Counsellor / Specialist Children’s Worker

Our 565 Service provides emotional support to children, young people and families living with a family member with a progressive illness. The service also provides bereavement support following the loss of a loved one.

You must hold a professional qualification and be registered to practise as a counsellor, social worker or other relevant registered professional. You must have a qualification/ experience in providing children’s support. A minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience in a palliative care setting is ideal.  Our ideal candidate will have proven abilities to work with children, families and adults who have changing needs, both on an individual basis and in groups, as well as an understanding and ability to support individuals and families throughout their illness.

We are looking for a candidate who is motivated to work as part of the team as a whole and be enthusiastic to help develop the service for young people and their families.

Key responsibilities are:-

• To work in partnership with key agencies as an advisor or training / coaching resource, in liaison with the adult counselling service and other local bereavement and children’s service providers.
• To promote and develop individual and group work as a resource for children and families in the hospice catchment area enabling bereaved children and their carers to receive a service responsive to their needs.
• To lead in the delivery of a high-quality service, empowering families to develop their own coping strategies.
• To work as part of the Emotional Wellbeing and Spiritual Care team to help run and develop the service.

St Elizabeth Hospice is committed to safeguarding and protecting the adults and young people that we work with and has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, neglect and discrimination of any person. As such, all posts are subject to a rigorous safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We have a range of robust safeguarding policies in place which promote safeguarding across the hospice and staff are expected to undertake regular, mandatory safeguarding training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to identify and respond to potential risks.

St Elizabeth Hospice is an independent charity and hospice, which improves life for people in the East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney areas living with a progressive or life-limiting illness.   Established in 1989, the hospice has built a reputation for delivering high-level care to patients and the community it serves. Through medicine and therapy, they ease pain; give life purpose and make life liveable. Last year the charity supported over 4,000 patients and their families.

Our most recent Care Quality Commission report rated the hospice as “Outstanding”

For an informal discussion or to find out more about the role, please contact Sam Brimicombe, Emotional Wellbeing Team Leader, on Sam.Brimicombe@stelizabethhospice.org.uk