Wellbeing Children & Young People\'s (CYP) Lead in Hove

36 hours per week / £36,530 per annum pro rata / permanent / working two days onsite and three days from home, working pattern to be discussed at interview.

At YMCA DownsLink Group, our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, building life skills and self-confidence, and supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health. Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections - guide and shape how we show up for children and young people we support and for each other.

Brighton & Hove Wellbeing service is delivered by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with YMCA DownsLink Group. We offer a variety of support including counselling and psychological therapies to children and young people within Brighton and Hove. We are looking for a compassionate and experienced Wellbeing Children & Young People’s (CYP) Lead to support and shape our therapeutic services for young people in Brighton and Hove.

Overview of key areas of responsibility:

• Leadership
  • Provide line management support and supervision to wellbeing workers (e.g. counsellors, practitioners, therapists, link workers and trainees).
  • Work alongside a team of leads to support the running, development and management of the service.
  • Lead induction, mentoring, and training of new staff, trainees, and volunteers.
  • Foster a culture of learning, innovation, and continuous improvement across the team.
• Core Clinical
  • Carry out individual general counselling assessments of children and young people and make appropriate referrals.
  • Provide guidance and oversight for complex or high-risk cases.
  • Ensure all interventions are evidence-based, child-centred, and trauma-informed.
  • Develop and oversee counselling protocols, therapeutic pathways, and risk assessment frameworks.
• Safeguarding and Risk
  • Lead and give oversight for safeguarding concerns, embedding a safeguarding-first culture across the service.
  • Work to ensure all counsellors, staff, and link workers, are trained, confident, and compliant in safeguarding practice.
  • Implement robust risk assessment and management processes.
  • Monitor safeguarding incidents, identify themes, and strengthen safeguarding practice.
  • Liaise with schools, health, social care, police, and other agencies in safeguarding matters.
• Service Development
  • Work with the Service Manager, Leads and Clinical Leads to strengthen and expand counselling provision, including group work.
  • Triage referrals and represent the service in multi-agency triage meetings.
  • Promote and develop opportunities for community participation and youth voice in service design.
  • Build strong relationships with schools, health services, local authorities, commissioners, and community partners.
  • Represent the service at local and regional forums, influencing CYP wellbeing strategies.

Qualifications, knowledge, and experience:

• More than 2 years post-qualified at graduate or post graduate level Counselling Diploma or equivalent [of two years minimum duration including personal counselling or psychotherapy].
• BACP Registration or Accreditation and/or other eligible Professional Accreditation e.g. UKCP/HPC.
• Strong team-management and line-management experience is required, including demonstrated experience in supervising, developing, and supporting staff.
• A good level of understanding in therapeutic or counselling theory and practice and working to short-term models.
• A sound understanding of child developmental processes, Child Protection and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding issues and procedures, along with proven experience in safeguarding young children.
• Solid experience in delivering counselling and/or therapy and assessment, along with experience with dealing with complex cases.
• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working, with the ability to work within time-limited frameworks.