Job summary
We are recruiting versatileand empathetic qualified Counsellors to join our multidisciplinary teamsupporting bereaved parents including those who have experienced a sudden andunexpected loss of a child (through our Specialist Bereavement Pathway) andthose with children who have life limiting conditions. The Counsellor willpredominately be supporting families in West London.
The ideal candidates will beskilled in employing a variety of therapeutic approaches, ensuring that theirneeds are met in a personalised manner. This might include
Trauma informed CBT
Systemic counselling
Psychodynamic counselling
Working with mental health, suicide andself-harm
Main duties of the job
We require counsellors who havea comprehensive understanding of how grief and loss can impact people, and whocan be sensitive to these varied reactions. The counsellor needs to be able tosupport individuals with psychoeducation and flexible support immediately aftera childs death, as well as sets of sessions during the 3 years and 3 monthspost-death. This requires a flexible approach to the counselling intervention(including place, time and frequency of contact).
Families at Shooting Starcome from a range of diverse backgrounds and our counsellors need to understandand respect beliefs and practices related to grief, in order to providesensitive and appropriate support. We welcome applications from counsellors whospeak a second Language.
We are looking forcounsellors who can demonstrate warmth and kindness that will help our familiesto feel cared for and understood, creating a space for them to process theirgrief.
This work can be challengingtherefore applicants must be able to maintain their emotional well-being sothat they can effectively support the families without becoming overwhelmed.The ability to cope with and recover from the demands of working with grievingindividuals is important to sustain working in this role.
Counsellors in our team workcollaboratively with colleagues from the wider team from other disciplines andexternal organisations to provide a comprehensive programme of psychosocialcare that empowers and enables families to thrive.
About us
We have an exciting opportunity for a West LondonCounsellor to join our team at Shooting Star Childrens Hospices.
Shooting Star Childrens Hospices provides specialistcare and support to families who have a baby, child or young person with alife-limiting condition or who have been bereaved. Rated Outstanding by theCare Quality Commission, we support families across Surrey, north-west Londonand south-west London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavementwith a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care.
At the heart of what we do are our dedicated staff;their exceptional commitment and professionalism means every family has theopportunity to make every moment count .
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Title: West London Counsellor
Team/Directorate: Family Support Services
Salary range/pay band: Family Support Band 6
Reports to: Head ofLead for Counselling and Family Support Service
Hours: hours
Location: Across both hospice sites Shooting Star House (base)
Job holder: Vacant
Part 1: Job Profile
a) Main purpose of job
The post holder will provide high quality counselling and psychologicalsupport to families accessing Shooting Star ChildrensHospices (SSCH). This work addresses the psychological challenges associated withlife-limiting conditions s, andissues of loss and grief, includingthe Sudden sudden andunexpected death of a child.
The postholder will need to be comfortable with withproviding counselling psychological supportcare in a variety of therapeutic waysappropriate forthe familiesinanticipatory grief, acute grief and 0-3years post-death, using anevidence-based approach to counselling.
Acute, time sensitive, trauma-informedpsychological care isprovided immediately post-death to minimise longer term experienceof trauma, and to safety plan expertly,collaborating with partneragencies including GPs. Thepurpose of the counselloris to assess, safeguard,advocate and in this immediate work to provideindividualised strategies to manage acute symptoms.
Somethingabout trauma.
The post holder will have a diverse caseload and providerisk assessments, andseries of sessions to parents predominantly,but also other family members and friendssuch asincludingchildren, young people, siblings and grandparents. The purposeof the West London counselloris to seek ways toengage clients from varied anddiverse backgrounds in culturallyappropriate care.
Through a model ofholistic care, the post holder will considerthe needs of the whole family andwork collaboratively with others to continuallyassess need and approach.
The post holderwill be actively involved in the education and development of other teammembers, in particular in providing clinicalsupervision individually and for groups of staff.
Something about using screening ?
b) Work relationships
The post holder is part of the Counselling Team,one of the Family Support TeamPsychosocialServices of SSCH. and Theywill work closelollaborativelywith the other multi-disciplinary members of this team including counsellors, therapists,social workers and family support workers, our symptom nursing team, in-houseteam, community nursing team, care administrators and fundraisers.
The post-holder will work collaboratively withothers to support wider family assessments with professional judgement,reflection and curiosity. The post holder will be actively involved in theeducation and development of other team members and external organisations.This includes providing clinical supervision and debriefs.
The individual in this role will work in partnership with externalprofessionals involved in the care of children and families. The role involves contactwithinmembership and leadership of external professionalnetworks to enhance individual knowledge and skills, support the qualityimprovement of SSCH services and widerdevelopments in childrens palliative careas well asbroadening understanding of families accessing childrens hospices (andappropriate services).
c) Decision making authority
The post holder will be required to risk-assess referrals and provideprofessional opinion concerning the appropriatenessand safety of a counsellingpsychologicalintervention, and the ongoing provision of this. sSafeguardingconcerns should be escalated .
in line with SSCH policy.
The post holderwill determine the appropriateness of referrals assigned to volunteer and bankcounsellors, overseeing work provided by volunteers through clinicalsupervision.
The post holder will lead and supporton therapeutic groups/events for parentsand families.
The post holder may be asked tosupport, develop and supervise a student counsellor, reviewing notes weekly andensuring safe and effective practice.
The post holder will be given key objectives aspart of an annual appraisal, with initiatives to lead and develop in line withSSCH strategy, updating the leadership team appropriately.
d) Scope of job
As part of our Family Support Psychosocial Services,specialist counselling assessmentsarepsychological careis offered to individual parents, couples, grandparents andfamilies both of supportedlife-limited children and bereavedfamilies (including those who have experienced the suddenand unexpected death of a child). Depending on the outcome of theassessment, an appropriate intervention is put in place. Thismay be community-based where appropriate,urgentpsychological support, aseries of individual sessions (virtual orface-to-face)/support are put in placeora therapeutic group hostedat one of the hospice sites.
As a member of the SSCH FamilySupport TeamPsychosocial Services, the post holderis involved in asked totheholistic assessment eachfamily holisticallyof families,including those referred to the specialist bereavement service. Througha model of evidence-based, holistic care, the post holder will use assessmentmeasures as part of their assessment considering the specific symptoms andneeds of the client.
andThepost-holder will Within the team,the post holder contributeprofessional expertisees to the initial and continualmulti-disciplinary assessment of families needs, as well as the provision of shortand long-term supportinterventions,signposting, information sharing, developing resources and groups and eventsfor children and families.
Aware of the three-year provision of care from bereavedfamilies, the post holder willto help engage the client in local support andwhere appropriate, build a peer network of supportenabling good bereavement professionalsinternally and externally who may be able to offer specialist support. Withinthe team, the post holder contributes to the continual multi-disciplinaryassessment of families needs, as well as the provision of support,signposting, information sharing, developing resources and groups and events forchildren and families.
The postholder is responsible for ensuring and enhancing the quality,safety and effectiveness of psychological support careoffered to SSCH children and families. This involves seekinginnovative, flexible, group and individualised approachesthat meet the psychological needs of families, and continually developingprofessional knowledge and skills to respond to evolving needs withinchildrens palliative care. The scope of thisrole will include the use of multi-modal approaches to counselling;working strictly witha one disciplineapproach person-centred counselling, will notlikely provide the breadth ofintervention necessary for this client group. An openness to educationand continued professional development and trainingopportunities are provided.
Somethingabout not working from a single model
This care and support willpredominantly be provided at Christophers inGuildford and Shooting Star House in Hampton and across northwest London. Risk assessments, consultations, assessments andsessions for individuals, couples and families may take place virtually orin-person. Sometravel to family homes and hospitals will also be required. Hospice Care is provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,therefore the post holder may be required to work in the evening(pre-agreed) and occasional Saturdays or Sundays.
Person Specification
General attributes
Essential
1. Flexible and willing to undertake varied responsibilities as part of a team.
2. Open to change, development, innovation and enhancement of care services.
3. Empathetic and sensitive to others needs.
4. Able to build good relationships with others (including staff, students, volunteers, supporters, children and families known to SSCH.
5. Organised, methodical and able to multi-task.
6. A good health record.
7. Evidence of non-discriminatory non-judgemental practice
Experience
Essential
8. Post qualifying experience of working with families in a health/social care environment as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
9. Experience of working with individuals facing or experiencing bereavement.
10. Experience of conducting risk assessments, consultations and sessions on a virtual platform.
11. Experience of working with clients experiencing acute mental health symptoms, including trauma and suicidal ideation.
12. Experience of initiating safeguarding processes, safety planning and managing suicidal risk.
13. Experience of engaging clients from all cultures, working with issues of equality and diversity within client and organisational contexts.
14. Demonstratable ability of recognising and managing ones own stress/wellbeing.
Desirable
15. Experience of working with children, young people and their families affected by life-limiting illness in a palliative care environment.
16. Experience of facilitating therapeutic group work with family members.
17. Experience of using standardised assessment measures within assessments.
18. Experience of delivering clinical supervision individually and in groups.
19. Experience of delivering effective training.
20. Experience of working with or supervising students.
21. Experience of conducting research or quality improvement project work.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
22. A strong, psychotherapeutic underpinning of counselling practice.
23. Ability to risk-assess referrals and make primary assessments of children with life-limiting conditions and their family members, utilising safeguarding knowledge and understanding.
24. Flexibility, utilising multiple approaches and skills across clients to address the presenting need at that time.
25. Ability to be responsive to urgent referrals, drawing on specialist knowledge to provide immediate support or advice.
26. Understanding of the needs of the wider family experiencing child bereavement, with ability to advise families and professionals concerning appropriate support.
27. Ability to utilise screening and wider assessment to identify where other psychological interventions may be beneficial for a family and refer internally/externally as appropriate.
28. Awareness of relevant research concerning counselling and research concerning childrens palliative care, in order to ensure quality of care. Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner and member of a team.
29. Excellent communication skills.
30. Experience of using client databases.
31. IT skills including use of Microsoft 365 applications.
32. Car owner/driver with full UK drivers licence, with appropriate personal and business use insurance.
Desirable
33. Fluent in an additional language
34. Training/qualification in couples counselling
35. Training/qualification in trauma-informed cognitive behavioural therapy
36. Training/qualification in dialectical behaviour therapy
37. Qualification in EMDR
38. Training/qualification in family therapy
39. Training/qualification in counselling for children and young people
40. Training/qualification in coaching
41. Understanding and experience of supporting families accessing neonatal care
42. Knowledge of child death review process
43. Knowledge of relevant local and national services that support children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
Qualifications
Essential
44. Recognised counselling qualification.
45. Accredited counsellor with BACP/UKCP.
46. A minimum of two years post qualification experience as a counsellor.