesn't put you off, then go for it. They don't discriminate against age and life experience can go in your favour

Late40sBloomer · 19/01/2026 20:21

Additional points to add based on what I have seen in this thread:

For Lancaster DClin and the Ed Psych doctorate you do not need maths or a masters.

Lancaster take applicants from a variety of backgrounds including those who have not worked in clinical settings.

There is a helpful Clin Psych online forum (forgot the name but easy to Google) where there is a plethora of useful information, and the DClin "Alternative Handbook" has information around demographics of current students which you may find useful.

Littlegreenbauble · 19/01/2026 19:30

Consider the actual role of a Clinical Psychologist rather than a different type of therapist.

Question your idea that you'll make a big difference because in the NHS as it currently stands, you may not. You don't get long enough and you can't go deep enough because as a Clinical Psychologist you're not trained to. Thus, it's quite frustrating. And stressful. And after all that work.

If you like assessment and writing reports and kind of being a scientist that applies evidence based solutions to people's problems, go ahead and do Clinical Psychology. If you are more thinking about longer term therapeutic relationships and emotional healing, it's probably psychotherapy that you'd be better suited to.

StolenCookie · 19/01/2026 19:00

Go on the clinpsy forum to get advice from actual clinical psychologists (rather than people on here who call themselves ‘psychologists’ which is your first red flag as it’s a meaningless title).

I’m a clinical psychologist in CAMHS.

You won’t get on clinical training straight from an MSc. It’s not an academic qualification, it’s a vocational training. Unless you have relevant clinical experience it will be pointless to apply.

Jamesblonde2 · 19/01/2026 18:46

You’d be getting on a bit by the time you qualify, and you wouldn’t have any experience either. When do you plan to retire with this new career. I wouldn’t bother.

boxuponbox · 19/01/2026 18:44

Get a childcare qualification, get experience in that for a couple of years, then assistant social worker in children’s services, then become a family support worker. You’ll earn less but still be doing similar work and you’ll be earning at least something all the time. You could maybe even study psychology part time and have a better chance of progressing a career whilst working

Shinyandnew1 · 19/01/2026 18:40

@thetallfairy what don't you get?

There are not enough EPs in many areas to get Needs Assessments done within the statutory time frame of 20 weeks. This means there are long waiting lists and LEAs are spending an absolute fortune hiring private EPs from all over the country to do online assessments to try to keep on top of it. It is not a good use of money and it's not working.

There is a new SEND white paper due any day now. There have been lots of rumblings about this bringing big changes-perhaps EHCPs being scrapped altogether or the need for an EP assessment being removed.

thetallfairy · 19/01/2026 18:09

Shinyandnew1 · 19/01/2026 17:42

Yes, I've had that conversation with a few EPs recently. They are the stumbling block in the massive delays for the issue of EHCPs as there aren't enough of them (who want to work for the LA doing statutory work, anyway!).

If EHCPs are scrapped or if they are changed to not require an EP report as part of the assessment, it is likely that their role will look very different.

How can they be a stumbling block?

I don't get it??!!!

Shinyandnew1 · 19/01/2026 17:42

Yes, I've had that conversation with a few EPs recently. They are the stumbling block in the massive delays for the issue of EHCPs as there aren't enough of them (who want to work for the LA doing statutory work, anyway!).

If EHCPs are scrapped or if they are changed to not require an EP report as part of the assessment, it is likely that their role will look very different.

Late40sBloomer · 19/01/2026 17:33

thetallfairy · 19/11/2025 19:01

What do you mean in relation to changes to the role of an EP as of next year?

They are involved in all EHC assessments now aren't they?

When the White Paper is eventually published, there are whisperings that suggest the role of the EP may change. That's not to say there won't continue to be a significant demand for EP work, but that it may well change.

ByOchreCrab · 21/11/2025 16:09

I did a conversion at Sussex and loads of people went from that conversion into careers in mental health where they are building up experience to get onto the clinical doctorate. Two people I was on the course with went on to do a PhD at Sussex as well. If you are in the south east I can't recommend the course enough - I got so much support. The average age of my cohort was late 30s and both research and clinical pathways value age (it is not seen as a disadvantage). I would 100 percent go for it

CoffeeLipstickKeys · 21/11/2025 14:25

CoffeeLipstickKeys · 19/11/2025 06:59

Excellent post,comprehensive advice. Accurate too

@Spookygoose is a graduate she can train as OT or SaLT in 2year

VividLemonLeader · 21/11/2025 14:23

Breadandbutta · 18/11/2025 15:08

He had a penis.

in child psychology, that’s a disadvantage.