School Based Counsellor

WhereToTalk; Tadworth, Byfleet; On-site; GBP 40,000 - GBP 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A local counselling charity is looking for a fully qualified Counsellor to join their team in Surrey. You will provide essential 1:1 counselling sessions for children within schools, helping to improve their mental wellbeing. The position is self-employed, offering £25 per hour for a minimum of 3 hours per week per school, initially for the summer term of 2025. Candidates must have relevant qualifications and experience working with children. Commitment to safeguarding and confidentiality is paramount.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified Counsellor, Therapist or Educational/Clinical Psychologist.
• Experience working therapeutically with children is desirable.
• Understanding of safeguarding policies.

Responsibilities

• Provide at least 3 weekly counselling sessions to different children.
• Engage in monthly supervision with a qualified supervisor.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records of clinical work.

Skills

Child psychology expertise

Therapeutic communication

Record keeping

Emotional support

Clinical assessment

Education

Post-graduate qualification in Counselling or Psychotherapy

BACP accreditation or similar

Job description

Overview

School Based Counsellor Required: Surrey

You will report into our clinical lead and will be paid £25 per hour on a self-employed basis, initially for the summer term of 2025.

We are a very small, registered charity (number 1164078). We provide counselling support for children and young people who would not normally have access to the help they need by offering funded counselling to children and young people within 35 local, Surrey-based schools on a bi-termly basis. We usually provide a counsellor for a minimum of 3 hours per week per school. We also offer some part funded counselling on a self-referral basis for those who do not have access within their school environment or for those above school age. We currently support approximately 45 children, young people and their caregivers on a weekly basis.

We are delighted that we are in the position to invite one or more fully qualified Counsellor/s to join our small passionate and perfectly formed team working in Surrey on a ‘self-employed basis’, initially for the summer term of 2025.

You will provide a high-quality, safe and confidential counselling service to pupils comprising 1:1 clinical work with pupils at your designated school, in person within one of the schools we provide this service to, within Surrey, UK.

You will report into our clinical lead and will be paid £25 per hour on a self-employed basis, initially for the summer term of 2025.

Role Description

You will provide at least 3 counselling sessions to 3 separate children and/or young people per week at one school during the summer term of 2025. Should our funding continue, we may be able to continue into the next school year. The school/s will be either based in and around Tadworth, or in and around the Byfleet/Woking area.

You must read and adhere to all of our relevant policies, including safeguarding, confidentiality and information sharing.

This is a general outline of our school counsellor role, please be aware that your duties and responsibilities may develop as your role grows and you may be required to undertake other relevant reasonable duties from time to time.

Duties & Responsibilities

Ensure High Quality Clinical Practice and Delivery

• Undertake clinical assessments based on child/young person’s needs
• Manage and account for overall clinical caseload
• Be able to complete assessment and hold regular reviews of clinical work
• Identify appropriate clinical interventions for pupils based on assessed need.
• Undertake one to one clinical work with pupils
• Engage in monthly supervision with a suitably qualified supervisor who has experience of working with children and young people
• Practice with an integrative model
• Demonstrate an understanding of working with children who require or would benefit from emotional or therapeutic support within the school environment
• Seek to improve the quality of service and provision wherever possible

Establish Positive, Active and Effective Relationships with the Staff and Pupils

• Meet the expectations of the school, working closely with the designated representative within the school and our Lead Counsellor/clinical lead.
• Demonstrate an understanding of child development and issues that may impact on their wellbeing
• Devise and implement appropriate strategies to support children behaviourally, emotionally and physically
• Demonstrate accuracy in all communications
• Have experience of providing short- and long-term therapy
• Identify and discuss potential referrals with the designated person within the school
• Establish and sustain positive working relationships with staff and children
• Embed the counselling service firmly within the ethos of the school
• Work autonomously and proactively within school
• Promote good mental health, share information and good practice with staff throughout school

Accurately Report and Evaluate Data

• Maintain detailed, confidential, up to date records of all provision delivered
• Use data to inform and improve practice and impact
• Be Alert to Safeguarding and Child Protection Issues

Demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding children

• Be proactive in reporting safeguarding issues and concerns to the DSL
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of child protection policy and procedures within school as well as Statutory documentation such as KCSIE and in line with The Matthew Hackney Foundation’s safeguarding policy
• Keep up to date with safeguarding policy and developments
• Respect the reporting lines of confidentiality that occur in Safeguarding Training and Development
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of pupils for who you are responsible and with whom you encounter
• Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance and conduct
• Maintain positive, courteous relations with pupils and colleagues
• Promote the good name and reputation of the Matthew Hackney Foundation and adhere to it’s policies and procedures

Key criteria required for the role

Qualifications

• You will be a fully qualified Counsellor, Therapist or Educational/Clinical Psychologist with a Post-graduate level qualification in Counselling or Psychotherapy (ideally this would specialise in working with children (and adolescents)) however, experience of working with children is acceptable.
• You will have BACP Accreditation, UKCP or BPC registration or registration with an equivalent recognised awarding body or working towards these registrations
• Further therapeutic training or qualification in working with children and young people
• Experience of working therapeutically with children post qualification is desirable, however, if you have experience of working with children in a different role, we are happy to support you in developing your skills.
• Demonstrate understanding of a range of therapeutic models
• An understanding of the developmental, emotional, social and educational issues of children and young people
• A clear understanding of child protection policy and procedures and commitment to safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults
• An awareness of range of needs of people from diverse ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds
• Knowledge of local mental health and CAMHS Services
• Knowledge of the Children’s Act and legislation pertaining to children
• Experience of working in a School

You would have be able to demonstrate;

• A passion for supporting the mental wellbeing of children & young people.
• Willingness to make a minimum commitment to practice in school one half day per week (term time only) for one term.
• Understands and can demonstrate the values, vision and mission of The Matthew Hackney Foundation.
• Emotionally robust and able to demonstrate self-awareness and self-reflection
• Will have undertaken personal therapy (one-to-one or group therapy) to enhance this.
• Be willing to develop an understanding of The Matthew Hackney Foundation’s equal opportunities policy, safeguarding policy and confidentiality policy, and a personal commitment to equality of opportunity and anti –discriminatory practice in service delivery.
• Outgoing, friendly and proactive character.
• Being able to use your own initiative but be able to ask for help when you need it.
• Be creative and full of ideas
• Be trustworthy, friendly and reliable
• Ability to multitask
• Ability to work under pressure.

Further information

Please send your CV and a covering letter explaining how you meet the criteria and why you would be the best fit for our organisation to Penny Hackney at [e-mail]

Please note you will be required to provide or apply for an enhanced DBS check and proof of/carry out safeguarding training along with three professional references