Children and Young People Counsellor

Role Objective: Offer digital counselling and emotional wellbeing support to children and young people.

Job Overview: Providing text‑based online counselling or psychotherapy, support and advice to children and young people within the iRespond clinical and operational model.

Responsibilities:

• Assess and manage the risks and needs of each service user you interact with.
• Appropriately signpost and complete referrals as required.
• Manage your own caseload.
• Provide short‑ and mid‑term therapeutic structured support and interventions to help with physical, emotional and mental health issues and distress.
• Provide digital therapeutic structured support and interventions for those with complex mental health difficulties.
• Work within the professional ethical frameworks laid out by the BACP or equivalent.
• Perform all duties in line with relevant compliance, legal requirements and internal policies with particular reference to children, young people and adult safeguarding and protection, and data protection legislation.

Clinical Administration:

• Maintain accurate case notes and records using Kooth approved systems and processes.
• Liaise with other professionals/services either internally or externally around safeguarding issues and concerns.
• Maintain accurate information about shift duties and activity via the scheduling and rota system.

In‑house Clinical Support, Supervision and Training:

• Attend and effectively contribute to clinical supervision and other clinical support.
• Commit to our mandatory in‑house training and continuing professional development opportunities.

Management Supervision and Meetings:

• Attend and effectively contribute to team meetings and other key organisational meetings.
• Attend and effectively contribute to management supervision to review clinical work and overall performance against agreed work schedules (KPIs).

Working Hours: We offer contracts of 26, 32 and 35 (full‑time) hours a week. All rota options will sit within our opening times: Mon‑Fri 12:00 pm‑10:00 pm and Sat‑Sun 6:00 pm‑10:00 pm. Shifts available are 4‑hour and 6‑hour, or split shifts Mon‑Sun.

Requirements:

Qualifications – Essential:

• A relevant professional qualification in Counselling and Psychotherapy at level 4 (minimum) recognised by BACP, UKCP, COSCA or equivalent.
• Hold registered status with the BACP (MBACP reg.) or equivalent level registration with a recognised UK Counselling and Psychotherapy awarding body (e.g. UKCP, COSCA).
• Accreditation‑eligibility with a recognised UK Counselling and Psychotherapy awarding body (BACP, UKCP, COSCA, etc.).
• Child protection and adult safeguarding training.

Qualifications – Desirable:

• Qualification in Online Counselling.
• Suicide Prevention and Self‑Harm Mitigation Training.
• Safeguarding and risk management interventions training.

Clinical:

• A minimum of 450 completed supervised clinical practice hours working as a qualified and clinically supervised Counsellor/Psychotherapist.
• Experience in conducting risk and needs assessment, referrals, and providing effective short‑term and long‑term counselling/psychotherapy to adults.
• Experience in risk management interventions.
• Experience in adult safeguarding and child protection, and clear knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection policies and legislation.
• A willingness to learn and keep up to date with mental health research, issues and theories around psychological change.
• A belief that clinical outcomes matter and have to be measured.

Personal:

• Exceptional time management skills and the ability to manage your own clinical caseload and all administrative tasks involved, with effective communication via online platforms.
• Sensitivity and understanding of the social, environmental and economic factors that impact people's mental health.
• Be resilient, empathetic and mentally equipped to help people who may present in distress.
• Be motivated by a ‘can‑do' attitude and ambition to work hard as part of a team to build something special in line with our mission.
• Have a clear understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion issues and how awareness informs practice.
• Experience and ability to work collaboratively across multi‑disciplinary teams.
• Ability to work remotely with a good broadband connection, a comfortable and safe home working setup, and competent use of technology.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary – Dependant on experience £26,513.
• Generous Annual Leave – Enjoy 36 days of annual leave, including public holidays.
• Professional Development – Yearly training programmes tailored to career aspirations.
• Financial Security – Pension contributions and annual company share option awards.
• Health and Well‑being – Comprehensive AXA plan and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offering 24/7 telephone support and GP access.
• Life Assurance – Up to four times annual salary for loved ones in the unfortunate event of passing.
• Flexible Working – Remote working to create a work‑life balance.
• Lifestyle Benefits – Incapacity Income Protection.
• Clinical Supervision and in‑house clinical support – All paid for and monthly.

At Kooth, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace that values and embraces the unique contributions of every individual. We believe in equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. We strive to provide a work environment that is free from discrimination, where every employee is treated with respect and dignity. We are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants and employees with disabilities or individuals who require accommodations to participate in the application process, interviews, or job‑related tasks. Kooth plc is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We recruit candidates who share this commitment to safeguarding, and therefore we apply robust recruitment and selection procedures to ensure that the people selected are right for the job, and that all candidates are appropriately screened prior to appointment. This will include an enhanced DBS.