Domestic Abuse Counsellor

Job Reference:

1678

Location:

Somerset

Hours of Work:

14.8 hours per week (part-time)

Salary:

£28,884 - £31,698 FTE per annum (pro-rata for part-time)

Contract Type:

Permanent

Closing Date:

13 Feb 2026

Domestic Abuse Counsellor
Service: Family Action Domestic Abuse Healing and Empowerment Counselling Service North Somerset

Location: Office Based – Weston-Super-Mare (tbc) with travel across North Somerset
Hours: 14.8 hours per week (part-time)

Salary: £28,884 - £31,698 FTE per annum (£11,553.60 - £12,679.20 per annum for part-time, 14.8 hours per week)
Contract type: Permanent


Family Action & the Role’s Impact:
At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the
importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

Family Action delivers a wide range of projects for victims/survivors of domestic abuse. This is an exciting opportunity to join the new Adult and Children counselling team specialising in counselling survivors of domestic abuse, with a trauma-informed approach. The contract is based in North Somerset working with all people within the community.

Main responsibilities:
Family Action is currently looking for one counsellor to join our new team in North Somerset, focusing on supporting victims/survivors of domestic violence. Experience working with children and young people aged 14-25 will be essential.

Ideal candidates will hold a minimum Level 5 qualification in counselling/psychotherapy (working towards level 6). They will possess recognised professional accreditation or be actively working towards accreditation. Previous experience in domestic abuse, trauma-informed practice, and working with diverse communities is a must.

We provide holistic humanistic support through individual counselling, face-to-face and online support. Therapeutic interventions may include counselling, and wrap-around therapeutic support and interventions will include, pre and post-group support with a group facilitator. This may include self-care strategies such as meditation, yoga, and mindfulness.

We are seeking candidates who are passionate about addressing violence against girls and women and are committed to intersectional work. Our counsellors should excel in managing clinical risks, conducting assessments, and handling confidential information with sensitivity.

There will be 3 hours per month of paid clinical supervision plus line management supervision with the Clinical Service Manager.

Main Requirements (for details check the job description and person specification):
• You will be client centred and committed to ensuring there is equality of access to the service and that service users are treated with dignity and that their specific needs are prioritised to improve their sense of wellbeing.
• The post holder will hold a minimum Level 5 qualification or equivalent in counselling/psychotherapy (working towards level 6). They will be a member of BACP, UKCP or other professional body.
• You will bring experience of managing complex interventions and service models focused on trauma and promoting resilience.
• The post holder should be committed to continued professional development and have an exceptional knowledge of underpinning theories of practice models and interventions and their application.
• You will have a strong track record in quality, performance, and safeguarding. With a client-facing approach, you will be passionate about engaging our service users in all aspects of our work including co-production.
• This role will be office-based in North Somerset with travel across the area and potentially include one evening and weekend shift per week.
• Appointments are subject to Family Action receiving a satisfactory disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service – Enhanced with Children’s Barred List DBS Check

Benefits:
- A pro-rated annual paid leave entitlement that commences at 25 working days rising each April by one day, subject to a maximum of 30 working days plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time).
- up to 6% matched-pension contributions
- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions
- eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers
- cycle to work scheme
- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.

To Apply:
• Click the ‘Apply’ link below and fill out our digital application form
• Closing Date: Friday 13th February at 11.59pm

Interviews are scheduled to take place week commencing 23rd February 2026, via teams, with slots throughout the working day available.
For any queries, or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the selection process or the potential for flexible working, please email: lisa.platts@family-action.org.uk

All appointments with Family Action are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.
We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates. We are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action because we know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and we strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role.

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.