Specialist jobs in Milton keynes
Want more results?
Add job titles:
How's your job search on our site?
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
The overall purpose of the role is to provide timely psychosocial assessment, psychoeducation and proactive pre- and post-bereavement support to children, young people and adults, using a range of supportive methods, approaches and techniques consistent with level 2 of the NICE (2004) psychological framework.
The post holder will form part of the On Demand Team and will be responsible for the effective day-to-day operation and delivery of the service (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm) across a range of On Demand digital platforms. The post holder will also complete comprehensive risk assessments with children, young people and adults, and will liaise with relevant external agencies—such as social care, the police and general practitioners—in accordance with organisational safeguarding policies and procedures.
In addition, the role involves conducting regular weekly referral callbacks, using clinical judgement to ensure that each person is supported to access the most appropriate service for their needs at that time. Working alongside the wider bereavement services team, the post holder may also co-facilitate therapeutic group sessions and deliver one-off psychosocial education groups or workshops, extending the reach of bereavement support beyond individual contacts.
Main Responsibilities
Communication and Relationships
· Build compassionate, trusting and professional relationships with bereaved children, young people and adults, ensuring all contact is person-centered, trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate and sensitive to individual needs and circumstances
· Communicate complex and sometimes distressing information clearly and to supportively, maintaining professional boundaries at all times
· Adapt communication style and approach to suit the needs, preferences, and emotional states of children, young people and adults, including those with neurodiverse profiles or communication difficulties
· Work collaboratively with colleagues across bereavement services, ensuring continuity and consistency of support
· Engage effectively with parents, carers and professionals involved in a child or young person’s care to coordinate holistic support
· Liaise with external agencies – including social care, education, healthcare professionals, police and voluntary sector- to share information appropriately under safeguarding guidance
· Participate in regular clinical supervision to support safe, effective delivery of care
· Contribute to team meetings and service development discussions, offering insight from frontline practice
· Model the values and culture of the organisation in interactions and relationships at work
· Ensure accurate and timely documentation of communications and decisions in line with organisational policies and data protection regulations
Knowledge, training and experience
· Ability to conduct full psychosocial assessments and to lead support interventions with children, young people and/or adults in accordance with best practice
· Ability to complete comprehensive risk assessments and determine appropriate level of response/intervention
· Deliver targeted pre/post bereavement support and interventions utilising a range of supportive therapeutic and psychosocial techniques, working within level 2 of the NICE (2004) psychological framework
· Demonstrate a robust understanding of grief, loss, trauma, child development, and the psychological and social impact of bereavement on children, young people, families and adults
· Apply sound clinical judgment and maintain professional accountability for practice in line with national standards, organisational policies, and personal relevant professional Code of Conduct
· Maintain knowledge about current, evidence-based practice
· To maintain a personal profile of professional development in accordance with professional requirements/governing bodies
· Demonstrate knowledge of all relevant policies and procedures
· Adhere to legislation and statutory guidance related to Safeguarding Children and Young People, Safeguarding Adults, and the Mental Capacity Act, providing advice and guidance to colleagues and partner agencies where appropriate
· Participate actively in clinical supervision to ensure safe, ethical, and effective service delivery
· Contribute to the development and sharing of knowledge within the team by supporting training, mentoring, and peer learning opportunities
Analytical and judgment skills
· Exercise sound professional judgment in assessing the emotional, psychological, and social needs of children, young people, and adults following bereavement and in the delivery of immediate on demand support
· Analyse complex information gathered through assessment, observation, and communication to identify individual needs, risks, and strengths
· Recognise and manage situations that involve ambiguity, uncertainty, or emotional intensity, drawing on supervision and established frameworks for professional support
· Apply a trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate lens to clinical decision-making, ensuring sensitivity to cultural, social, and contextual factors influencing grief
· Assess risk and vulnerability using structured and professional judgement, making timely, evidence-based decisions about appropriate interventions and onward referrals
· Identify when more intensive clinical or safeguarding intervention is needed, escalating concerns to line manager and/or On Demand Shift Manager
· Contribute actively to meetings, clinical supervision, peer supervision, case discussions, and service reviews to plan, coordinate, and evaluate strategies of care and support
· Ensure accurate, timely, and meaningful data recording and reporting to inform clinical practice, service evaluation, and organisational performance monitoring
Planning and organisational skills
· Plan and organise work autonomously while engaging collaboratively with colleagues, volunteers, and partner professionals to support coordinated care and seamless service delivery
· Provide cover and support for bereavement team members during periods of absence or high demand
· Contribute to the planning and delivery of workshops and groups run across bereavement services, as needed
· Maintain accurate, up-to-date documentation in accordance with confidentiality, data protection, and statutory requirements
· Demonstrate self-awareness and reflective capacity, using supervision and peer support to sustain personal wellbeing and professional effectiveness
· Contribute to the development of efficient, evidence-based practices by supporting team planning, service evaluation, and continuous improvement initiatives
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
· Relevant health, education, social care or counselling qualification
· Specialist training in bereavement, grief and trauma informed practice
· Evidence of ongoing professional development and commitment to continuous learning
Desirable
· Training in working with children and young people
· Training in working in mental health
Experience
Essential
· At least three year’s recent experience (in the past six years) of working with bereaved children, young people, families or adults on an individual or group basis
· Experience and knowledge of working with and providing services to children, young people, families and adults in a health, social care, youth, community or educational settings
· Experience of providing support to children, young people, and/or adults through digital channels/platforms
· Further professional training in working with children and young people and an understanding of developmental issues
· Demonstrable experience of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and an ability to practise in a way that promotes this
· Experience of working collaboratively with multi-agency professionals across health, education, and social care
Desirable
· Experience of working within a bereavement, palliative care of mental health setting
Skills and Abilities
Essential
· Demonstrate in-depth understanding of bereavement, grief, loss, trauma, and their psychological and developmental impact on children, young people and families
· Knowledge of current research, theories, national frameworks, and NICE guidance related to bereavement and mental health
· Knowledge of evidence-based approaches to bereavement and trauma support
· Strong assessment, analytical, and formulation skills with the ability to make informed clinical decisions
· Empathetic, compassionate, and youth driven approach
· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage sensitively with children, families, and professionals while maintaining professional boundaries at all times
· Awareness of safeguarding legislation, policies, and procedures
· Understanding of information governance, confidentiality, and data protection requirements
· Understanding of equality, diversity, and inclusion within practice
· Emotional maturity, stability and resilience with a strong commitment to self-care and the ability to seek support and guidance when difficulties arise in the course of work
· Excellent organisational skills
Strong IT skills, including confidence in using multiple IT systems
Benefits
· 28 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata if applicable) with increase for long service.
· TOIL for our hours work.
· Contributory pension scheme.
· Company sick pay.
· Employee Assistance Programme.
· Life assurance.
· Training loans.
· Enhanced family friendly policies.
Recruitment Timetable
Application deadline: 6th July 2026 at midnight
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications for the role before the closing date.
Interviews
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.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Chiva is looking for a compassionate and experienced Specialist Support Officer to provide emotional support, advocacy, and practical guidance to children, young people, and families affected by HIV across London.
About Chiva
Chiva is a charity in the UK whose mission is to ensure that children, young people and young adults growing up with HIV become healthier, happier and more in control of their own futures. Chiva works to ensure that young people living with HIV have the treatment and care, knowledge, understanding, skills and wider support needed to live well and achieve their greatest potential.
What You’ll Do
- Provide one-to-one and family support
- Advocate for young people across health, education, and social care services
- Work alongside NHS multidisciplinary teams
- Deliver engaging peer support events and group activities
- Help young people navigate their journey into adult healthcare services
Who We’re Looking For
You will be a qualified social worker or registered health and social care professional with experience of supporting children, young people and families with complex needs. A passion for empowering young people and promoting inclusive, person-centred support is essential.
Join Chiva and become part of a dedicated team making a real impact every day.
Please note that we are only able to accept applications submitted on our branded application form. We cannot accept CVs in respect of this post.
Please see the Job Description and Person Specification on the Chiva website for full details.
Deadline for applications: Thursday 9th July 2026.
Interviews to take place on: Monday 20th & Tuesday 21st July.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
About NEON
NEON is a not-for-profit organisation committed to accelerating social movements. We build capacity and infrastructure to accelerate the transition to a new economy. We work across a wide range of progressive issues including climate, housing, healthcare, and migration and we support over 1,000 organisers across the UK working towards political, environmental, and social justice. Our theory of change is rooted in understanding both the strategies, stories, and structures required to sustain a movement. Short term, this results in improved movement infrastructure, skills, and connections; long term, it leads to robust relationships and movement alliances capable of systemic change.
Context
NEON’s People & Operations Hub makes sure all our internal systems run smoothly and that our team is happy, high-performing and cared for. The People & Operations Hub brings together people, culture, operations, fundraising and finance, and plays a key role in making sure NEON is both high impact and a joyful place to work, at the heart of this is ensuring our values of respect, generosity and solidarity and anti-oppression principles are embedded into all internal practices.
As part of this, we’re currently looking for someone to support us for a defined period of time to review and refresh some of our core operational and compliance areas, and support us with discrete ops tasks as they arise. This includes reviewing, updating and embedding key systems and processes so that they are clear, usable and consistently followed across NEON. Alongside this, we want to create a NEON-wide handbook, so that we have a simple accessible place where people can find everything they need to know about how we do things at NEON. We also want to strengthen our guidance around event safety, both online and in-person, so staff feel comfortable and supported when planning and delivering work. It’s crucial for us that this work is developed in collaboration with the People & Operations Hub as well as the wider team.
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for someone who is comfortable moving across operational and compliance work. Someone who has a solid understanding and experience in delivering high-level health and safety, data protection, IT and systems work, and other operational aspects of running an organisation, and can turn that into something practical, usable and genuinely helpful for our team. Someone who is self-motivated, comfortable working independently, and able to take ownership of pieces of work from start to finish
We’d love someone who has experience working closely in or within people and operations teams in small- medium sized not-for profits or charities, and who knows how to take complex or messy systems and make them simpler, clearer and easier to embed in day-to-day practice. We’re looking for someone aligned with our values of respect, generosity and solidarity and is well-versed in including anti-oppression principles into operational work. Someone who is motivated by working in a values-led organisation where decisions factor in culture, trust and care as well as the technical elements.
This person should be confident reviewing and improving systems and understands and is experienced in working closely with other people to do this, whether that’s with the Director of People and Operations to receive direction or troubleshoot, working alongside our Ops Assistant to put things into practice and draw on their organisational expertise, or engaging the wider team to elicit their ideas and challenges, and incorporate them into improvements. Similarly someone who is able to work with external support we have in place around IT, HR and data protection and translate their recommendations into practical action.
They’ll need to be able to hit the ground running and pick up discrete pieces of work, working thoughtfully and collaboratively with a team that’s juggling lots of different priorities. Aside from improving key pieces of work, the other core part of the role is bringing people with them, which will involve coaching and mentoring skills, a learning and development approach, and helping others feel confident taking on and owning this work.
Above all, we’re looking for someone who understands how to make organisations compliant and well-run in a way that feels proportionate, caring, and realistic for a team of our size. Someone who can embed these pieces of work, without overcomplicating things, and who can foster a sense of shared ownership. We’re also looking for someone who really cares about how operational work is truly embedded and put into practice across organisations, who thinks carefully about what happens after their involvement or support ends and knows how to build internal capability so work doesn’t stay dependent on them.
Key deliverables
By the end of the service period, the following outputs will have been delivered and fully embedded into NEON’s ways of working:
IT and systems
The freelancer will complete a high-level review of NEON’s current IT systems, identify key risks and gaps, and produce a set of recommendations.
Outputs will include working with the People & Operations Hub to lead implementation and embedding of agreed improvements across tools and ways of working, including an improved GDrive structure, Google Workspace and IT security improvements and an IT and phones policy.
Data protection
The freelancer will complete a high-level review and strengthening of NEON’s GDPR and data protection approach.
Outputs will include updated core policies (GDPR policy, privacy notice, retention policy) and practical guidance to support consistent implementation across the organisation. It also includes delivery of staff training and further strengthening of our “Data Champions”.
Event processes
The freelancer will assess our current event-related practices (online and in-person).
Outputs will include clear, practical recommendations, strengthened guidance for managing event safety and risk in practice and staff training and support.
Health and safety
A review and update of NEON’s health and safety approach will be completed to ensure policies and processes are clear, practical and consistently applied.
Outputs will include an updated H&S policy, incident reporting process, risk assessment templates, and a simple event safety framework with guidance and checklists. It also includes delivering staff training and embedding of H&S practice across the organisation, including clarification of roles and responsibilities.
AI policy and guidance
The freelancer will research and develop NEON’s approach to AI use across the organisation, considering best practice, risks, opportunities, and the impact of AI on staff and NEON’s work. It should also include thoughtful consideration of the harms and ethical concerns associated with AI.
Outputs will include engagement with staff to understand current use and concerns, alongside the creation of clear and practical AI guidance and an organisational AI policy to support safe, thoughtful and consistent use of AI tools across NEON.
NEON Handbook
A NEON-wide handbook will be created, bringing together key processes, guidance and signposting to essential organisational information in one accessible place.
The handbook will be co-developed with staff and People & Operations Hub members to ensure it reflects day-to-day practice and is maintainable internally after completion.
Day-to-day operations support
The freelancer will provide additional operational capacity to support the Hub with emerging priorities, and time-sensitive pieces of work that arise during the contract period.
Outputs may include support with operational problem-solving and decision making, maintaining processes and procedures, providing subject knowledge expertise, maintaining documentation and other discrete operational tasks agreed with the Director of People and Operations.
A key part of this work will be ensuring that all outputs and improvements are properly embedded within the People & Ops Hub and the wider organisation. This includes creating clear documentation, guidance, training and handover processes so that NEON staff can confidently hold and maintain this work after the consultancy ends.
Timescales and fee schedule
The freelancer will be appointed and ready to engage from the end of July/ start of August 2026. We expect this work to be completed across two-three days per week for up to six months, ideally finished by the end of January or February 2027 (depending on start date). There may be a possibility of extension if other relevant and discrete projects arise and in agreement with the Director of People and Operations.
Call out information required
Interested freelancers are asked to provide the following information in response to this call out:
-
Brief career history and details of relevant assignments undertaken (this could be in the form of a CV)
-
A statement not exceeding 800 words on your proposed approach to the deliverables, including:
-
Your technical and subject matter expertise
-
Your personal style and approach to working with others
-
How you will embed our values of respect, generosity and solidarity and anti-oppression principles into the deliverables
-
-
Your day rate, indicating whether VAT is payable (please note our indicative day rate that is aligned with our internal budget is £375)
-
A clear commitment to undertake the work within the timeframe set out above
-
Two testimonials from suitable clients or professional partners
The deadline for submissions is Sunday 28th June 11.59pm
Please find email address for submission of applications on our website.
We may wish to discuss submissions with you on Monday 6th July or Wednesday 8th July 2026. We will inform you if this is the case.
For any further information or clarification prior to submission, contact us at our website.
Non Charity Employer
21 - 50
We build capacity & infrastructure to accelerate the transition to a new economy.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.