Staff Counsellor

Contract: Paid by invoice, Part-time, Term-time only

Hours: Late afternoons and evenings during term time, 12 hours per week

Working arrangement: Remote working

Salary: £21-£24 ph (£40,000 to £46,000 FTE)

About the role:

We are seeking to recruit a Staff Counsellor who has a breadth experience in counselling and a mature outlook on life is required for this role. Someone who has a positive attitude and has a wide range of skills trauma, bereavement, well-being, work-related stress is crucial.

Overall, someone who is confident, professional and caring.

The successful candidate will have:

• Qualified Counsellor/Psychotherapy, recognised national and professional qualifications
• Membership of Professional bodies
• Evidence of continual training and development in your practice
• Adhere to the codes of ethics and practice adopted by Relate and relevant Counselling Professional Bodies.
• Be aware of and adhere to all Advantage Schools policies and practices, including Child Protection and Confidentiality to ensure the safety of staff
• To maintain confidential records according to the data protection regulations and Trust procedures
• Listening skills
• Empathy and understanding
• A non-judgmental attitude
• Patience and a calm manner
• Ability to cope with emotional situations
• Ability to relate to and adapt communication style to suit a wide range of people
• To be prepared to handle urgent and crisis cases with staff
• To use appropriate counselling approaches when working with different clients, including referring to other counsellors/ mental health professionals where appropriate
• To be able to respond appropriately to staff with concerns about staff within the confidentiality policy and ensure that any safeguarding or other risk concerns are addressed.
• To maintain professional indemnity insurance to an appropriate level.

Safeguarding

We believe in the safeguarding and welfare of children and expect all staff to share this view’.

The Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. We are an equal opportunities employer. The Trust reserves the right to interview and appoint a suitable candidate before the deadline date.

The Department for Education (DfE)’s has set out statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ for schools and colleges on safeguarding.

Safeguarding is defined in paragraph 4 as:

… protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

The definition of ‘children’ includes everyone under the age of 18.