School Counsellor

7.5 hours per week – term-time only / permanent / working one day per week 8.30am-4.30pm - working day to be discussed at interview / £34,470 per annum, pro rata.

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.

Established in 1996, Dialogue School Counselling is a BACP accredited school counselling service covering Sussex and Surrey.

We are recruiting for qualified counsellor or therapist to join our team and deliver our service at Felpham Community College in Felpham, Bognor Regis. You will be working with a range of clients within the Dialogue Thresholds and working to a 6-8 session model. You will be working alongside another experienced Dialogue School Counsellor and working closely with the Student Services Pastoral team at the college.

Key responsibilities

• Run a suitable appointment system flexible to the needs of the school, offering students appropriate assessments and counselling appointments
• Manage the tight time boundaries of the role and the often complex and varied workload
• Liaise with school staff over referrals, waiting lists and appointments
• Carry out initial clinical and risk assessments and establish appropriate referral pathways with other services where appropriate. Continually assess risk throughout each student’s counselling.
• Follow YMCA Dialogue safeguarding procedures; to know who the School’s Designated Safeguarding Officer/s is and how to contact them when a safeguarding concern arises
• Work at all times within the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions
•  Maintain individual membership of the BACP and to become a Registered Member (or other professional body such as HCPC)
• You will establish good professional working relationships with key school staff

Qualifications, knowledge, and experience

• You will have a Counselling or Psychotherapy qualification, minimum Level four and ideally level six, and two years’ post qualifying experience in individual counselling or therapy with young people. This will include working with risk issues
• You will also have a sound understanding of child protection and vulnerable adult safeguarding issues, policies, and procedures
• You will have proven experience in safeguarding children and young people, responding to, managing, and referring safeguarding issues
• You will have a BACP Membership; BACP Registered or Accredited. Or other professional body e.g. HCPC
• You will have a keen interest in working with children and will be familiar with using creative therapeutic approaches, along with experience of working in a school setting 

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 12 April 2026 at midnight.

Please note that we are unable to offer a work permit or visa sponsorship for this role; 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.