Counsellor (Residential Care Specialist)

Job Description

Job Title: Counsellor (Residential Care Specialist)

Base: Home-based/travel across Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire

Responsible to: Regional Lead / Senior Psychological Therapist

Terms of Employment: Permanent

Hours/week: 3–5 days per week

Salary: £30,000–£40,000 (experience/accreditation dependant)

About Meadows Psychology Service (MPS)

Meadows Psychology Service is a clinical psychology-led organisation and national leader in trauma-informed practice for children and young people. We specialise in supporting systems around children who have experienced developmental and relational trauma—particularly those living in residential care.

We deliver psychologically informed, relationally grounded support to residential children's homes, education settings, foster care, supported accommodation and local authority-commissioned services.

At MPS, quality, authenticity and compassion underpin everything we do. We are growing at pace, strengthening our position as a national centre of excellence in trauma-informed care. Counsellors within our organisation are valued members of the wider therapeutic team and receive high-quality supervision, reflective opportunities and ongoing professional development as part of our inclusive, reflective culture.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide counselling, psychological support and relationally informed practice to children and young people living in residential care, alongside therapeutic support for the teams who care for them.

The role has a strong systemic focus. While a small number of direct sessions with children will be expected, most of your work will centre on:

• supporting residential staff teams,
• strengthening relational safety,
• offering reflective practice,
• contributing to psychologically informed plans, and
• helping the system understand developmental trauma and its impact.

You will work closely with Senior Psychological Therapists and Clinical Psychologists to contribute to assessment, formulation, planning and trauma-informed interventions across multiple settings.

You will also contribute to the continued development of MPS as a national centre of excellence for relational and trauma-informed practice.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct Work with Children and Young People

1. Provide counselling interventions for children and young people with complex trauma histories, primarily those living in residential care.

2. Contribute to psychological assessments and formulations under supervision, offering counselling insights to inform holistic care planning.

3. Deliver structured therapeutic work that aligns with trauma-informed, attachment-aware, and relationally grounded models of practice.

Systemic & Team Support

1. Provide consultation, reflective practice sessions and day-to-day therapeutic guidance to residential care teams.

2. Support staff to understand trauma presentations, relational patterns and the meaning behind behaviour, helping them respond in attuned, regulated and constructive ways.

3. Attend network meetings, care planning forums and reviews to contribute counselling perspectives and support therapeutic care planning.

4. Maintain strong, collaborative relationships with professionals in social care, education, health and partner agencies.

Documentation & Communication

1. Produce well-structured written summaries, progress reports and contributions to assessments.

2. Communicate complex information in an accessible way for non-specialist staff, families, and professionals.

3. Maintain accurate records in line with MPS policies, contractual requirements and professional standards.

Professional Practice

1. Work autonomously across multiple residential homes, fostering services, and other sectors managing your own time, travel and workload.

2. Maintain strong professional boundaries and ethical practice in all interactions.

3. Participate in peer supervision, case discussions, service development meetings and training.

4. Engage in CPD as required to maintain professional accreditation and ensure high-quality therapeutic care.

5. Work within all MPS policies, safeguarding requirements and contractual frameworks.

6. Contribute to quality assurance processes, audits and contract monitoring activity.

Contribution to MPS Development

1. Support training delivery to residential staff and external partners where appropriate.

2. Contribute to induction and onboarding of new MPS colleagues when relevant.

3. Assist in shaping MPS's trauma-informed, relational practice by bringing insights from direct work and system work.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria

1. Accredited counsellor (e.g., BACP/NCPS/UKCP) or working towards accreditation with substantial supervised hours.

2. Experience providing counselling to children and young people who have experienced trauma.

3. Significant experience working within residential children's homes or closely related settings.

4. Strong understanding of developmental trauma, attachment and relational models.

5. Experience supporting staff teams around children with complex presentations.

6. Ability to develop therapeutic relationships with young people who may be avoidant, distrustful or dysregulated.

7. Confidence delivering reflective practice, consultation or emotionally containing spaces for staff (training provided if needed).

8. Strong communication skills and the ability to translate psychological concepts into accessible guidance.

9. Ability to work flexibly, responsively and calmly in environments where anxiety, crisis or unpredictability may occur.

10. Strong organisational skills and ability to manage a varied workload across multiple homes.

11. Ability to hold multiple priorities and manage competing demands

12. Ability to task switch depending on emerging themes and priorities

13. A reflective, thoughtful and relational approach to practice.

14. Driving licence and access to a vehicle (due to regional travel requirements).

Desirable Criteria

1. Training in therapeutic approaches relevant to trauma and residential care (e.g., DDP principles, CFT, DBT-informed skills, mentalisation, trauma-focused models).

2. Experience contributing to assessments or formulations within a multi-disciplinary framework.

3. Experience delivering training or group interventions.

4. Prior experience working within therapeutic frameworks (e.g., ARC, PACE, PIP frameworks) or psychologically informed models of residential care.

Probation Expectations

This role is subject to a 6-month probationary period. This includes:

• structured feedback from residential teams and commissioners,
• review of clinical competence, relational skill and professionalism,
• expectations around responsiveness, communication and autonomy, and
• evidence of reflective engagement with supervision and development.

This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities, and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties following appropriate discussion with the senior leadership team.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent

Pay: £30,000.00-£40,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 24 – 40 per week

Benefits:

• Company events
• Employee discount
• Health & wellbeing programme
• Work from home

Application question(s):

• Are you willing to travel across Bedfordshire and Herefordshire?

Language:

• English (required)

Licence/Certification:

• Driving Licence (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Bedford