School Counsellor

**This is a unique opportunity for a therapeutic Counsellor to make a real difference to young people’s mental health in local schools **

**North Staffs Mind has positions available for you to join our school counselling team We are looking for fully qualified** **Counsellors to work in primary schools across Staffordshire.**

**Benefits**
- **Term time only, meaning annual leave during school holidays**:

- **People focused organisation with excellent staff satisfaction results**:

- **Additional annual leave for your birthday**:

- **Flexible approach to working**:

- **Discounted gym membership**:

- **5% contributory pension scheme**

**About Us**

North Staffs Mind has been delivering a range of respected, client-focused and high-quality services for adults, children and young people in North Staffordshire since 1976. We pride ourselves on our relaxed and friendly atmosphere and our commitment to delivering high quality, client focused, professional services.

**About the Service**

Our well-established school team are proud to work in multiple schools and Academy Trusts across the Staffordshire area. New commissions are regularly acquired as we broaden our reach to provide the highest quality counselling support to children and young people within the school environment.

Quote from one of the team: '_**Working as a School Counsellor is an incredibly rewarding role. Each student brings something new to the sessions and it is a privilege to hear their stories. As a practitioner, working in such a supportive and collaborative school environment has helped me to develop and grow my practice, it is a fantastic role which continues to challenge, reward and allow me to advance as a counsellor.'**_

We are committed to equal opportunities and work with people from different cultural backgrounds, using interpreters when necessary and the service is available for young people from age 4 to 19 years old.

**About You**

We are looking for a fully qualified Counsellor with a real passion for supporting young people experiencing mental health issues.

You should be flexible, approachable and committed to working as part of a multi-disciplinary team in order to achieve the best possible outcome for every person you work with.

You should be adaptable in approach as you will be providing goal focused and evidence informed therapeutic interventions tailored to the individual client.

**The Details**

In return we offer a varied and rewarding role in a people-focused organisation that strives to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our local communities.

**You will be based in an individual school(s)* as well as the Dudson Centre, Hanley and may also be expected to work remotely from home.**

**Hours available across North and South Staffordshire and Cheshire.**
- **Hours: Various - minimum of 14 per week, term time only**:

- **Salary: £21,017-£25,394 gross per annum, dependent on experience (salary will be pro rata’d dependent on hours)**:

- **Report to: School Team Manager**

**Job Summary**:
Work within North Staffs Mind Schools Counselling team, which provides counselling services to numerous schools across Staffordshire. A school counsellor is required to work independently within a school environment delivering one to one counselling and also group work to children and young people.

Our service is delivered on school premises, although during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic we may also deliver services remotely via the telephone and/or video.

**Duties and Responsibilities**:

- Offer professional therapeutic one-to-one support to children/young people referred or self-referring into the service.
- Work with small groups of children/young people.
- Have input into staff training/ whole class activities to raise awareness of mental health and emotional well-being of children/young people.
- Share information required to ensure that the individual children and young people are protected/supported in line with agreed protocols.
- Maintain necessary records to ensure work is recorded appropriately and produce reports for information and statistical purposes so that the work can be effectively monitored and managed.
- Make and maintain links with staff in the school in order to ensure good communication.
- Liaise with key individuals in order to ensure the young person is supported appropriately, including: staff, parents and other agencies.
- Work in line with North Staffs Mind policies and procedures, including confidentiality and safeguarding, and relevant school policies.

.Work in line with the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (BACP), 2018.
- To be responsible for one’s own safety and well-being.
- To ensure that client and the counsellor work in a safe and appropriate way within the school environment.
- Undertake required training, and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of issues which affect the mental health of children and young people through training, reading and other r