School Counselor

We are seeking to employ counsellors for our Schools Counselling Team in the Downpatrick area. The role involves flexibility and a willingness to travel to schools in your designated areas. Clinical supervision, training, mileage and support with the BACP accreditation process will be provided.

Starting salary: £27,300 (FTE) and pension

Supervision, CPD training, mileage and support with the BACP accreditation process will be provided. Pension scheme and health plan may also be available depending on hours worked.

**Key responsibilities**
- To deliver safe and confidential counselling for young people referred to Familyworks’ School Counselling Program, in a Post-Primary school setting
- To develop effective working partnerships with senior management and teaching staff to ensure delivery of a high-quality service in schools
- To work within agency policies, standards and procedures for service delivery
- To deal with risk and safeguarding issues in accordance with legal and ethical requirements, in consultation with Familyworks management
- To provide advice to the Principal or designate teacher regarding safeguarding concerns, in accordance with Child Protection policies and procedures
- To liaise as necessary, within the bounds of confidentiality, with members of staff and other appropriate individuals including health, welfare and other agencies
- To record data electronically, experience in Microsoft and confidence in using data recording software is essential
- Typically counselling takes place on school premises and during school hours

Role Requirements

**Therapeutic Service Delivery**
- To promote the school service with parents, pupils and staff in designated schools in appropriate ways
- To assess the needs of clients and provide appropriate therapeutic interventions to meet these needs, primarily through one-to one counselling
- To engage constructively with children, young people and adults from a diverse background, promoting anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice
- To develop and maintain productive and co-operative relationships with nominated staff and key contacts in designated schools
- To work pro-actively, via liaison with key contacts to manage the referrals process and to ensure optimum service delivery within the parameters of available resources
- To maintain best practice as a counsellor while working sensitively as part of the pastoral care teams in schools
- To manage risk and safeguarding issues in accordance with appropriate legal and ethical requirements
- To provide advice to the Principal or school staff as requested in respect to child protection policy and practice, in consultation with Familyworks management
- To maintain appropriate records of counselling activities including case notes in accordance with Data Protection using the company’s secure database
- To be an effective team member
- To be able to deliver group work as needed
- To be mindful of the policy of confidentiality when undertaking all duties
- To be willing and able to travel to identified schools, and to maintain a flexible attitude
- To liaise as necessary, within the bounds of confidentiality, with members of staff and other appropriate individuals including health, welfare and other agencies

**Service Quality & Development**
- Ensure BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy is adhered to in all counselling work
- Ensure current and up-to-date knowledge of professional policies and ‘best possible’ practice
- To evaluate own work and contribute to the evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the service

**Professional Development & General Duties**
- To attend monthly staff meetings and in-service training as available (typically one Friday morning per month)
- To attend monthly clinical supervision in accordance with policy and procedures
- To meet monthly with line management and make them aware of any issues of concern or risk regarding your clients
- To work within the aims and values of Familyworks of ‘Integrity, Respect, Care, Safety, Generosity and Excellence’
- To work within the parameters of the policies and procedures of the organisation
- To demonstrate commitment to continuous personal and professional development by undertaking appropriate training in keeping with the needs of the counselling service
- To comply with the relevant legislative frameworks relevant to the work
- To undertake such other reasonable duties, commensurate with the post, as may be required
- May be required to provide sessions over the summer

Essential Criteria
- Professional qualification in counselling or psychotherapy (minimum Level 4 Advanced Diploma or equivalent)
- Accredited (or working toward completion, to be accredited no later than 1 year from start date) with BACP, IACP or HCPC
- Minimum of 150 hours supervised clinical practice
- Prior experience counselling children & young people (at least one year) up to the age of 18, and have an unde