SUMMARYBefore beginning higher professional training in one of the subspecialties, all psychiatry trainees must complete a general professional psychiatric training. At this stage, some but not all will undertake a clinical placement in child and adolescent psychiatry. Fifty‐seven trainees who had completed one of the 15 child and adolescent psychiatry placements in a Regional Health Authority, took part in a semi‐structured telephone interview. The trainees were asked to compare the child and adolescent psychiatry placement with a general adult psychiatry placement with respect to the training received in a number of areas. These areas were considered to be important to psychiatrists of all future subspecialties and included: assessment, communication, psychological interventions and psychological theories. In addition, subjects were asked about their general professional training as a whole and the role that child and adolescent psychiatry placements should play. The interview included quantitative and qualitative components. The findings suggest that child and adolescent psychiatry placements can make a significant contribution to a number of important areas of general professional development and that there would be considerable support for strengthening the role of such placements in psychiatry train