School Counsellor

We are looking for a School Counsellor to carry out one to one therapeutic work with children and teenagers, covering a variety of emotional health issues. We are looking for a strong communicator with proven skills in engaging with, inspiring and motivating,students, parents and staff.

At Harris Academy Wimbledon our students are provided with a strong pastoral system giving them the support and care they need to realise their potential, make rapid progress and achieve. For those children who need support in managing their own wellbeingthe role of the School Counsellor is paramount in order to ensure that they are safe, fulfilled and happy, both inside and outside of school.

**About Us**

Harris Academy Wimbledon opened in September 2018. We are a brand new, co-educational 11-18 school for the High Path area. We currently have over 650 students in years 7, 8, 9 and 10 and will build year by year with an intake of 180 pupils in each yeargroup.

**Main Areas of Responsibility**

Your role will be:

- To provide a high-quality professional counselling service for students in the Academy who require therapeutic welfare support covering a variety of emotional health issues.
- To liaise with parents where necessary to ensure the young person is supported well.
- To provide a drop-in service at the Academy for all students as means of one-off support or self-referral.
- To co-ordinate where appropriate with external agencies such as CAMHs, GPs and Psychiatrists to ensure the young person’s well being and safety.
- To appropriately share all safeguarding concerns with the Designated Safeguarding Lead within the Academy.
- To lead and support parents information evenings about well-being and resilience.
- To attend a weekly pastoral briefing to provide updates on students receiving counselling support.
- To provide a termly impact report on the counselling service within the Academy.
- To maintain confidential notes on all counselling sessions and complete session notes (respecting appropriate confidentiality) on the Academy's data base system.
- To attend external clinical supervision to ensure best practice, discuss current case load and identify CPD needs.
- To provide CPD to allow colleagues to understand the emotional needs of students.
- To liaise with key Academy staff members in respect of any necessary next steps to ensure the welfare and safety for all students at the Academy.
- To review the counselling provision on a termly basis and implement steps to improve the service.

**Qualifications & Experience**
- Post graduate qualification in child counselling or child/adult Psychotherapy either to masters or post graduate diploma level.
- Accreditation by the British Psychological Society UK Council for Psychotherapy or the British Association for Counselling
- Experience of working with young people aged 11-18 with a range of emotional issues preferably in a school or institutional setting such as CAMHs.
- Experience of working with parents/carers/external agencies and delivering intervention programmes to individual groups of students.
- Highly effective skills in communicating clearly both orally and in writing.
- Maintaining appropriate and respectful boundaries and other ethical boundaries such as confidentiality, discretion and integrity.
- Confidence and presence in communicating and working with young people.
- Sensitivity to complex situations.
- Excellent organisational skills, confidence in liaising with parents and outside professionals.
- Emotional maturity and resilience in dealing with complex issues.

**Professional Development & Benefits**

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre.
In addition to the opportunities for career progression, training and development, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and manyother benefits.

**Safeguarding Notice**

**Equal Opportunities**

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for ourstudents and staff.