Counsellor on Placement County Durham

Please review the Placement Map link below before applying, which shows all of the schools that we currently conduct placements in. Please ensure that you are able to travel to at least one or more schools from this map. You will be asked to mention the schools in your application. Please note this is not an indication of spaces; we will try our best to accommodate your chosen schools.

Counsellors on Placement provide emotional and therapeutic support to children and young people aged 4-18 in Place2Be partner schools. As an organisation that has adopted the BACP ethical framework of good practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy, counsellors working within the organisation are dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of the children they work with. Place2Be provides a high level of support to counsellors on placement through regular supervision, tailored training workshops and offers a well-recognised clinical placement.

We provide a comprehensive induction programme and clinical supervision is undertaken at the end of each day. We need you to be available for a minimum of one day per week to work in a therapeutic capacity with up to 3 children offering one-to-one counselling. Placements are term time only and run for one academic year. There are opportunities for you to stay with us beyond one year. You will have the opportunity to attend up to six optional workshops throughout the year which are recognised as continuing professional development time. Sessions spent with children are accepted as clinical hours towards professional accreditation, and are recognised by the BACP and UKCP.

A placement is an excellent stepping stone into a job opportunity and career with Place2Be; over ⅔ of our clinical staff were once Counsellors on Placement. We have places available in our projects in both primary and secondary schools nationwide.

Counting your hours: All clinical hours gained on placement can be used towards accreditation with a body such as BACP and UKCP. However, if you need to gain clinical hours for your course, we would strongly advise that you check with your course tutor as to whether child hours are accepted before applying. If your course does not accept child hours but you would like to gain counselling experience of working with Children and Young People, you can still apply for a Place2Be placement as a second placement.

Diversity and Inclusion: Place2Be is committed to equal opportunities and anti-discrimination practices and we positively encourage applications from all sections of the community. We are particularly interested in attracting applications from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, for our clinical roles, we are particularly keen in attracting male candidates to reflect the diversity of the partner schools and communities we work in. All successful applicants to clinical roles will be asked to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure from the DBS / PVG.

About You: You will be a fully qualified Counsellor, Therapist or Clinical Psychologist or studying towards one of these professions at the following levels: Diploma in Counselling (Level 4 or above). If you are in your first year, you will have completed a full academic year Certificate Course in Counselling or the equivalent of 9 - 12 months. Degree, MSc or MA in Counselling, Counselling Psychology or Psychotherapy - if you are in your first year you will have relevant experience of direct work with children. We are always looking for suitable counsellors on placement, so if you believe you have what it takes to thrive in this challenging, rewarding environment please apply.