Job Description 

Job Title:               Academy Counsellor

Salary:                   Grade 7 pt 26 - 30 pro-rata

Hours:                   Part Time = 3.5 days per week, term time only

Responsible to:     Assistant Principal: Inclusion and Vulnerable Groups  

VISION AND PURPOSE 

• To provide a high-quality counselling service to students experiencing a wide range of mental health and emotional problems
• To provide support, guidance and advice to parents, carers and the Academy
• To observe confidentiality and to support the Academy’s endeavour to provide excellent teaching and learning for all students
• Contribute to the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare and personal care of children and young peopleSPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

1. To be responsible for the confidential counselling services to students as needed.

1. To enhance young people’s personal and social development through occasional issue-based group work sessions.

1. To be responsible for advice and support to staff.
2. To be responsible for maintaining appropriate and confidential records, including records of each group/counselling sessions, in a secure place and in accordance with Data Protection and GDPR.
3. To liaise with Assistant Principal (Inclusion and Vulnerable Groups) and the Designated Safeguarding Lead on a frequent basis.

1. To liaise with other professionals, such as GPs, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) when necessary and with consent from the student/parent.
2. To work with the Assistant Principal (Inclusion and Vulnerable Groups) to implement a robust system of referral in order that students may access the services offered.
3. To attend Multi–Agency meetings where appropriate.
4. To attend supervision with a suitably qualified supervisor, as appropriate.

1. To provide termly audit information e.g. number of clients seen, background/vulnerabilities, types of problems, to the SLT and Governing Body.
2. To have a thorough knowledge of Mental Health provision locally, nationally and digitally.
3. To continually review and evaluate the counselling service provided.

1. To undertake such other duties appropriate to the grade of the post as the Principal may from time to time reasonably determine.

Pastoral Care

1. Deal with or report incidents that are seen or reported regarding students’ welfare, according to academy policies and procedures.
2. Be mindful, at all times, of the Academy’s Equal Opportunities Policy.Health and Safety
3.  
4.  

1. To have due regard at all times to the Academy’s policies, organisation and arrangements for Health & Safety at Work.

1. Co-operate with the employer on all issues to do with Health, Safety and Welfare.

Continuing Professional Development

1. Take responsibility for personal professional development, keeping up to date with research and developments which may lead to improvements in the counselling service provided.
2. Provide regular updates on your professional development to the Assistant Principal (Inclusion and Vulnerable Groups).
3. To arrange and deliver relevant training for staff as and when needs are identified.
4. To participate in the Academy’s arrangements for performance management, professional development, quality assurance and internal verification.

 CONTEXT 

All staff are part of a whole Academy team. Each individual is required to support the values and ethos of the Academy and Academy priorities as defined in the Academy Improvement Plan. This will mean focusing on the needs of colleagues, parents and students and being flexible in a busy environment. 

Due to the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service certificate to be undertaken. This post will be exempt from the provisions of Section 4, (2), of the Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (exemptions) (Amendments) Order 1986. Therefore, post holders are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are “spent” under the provisions of the Act and any failure to disclose such convictions will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Academy. The fact that a pending charge, conviction, bind-over or caution has been recorded against you will not necessarily debar you from consideration for this post.