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To practise as an art therapist/art psychotherapist, you must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). To register with the HCPC, you need to have taken an approved Masters degree in art therapy or art psychotherapy. You may be accepted onto a course without an art degree, if you have a strong art background. A level 7 apprenticeship for arts therapists (art therapists/art psychotherapists, dramatherapists and music therapists) has also been approved for delivery.

Most art therapists in the NHS work part-time hours, pro-rata of a standard 37.5 hour week. Entry-level art therapy posts typically start at band 6 of the agenda for change pay rates. Band 7 posts now include not only delivery of clinical work but also supervision and evaluation. These may be open to newly qualified art therapists with suitable pre-training experience. Art Therapists employed at Band 8 level are expected to work as clinicians, supervise art therapists and other staff members, as well as contribute to research, evaluation and strategic service development. Art therapists may work some evenings, elsewhere, the working hours will depend on where they work. In education, for example, they may work school hours and prison work may involve early starts. Self-employed art therapists’ hours of work depend on client needs. They may work evenings and weekends to suit private clients. Some art therapists have to travel between client appointments.

You'll need a range of skills including excellent communication skills, being able to work with people from all walks of life, being to reflect on their own emotions, creativity and being flexible

You could specialise in a particular type of client such as children, the elderly or offenders. Or you could become a specialist in a particular issue such as dementia, mental health or palliative care. As an experienced practitioner, you could become a senior or consultant art therapist, managing the work of a team of therapists. You could become the head of an arts therapy department, coordinating the work of therapists from other disciplines such as music or dramatherapists.

Staff working in strategic level management posts will have gained knowledge and experience in one or more areas, for example, in financial planning/budgeting, human resource (HR) planning or measuring quality/performance of certain services. Whatever the sector of management, gaining management qualifications while on-the-job will improve your career prospects and performance greatly and is encouraged in most healthcare organisations. Training will vary for each level of management.

Most jobs in the NHS are covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales. This pay system covers all staff except doctors, dentists and the most senior managers. Although you could work your way up from administrative and supervisory roles in between bands 3-6, working in a strategic management role in the NHS your salary would typically be between AfC bands 8 and 9. There would be opportunities at director level, some of which would be on the Very Senior Managers pay scales, typically in excess of £100,000 per year. Staff in the NHS will usually work a standard 37.5 hours per week. Terms and conditions of service can vary for employers outside the NHS.

To work in strategic management, you’ll typically need an ability to think strategically, good communication skills, leadership skills, organisational skills, a willingness to work with others and respect their views, a good level of numeracy, negotiating skills, the ability to challenge the way things are and find better alternatives, honesty and fairness in dealing with other people and a commitment to the ideals of quality and fairness in delivering healthcare.

With further training and/or experience, you may be able to develop your career further into more senior managerial roles at director level.