Honorary Child Counsellor/Therapist

The Bridge Foundation: The Bridge in Schools

Placement Opportunity for Honorary Child Counsellor/Therapist

The  Bridge  Foundation  provides  a  specialist  mental  health  service  for  staff,  parents,
children and families in primary and secondary schools.

Honorary  Counsellors/  Psychotherapists  are  asked  to  carry  a  caseload  of  up  to  4
sessions per week. There is no remuneration, but in exchange for offering these hours,
Honorary counsellors/psychotherapists are given fortnightly clinical supervision with an
experienced child therapist, attend school team meetings, and are invited to attend
staff clinical meetings and CPD.  The clinical hours are arranged at the convenience
of  the  therapist/school.  All  supervision  and  service  meetings  take  place  each
Wednesday morning during term time at the Bridge Foundation.

The honorary counsellor/therapist will be based in a school serving a deprived area of
the  city.  S/he  will  provide  counseling/therapy  sessions  for  troubled  children/young
people  who  have  exhausted  the  school  pastoral  support  system,  and  whose
emotional needs remain a cause for concern. Case management will be provided
by the Bridge therapist in post at the school.
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The post will be for up to 1.5 days per week, comprised of 4 sessions in school and
half a day to attend supervision and team meetings on a Wednesday morning at
the Bridge Foundation. However, we would consider less hours dependent on
applications received.

The time commitment is a minimum of one year.  Confirmation of appointment
would be subject to two satisfactory references, of which one should be from a
current clinical supervisor.

Child protection and other relevant training is provided in line with service
requirements.
Honorary therapists are also entitled to free places at Bridge conferences.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

•  Experience of working with children
•  Counselling training/qualification (or completing psychodynamic training)
•  Experience / evidence of interest in working within a psychodynamic

framework

•  Evidence of the capacity to work with colleagues in teams

Desirable

o  Relevant knowledge, skills, interest and experience, amongst which

might be experience with / qualifications in working
  with BME and/or refugee/asylum seekers
  with parents/families in community settings
  with diversity

o  Experience or training in working with interpreters
o  Capacity to maintain records and prepare written reports and make

presentations.

o  Experience of working with other agencies, including statutory services

JOB DESCRIPTION

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To carry out initial client assessments, with support from the case manager.
To provide psychotherapy/counselling sessions to children.
To take clinical notes and keep up clinical records
To record relevant information as a contribution to project monitoring and
evaluation
To participate in, contribute to, and learn from, regular supervision sessions
To liaise with school staff over referrals and assessment
To liaise with other agencies, including statutory services, if necessary
To carry responsibility for equipment, records, and the use of space for
counselling sessions
To attend regular relevant management and Bridge Foundation team meetings
where appropriate
To work with interpreters as necessary
To comply with and work within the Bridge Foundation’s policies, procedures and
guidelines, including those related to Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety,
Confidentiality of Information, Child Protection and Record Keeping