Counsellor (Child & Young Person) in Ipswich

Providing therapeutic support to children and young people and their families living with severe medical complexity, life threatening or life shortening conditions, anticipatory grief, trauma and bereavement. Working across hospice, community and educational settings, delivering 1:1 and group counselling interventions face to face and remotely and applying counselling knowledge in consultation with professional networks around children and young people. Holding a varied clinical caseload, completing detailed assessments, contributing to service development, and offering guidance and informal support to colleagues involved in emotional-wellbeing work.

Main duties of the job

• Provide counselling to children, young people and families affected by illness, trauma, loss and bereavement.
• Manage a varied clinical caseload.
• Complete comprehensive assessments, formulations, risk assessments and regular reviews.
• Deliver individual, group and family therapeutic interventions.
• Work collaboratively with multi-agency partners including schools, health and community services.
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical records using approved systems.
• Provide pre and post-bereavement counselling and psychoeducation.
• Support families with key decision-making, memory making and end-of-life planning.
• Contribute to therapeutic groups, workshops, training and organisation.

About us

East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) supports families and cares for children and young people with life threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. At EACH we believe in fostering a workplace where every individual feels valued and respected. We are committed to building a culture of inclusion where differences are embraced. We are actively seeking talent from all walks of life, recognising that diversity drives innovation, creativity and success. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply for opportunities at EACH and adjustments will be made to facilitate the application and selection process.

Job responsibilities

• Provide counselling for children, young people and families affected by severe medical complexity, life threatening or life shortening conditions, trauma, loss and bereavement.
• Manage a varied caseload and be supported to work with presentations related to trauma, risk, grief and safeguarding concerns.
• Undertake comprehensive assessments, formulations, risk assessments and regular reviews.
• Contribute to the delivery of individual, group and family therapeutic interventions using developmentally appropriate and inclusive approaches.
• Liaise with multi-agency professionals to ensure safe, integrated and effective support.
• Maintain accurate clinical records using approved systems (e.g., SystmOne).
• Provide pre- and post-bereavement counselling and psychoeducation for children, young people and families.
• Support families with key decisions, memory making and end-of-life planning.
• Act as a point of contact for schools and colleges supporting children and young people affected by illness or bereavement.
• Contribute to the delivery of workshops and training on grief, loss, trauma and emotional wellbeing within education settings.
• Contribute to the design, delivery and evaluation of therapeutic groups, peer-support sessions and family workshops.
• Contribute to organisation-wide events such as Memory Days and Universal Groups.
• Contribute to internal training on child development, grief, communication, trauma-informed practice and emotional wellbeing.
• Contribute to the development of educational materials and e-learning resources.
• Participate in audits, quality improvement activity, outcome measurement and service evaluation.
• Act in accordance with safeguarding legislation, organisational policy and risk-management procedures.
• Identify and escalate safeguarding concerns promptly and appropriately.
• Maintain up-to-date safeguarding training and contribute to a safe working culture.

Person Specification

Other requirements

• Commitment to safeguarding and ethical practice.
• Willingness to work across hospice sites, community settings and education venues.
• Current full, valid driving license and access to own vehicle.

Qualifications

• Recognised counselling/psychotherapy postgraduate qualification specific to therapeutic work with CYP level 5 and above.
• UKCP Registered or BACP accredited (or working towards accreditation) or equivalent counselling accreditation.
• Training in systemic practice or family therapy.
• Evidence of ongoing CPD, relating to CYP, trauma, and bereavement.
• Qualification in online counselling.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to manage a complex caseload.
• Strong ability to communicate with children, young people, adults and professionals.
• Ability to adapt approach to best meet individual needs of CYP.
• Skilled in assessment, risk management, and therapeutic formulation.
• Ability to work flexibly, including across multiple sites e.g. schools.
• Ability to deliver training and group programmes.

Experience

• Relevant experience providing counselling to children, young people and families.
• Experience working with grief, loss, complex trauma and emotional distress.
• Experience conducting assessments, reviews and risk management.
• Experience working in multi-agency settings such as schools and health services.
• Experience in hospice, palliative care or bereavement services.
• Experience delivering training or facilitating groups.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.