Counsellor

Job responsibilities

We actively welcome candidates and staff with different identities and different ways of thinking. As a Disability Confident Leader we encourage open and honest communication at all levels and we are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments for any staff in any role.

Are you:

An experienced mental health practitioner used to a fast-paced environment.

Experienced in working with children and young people across early intervention / mental health settings and experienced in engaging the whole family.

Experienced in providing guided self-help and short-term counselling interventions.

Positive and proactive to achieve the highest standards and outcomes in engagement with children, young people, their parent/carers, and professionals.

Adept in communication and confident communicating with CYP (Children and Young Peoples), their parents/carers and health professionals.

Open, respectful, committed to equality and inclusiveness and motivated by new ideas and perspectives.

A team player. Role Purpose:

You will deliver outcome focused evidence-based therapy-based interventions for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties to support them to improve their emotional health and build resilience. This will include (virtual & F2F) individual, group work and peer support. Working as part of the Be U Swindon Community Team.

Main Duties and responsibilities:

This post will work under the line management of the Communities Service Lead and clinical supervision of the Senior Practitioner. You will work from Be U Swindon and community venues to support Children / Young People to easily access therapeutic interventions and thrive.

The role will be varied, challenging, and rewarding as you will work as part of a diverse clinical team pro- actively developing the service through co-production, delivery, and ongoing innovation.

Main Tasks:

To deliver therapeutic interventions to children and young people, working independently which may at times mean lone working.

To undertake professional initial assessments of young people.

To provide ongoing and one-off counselling to young people.

To develop alternatives to one-to-one therapeutic work i.e., group work.

To facilitate peer support interventions with and for children and young people.

To provide information, advice, guidance, and support as part of the single point of access function.

To maintain confidential case notes and records in a timely manner ensuring that they are stored securely using the specified case management systems.

To develop links to other agencies and services and have a good understanding of local services for signposting and onward referrals.

To positively manage risk and recognise and pro-actively respond to child protection and safeguarding issues.

Communication

Be able to communicate and engage with children and young people appropriate to individual needs.

Ensure young people feel listened to, feel in control and are respected.

WORKING PRACTICE EXPECTATIONS

Ethical Practice

Employed therapists are required to abide by the Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) or equivalent.

Professional Membership and Registration

It is required that employed practitioners maintain active membership with a national organisation that represents the field of psychological therapy and people who work as counsellors and therapists, such AFT, BACP, BPS, BABCP or HCPC or UKCP. Employed practitioners will ideally pursue accreditation or registration with one of these bodies; and will complete annual continuing professional development and associated procedures required to maintain accreditation and/or registration. All costs associated with professional memberships, subscriptions, conferences, continuing education etc., are borne by the practitioner.

Liability Insurance

Employed practitioners are covered against malpractice liability by ABL insurance. Supervision

Employed clinical practitioners are required to attend supervision at the minimum frequency of 1.5 hours per FTE per month, with an appropriately qualified internal ABL Health professional. This time is included in the contract.

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role

Qualifications

Essential

• 1 years post qualification counselling /psychotherapy experience.
• Professional registration with recognised National Body (e.g. BACP/UKCP, HCPC).

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication skills including listening, verbal and written.
• Ability to communicate with CYP of different ages, developmental level and backgrounds.
• Excellent telephone manner.
• Ability to prioritise work tasks.
• Ability to work under high pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Understanding and evidence of adhering to information governance and data protection policies.
• Efficient problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interact with colleagues and other stakeholders politely and courteously.
• Excellent IT skills and proficient in all areas of Microsoft Office & running remote meetings.
• Experience with reporting in client database packages.
• Excellent customer care.
• Evidence of accuracy and paying attention to detail in tasks.
• Punctuality, reliability and honesty.
• Ability to use own initiative and confident to do so in the workplace.
• Efficient problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interact with colleagues and other stakeholders politely and courteously.
• Excellent IT skills and proficient in all areas of Microsoft Office & running remote meetings.
• Experience with reporting in client database packages.
• Excellent customer care.
• Evidence of accuracy and paying attention to detail in tasks.
• Punctuality, reliability and honesty.
• Ability to use own initiative and confident to do so in the workplace.

Desirable

• Local knowledge of services and need.

Job Specific Requirements

Essential

• Work flexibly and adapt to suit service need.
• Willing to travel.
• Enhanced DBS check.

Experience

Essential

• Knowledge of development in CYP, family development and of transitions.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team environment.
• Experience in managing a caseload.
• Ability to assess and manage risks.
• Ability to recognise and respond to concerns about child protection and safeguarding.
• Ability to make use of supervision.
• Up to date knowledge of CYP emotional wellbeing / early mental health clinical evidence-based practice and support for parents/carers.

Desirable

• Experience in quality improvement measures.
• Experience in pathway development.
• Experience in delivering training and workshops to CYP and parents / carers.
• Experience in delivering training to professionals.
• Experience in running peer support groups.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).