Custody-based Counsellor

Competencies and other skills required

**PLEASE NOTE - Applicants will only be considered if you provide both a CV and Cover Letter**

The role is **only open to women**, in accordance with the sex-based exemptions of the Equality Act 2010 pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1.

**Custody-based Counsellor (HMP New Hall)**

**Salary**: £28,364 **(pro-rata)**

**Location**: HMP New Hall

**Hours**: 34 hours

**Closing Date**:12PM, 19th June 2024

**Interview Date**: 26th June 2024

Together Women is looking for an outstanding Custody-based Counsellor to support women in a custodial setting to access therapeutic support sessions. We are seeking someone who works with a humanistic or integrative approach. Experience with complex trauma, PTSD, and CSE is highly advantageous for this role.

**Join Our Team**
- Are you driven and passionate about working within a women-centred support service?
- Are you looking for a dynamic and rewarding role working for an organisation that delivers specialist gender specific support to women and girls?
- Do you believe in our values; to listen and support, to empower and respect, collaborate, innovate and take accountability?

**What we can offer you - Employee Benefits**:

- 25 days holiday increasing by one day per year to a max of 30 days, plus public holidays
- Pension scheme with 5% employer contribution
- Annual cost of living increase up to 4%
- Enhanced Training and Induction programme covering all areas of Together Women’s work
- Access to our Employee Assistance Programme with discount offers and free telephone counselling service
- Access to our online wellbeing platform
- Employee eye-care scheme and free eye tests
- Organisation wide away days
- Career development pathways

**Role Summary**

We are seeking a counsellor to work 34 hours (4.5 days) per week within HMP New Hall, a women’s prison outside Wakefield, to help women who have referred themselves or have been referred for counselling support. Currently, Together Women New Hall operate a twelve-session counselling pathway and a brief therapy and crisis stabilisation pathway and this role will be fully embedded within the twelve-session pathway, offering weekly or fortnightly sessions.

The therapy provision would be predominantly face to face but there is a possibility of work via telephone if a resident would prefer this. We are seeking someone who works with a humanistic or integrative approach. Experience with complex trauma, PTSD, and CSE is highly advantageous for this role.

Specifics:

- Together Women’s core working hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
- We wish to restrict the post to females using the GOQ in s9 (2) (e) and s9 (2) (f) of the Employment (Sex Discrimination) Act 2000.

**Key Accountabilities**:

- To deliver therapeutic interventions in a trauma-informed and empathic manner
- To receive appropriate managerial supervision and engage with clinical supervision from an experienced external supervisor
- To be a member in good standing of BACP/UKCP/NCPS or another recognised governing body and adhere to their ethical framework
- To maintain professional records
- To refer and report any safeguarding concerns
- To manage the waiting list for the service
- To maintain confidentiality and boundaries as expected in a custodial setting
- To make appropriate referrals to other services and departments in the prison. Please note that we are particularly keen to see the service as an integral part of our current provision that shares appropriate information and involves other relevant departments in its work and referrals
- To comply in all respects to the Rape Crisis and National Service Standards
- Use evaluation, learning, experience and user feedback to support service development
- Manage and update own skills base to ensure quality service delivery and personal development in role

**Role Requirements**
- Essential Criteria_

**Qualifications/ Training**
- Recognised professional qualification in counselling/psychotherapy
- Evidence of maintaining skills and knowledge base in professional field through training or other opportunities.

**Experience**
- At least two years experience of undertaking direct therapeutic work one to one with vulnerable adults
- Experience of the delivery of services for women
- Knowledge and understanding of the issues faced by women in the criminal justice system
- Experience of working with women in a support role
- Experience of working alongside and in partnership with other staff or agencies

**Competencies and other skills required**
- Clear written and verbal communication skills with people at all levels
- Good assessment skills Qualifications/ Training
- Training in addiction and recovery, effects of homelessness and ACEs would be advantageous Experience
- Experience of multi-disciplinary team working
- Experience and competence in report writing Competencies and other skills required
- Ability to deliver a restorative approach to interventions
- An abil