Counsellor jobs

35.5 hours per week / £34,475 per annum, pro rata / permanent / working pattern to be confirmed (can be discussed at interview)

YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.

We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.

We have an exciting opportunity for a qualified, experienced Wellbeing Counsellor – Global Majorities Specialist to join our innovative Children and Young People (CYP) Wellbeing Service, the central hub for all mental health referrals for young people in Brighton & Hove.

In this role, you will provide culturally responsive assessments, counselling (both face-to-face and online), and group work for children and young people aged 8–24 from Black, mixed heritage and Global Majority backgrounds. You will create safe, inclusive spaces where young people feel heard, understood and supported to explore their wellbeing.

Alongside this, you will contribute to wider service delivery by supporting assessments and therapeutic interventions for young people from all backgrounds, helping ensure a flexible and responsive service. You will also play an active role in triaging referrals, working collaboratively across the CYP service to promote equitable and timely access to support.

A key part of the role is building meaningful relationships with Global Majority-led and community organisations, helping strengthen partnerships across the city. You’ll also share your expertise with colleagues, supporting inclusive practice, co-production, and equitable approaches to service design, recruitment and delivery.

If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable. You may be just the right candidate.

You will hold a Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling or Psychotherapy (minimum two years), alongside BACP accreditation (or eligibility for accreditation) or registration with a relevant professional body.

You will bring experience of working with children and young people aged 8–24 with mental health needs, including delivering evidence-based, low-intensity interventions. You are a confident and collaborative team player, comfortable working under supervision and within a multidisciplinary setting. You will have strong safeguarding knowledge, the ability to run groups or structured activities, and be able to communicate clearly and sensitively, both verbally and in writing.

You will have experience of supporting children and young people from mixed heritage or Global Majority backgrounds, with an understanding of the importance of culturally responsive practice. Knowledge of, or experience working alongside, local statutory and voluntary services will be important in helping young people access the support they need.

Above all, you will be able to work ethically and effectively with children and young people within a time-limited framework, building trust, promoting resilience, and supporting positive outcomes.

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 14 June 2026 at midnight. 

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.

An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment. 

Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. 

Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.

Role Purpose

The Adult Bereavement Counsellor provides therapeutic support to adults- particularly parents and carers- who are experiencing acute or complex grief following the death of a child.

The post holder will provide comprehensive psychosocial assessments and deliver therapeutic interventions working therapeutically using a range of counselling methods, approaches, and techniques, consistent with Level 3 of the NICE psychological intervention framework (2004).

They will also deliver crisis interventions where appropriate to ensure emotional safety and stability. In addition, the role includes designing and implementing a variety of therapeutic interventions across individual, couple, and group contexts, drawing on different models as required.

Main Responsibilities

Communication and Relationships

• Communicate effectively and sensitively within the organisation and with external professionals, including health and mental health services such as CMHTs and GPs.
• Convey complex and emotionally sensitive information to adults with clarity, empathy, and professionalism.
• Manage interactions with individuals or groups who may be distressed or emotionally impacted by information shared.
• Develop and maintain strong, positive working relationships with colleagues and peers to promote effective teamwork and collaboration.
• Model organisational values and behaviours, demonstrating respect, compassion, and integrity in all communication and relationships.

Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Undertake detailed psychosocial assessments and risk evaluations for parents and carers bereaved of a child, determining the most appropriate interventions and levels of support.
• Deliver individual and, where appropriate, couple or group counselling sessions using evidence-based approaches to address complex grief, trauma, and adjustment to loss.
• Ensure all practice meets professional standards and complies with relevant codes of conduct and national guidance.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of current research, evidence-based practice, and developments in bereavement and trauma-informed care.
• Provide crisis interventions when required, ensuring emotional containment, safety and referral to appropriate support.
• Support service users to develop coping skills, resilience, meaning making, and strategies to manage distress and ongoing adjustment.
• Integrate trauma-informed principles, recognising the emotional and physiological impact of bereavement and its intersection with other mental health concerns.
• Engage in continuous professional development and maintain an active professional portfolio in line with professional body requirements.
• Demonstrate knowledge and compliance with organisational policies, procedures, and safeguarding legislation, including Safeguarding Children and Adults and the Mental Capacity Act.
• Provide guidance, supervision, and support to volunteers individually or in groups as required.

Analytical and Judgement Skills

• Apply sound professional judgment and analytical skills to assess needs, plan interventions, and evaluate outcomes in accordance with best-practice frameworks.
• Participate actively in team meetings to plan, review, and evaluate care strategies and approaches.
• Ensure the accurate and timely recording of data and information to support monitoring, evaluation, and service development.
• Contribute to the collection, analysis and reporting of outcome measures to support quality assurance, demonstrate impact, inform practice and interventions, and inform continuous improvement.

All Staff

• Contribute to the vision and mission of Child Bereavement UK; whilst embedding the values into your daily work activities.
• Promote equality of opportunity and diversity in accordance with Child Bereavement UK policy.
• Contribute to the overall success of the charity’s fundraising needs by providing case studies, attending events and adding value to the experience of our supporters as required.
• Contribute to the brand and reach of the charity by working alongside our Marketing & Communications Team when relevant press opportunities arise or when required for social media and online content (including the use of photography).
• Work to objectives, targets and work plans agreed with your line manager.

Person Specification

Education/Professional Qualification

Essential

• MA/MSc or Postgraduate Degree (minimum Level 4 or equivalent) in Counselling, Psychotherapy, Arts Therapy
• Registration with a professional body (ie. HCPC, UKCP, BACP, BAAT, etc)
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Certificate/diploma in supervision
• Dual qualification (social work and counselling/psychotherapy)
• BACP accreditation or eligible for BACP accreditation

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Able to make clear psychosocial assessments and managing complex emotional and mental health needs, risk, and safeguarding
• Awareness of the intersection between loss, mental health, relationships and identity
• Strong assessment, formulation and planning skills within a therapeutic context
• Substantial post qualification experience in counselling or psychotherapy
• Experience of working therapeutically with adults (pre and post bereavement)
• Experience of using outcome measures, feedback tools and data to evaluate effectiveness and impact of interventions

Knowledge and Understanding

• A strong understanding and knowledge of relevant psychological theories, therapeutic interventions, and models of grief work
• In-depth understanding of the impact of bereavement, trauma, and loss especially after the death of a child
• Knowledge of child development, attachment, and resilience frameworks
• Sound awareness of risk assessment, safeguarding legislation and information sharing processes
• Knowledge of evidence-based models of counselling and therapeutic interventions including creative and systemic approaches
• Proven ability to design, deliver and adapt psychosocial assessments and therapeutic counselling interventions effectively through digital platforms, maintaining therapeutic alliance, safety and impact when working remotely with adults.
• Knowledge of safeguarding legislations and impact on practice
• Inclusive in approach, sensitive to diverse experiences of grief and cultural expressions of loss
• Awareness of the importance of service evaluation, outcome measurement, and reflective practice in demonstrating impact and improving quality
• Undertake specific projects and other ad hoc duties agreed with your line manager, fulfilling any deadlines, reviews and reporting procedures required.
• Take an active part in the Quarterly review process and participate in training agreed with your line manager.
• Recognise and champion the lived experience of children and young people with bereavement within your work.
• Ensure the health and safety of all colleagues, volunteers and visitors in accordance with Child Bereavement UK policy.

Recruitment Timetable

Application deadline: 27th May 2026 at midnight

First Stage Screening Interviews

You may be asked to attend a 10-minute Screening Interview on MS Teams with the Hiring Managers for the vacancy, to assess your suitability for the role. During the interview, you will be asked two skills-based questions.

Second Stage Interviews

If you are progressed to a second stage interview, you will be invited to attend a 1-hour formal interview on MS Teams with the Hiring Managers for the role. It is our policy to share the role-specific interview questions with applicants ahead of the interview, to aid their preparation. You may also be asked to complete an interview task, which will also be shared with you in advance.

Youth Team Forum Discussion

For roles in our Bereavement Services Team, we will invite those applicants selected for interview along to a discussion forum with members of our Youth Team. This session is held remotely and lasts approximately 20 minutes. The discussion topic will be shared with you in advance of the session.

Salary: £31,055.53 (pro rata)
Hours: 18.5/22.5 hours per week. Hours are negotiable but the minimum would be 18.5
Location: Worcestershire, the post holder may be required to support clients in Herefordshire and must be able to travel independently throughout both counties.
 
Making a real difference to the lives of children and young people across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
 
West Mercia Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre (WMRSASC) is seeking compassionate and experienced part-time Children and Young People Counsellors to join our well-established and highly supportive counselling team.
 
In this vital role, you will provide face-to-face therapeutic counselling to children and young people aged 5 to 18 who have been affected by sexual violence, abuse and/or rape. Working within a trauma-informed, survivor-centred framework, you will help young people feel heard, supported and empowered as they move towards recovery.
 
You will join a skilled multidisciplinary team that places clinical quality, safeguarding, reflection and staff wellbeing at the heart of everything we do, with access to regular supervision, accredited training and ongoing professional development.
 
Main Responsibilities:

• Provide high-quality, trauma-informed one-to-one counselling to children and young people aged 5–18 who have experienced sexual abuse and/or rape.
• Complete and maintain initial assessments, risk assessments and risk management plans, reviewing these on an ongoing basis as required.
• Maintain accurate, timely and ethical clinical records in line with legal, safeguarding and organisational requirements, including pre-trial therapy guidance.
• Ensure that children and young people understand the counselling service and are able to give informed consent, applying Fraser Guidelines where appropriate.
• Support safe and effective professional practice through regular clinical and case supervision and ongoing CPD, in line with BACP requirements.
• Maintain professional membership and appropriate insurance, practising in accordance with the Ethical Framework of the relevant professional body.
• Engage in ongoing CPD and professional development, keeping abreast of best practice and emerging issues relating to sexual violence, abuse and trauma.
• Contribute positively to a safe, professional and accessible counselling service, working collaboratively with the Counselling Team, volunteers and service managers.
• Liaise appropriately with other professionals and agencies where required, maintaining confidentiality and professional boundaries at all times.
• Support the service’s monitoring and evaluation processes, including outcomes and feedback, to ensure quality, accountability and sustainability.
• Uphold the rights of the child, promoting autonomy, choice and participation within the counselling process while maintaining appropriate safeguarding boundaries.
• Actively promote equality, diversity and anti-oppressive practice, ensuring inclusive and respectful support for all service users.

 
WMRSASC is committed to supporting and valuing its staff. 
We offer:

• Salary: £31,055.53 (pro rata)
• Hybrid and flexible working
• 26 days annual leave plus 8 statutory holidays (pro rata), increasing to 31 days after 5 years’ service
• 5% employer pension contribution
• Benenden Health Scheme
• Accredited training and career development opportunities
• Regular management supervision and support

 
Safeguarding
WMRSASC is committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Relevant background checks and Disclosure and Barring Service checks will be required.
 
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As an equal opportunities employer, WMRSASC is committed to ensuring the fair and equal treatment of all current and prospective employees. We do not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.
 
We aspire to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join WMRSASC.
 
This is an opportunity to join a specialist organisation making a meaningful difference to the lives of survivors and communities. 
 
We welcome applications from individuals who share our values and are committed to delivering high-quality, trauma-informed practice.
 
The closing date for this position is 1st June 2026.  
 
REF-228 273