Here4You School-Based Counsellor and CBT trainee
Overview
The Here4You School-Based Counselling Team have two exciting full-time, salaried, one year fixed term training opportunities for qualified counsellors to undertake, a Recruit to Train, Post Qualification and Post Graduate, CBT Training at UCL whilst working as a counsellor within our school-based Here4You team as part of the NHS England (NHSE) funded Children and Young People (CYP) Psychological Training Programmes (formerly CYP-IAPT). The posts will be paid at A4C Band 6.
Recruit to Train initiative
Recruit to Train is a government-funded initiative aiming to grow the child mental health workforce to meet much needed demand. To help reach this goal, NHSE covers salary and training costs for a 1-year post, allowing services to employ trainees to aid in implementing new or expanding existing specialist pathways to bridge the gaps in CYP mental health support.
This is a unique full funded opportunity to apply your learning from weekly teaching into practical clinical interventions working with clients in the service making a direct impact in the lives of children, young people and their families.
About Us
Here4You is a school-based counselling service run by Metanoia Institute in West London that provides high quality, professional mental health services to students of London secondary schools and colleges. Metanoia Institute was founded in the early 1980s and was among the first organisations in the UK to offer humanistically oriented professional training programmes. It is a well-established educational charity, specialising in professional training programmes for counsellors, psychotherapists, counselling psychologists, supervisors and coaches.
Training Information
This full-time training will begin in January 2025 with around 2.5 days a week for academic work (teaching and personal study), and 2.5 days based at the H4Y service seeing clients related to training assignments. Trainees will be both an employee of the service and an enrolled student with UCL/Anna Freud. Upon completion, qualified trainees will receive a UCL Postgraduate Diploma.
Application Process
This is a dual application process. In addition to applying for this position with us, you must also complete a UCL application for the Course Team to review. The Course Team will liaise with us on whether you meet the academic requirements for the course during the recruitment process. You will only be offered a UCL training place if you are successful in securing this post and you meet the university training requirements (such as academic background, relevant experience, visa approval). Please note due to a change in process for this recruitment cycle, only shortlisted candidates will receive information on applying to UCL.
What are we looking for?
We are seeking highly motivated candidates who are enthusiastic about making a difference to young people’s mental health through evidence-based interventions based on NICE Guideline recommended treatment.
You will be committed to the CYP Psychological Training Programme core principles: Accessibility, accountability, participation, awareness and evidence-based practice and in providing an inclusive and effective service for children and young people, along with a dedication to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Job Purpose
This is a training position and so the post holder will both, work within H4Y schools and attend the UCL Post Graduate Diploma in CBT programme. As this is a dual NHS England funded training position, the post holder must remain employed by Here4You as the Recruit to Train funded job to also continue on the UCL course, and vice-versa. If the post holder becomes ineligible for the University Course, they will be unable to continue in the H4Y role. If the postholder withdraws from the H4Y post they will be unable to continue on the course.
The post-holder will work within the Here4You School-Based Counselling Service (run by Metanoia Institute) providing interventions under supervision whilst undertaking a programme of training for this role. This intensive full-time fixed term. One year training post will equip the post-holder to provide interventions for children, young people or families using the core principles of CYP-IAPT practice along with an evidence-based intervention consistent with the training course they are attending (CBT) . The post-holder will work in the service for at least 2.5 days of the week using the newly developed skills whilst attending the training programme for the remaining 2.0-2.5 days.
The post holder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
CLINICAL
- Offering counselling within H4Y Secondary Schools, in collaboration with the Here4You Schools Liaison Officer and the Pastoral Link person for the school. Collaboratively providing systems that comply both with H4Y and with the context of the school.
- Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service.
- Assess and support children and young people with a common mental health problem in the treatment for which training is provided.
- Undertake client-centred interviews which identify areas where the person wishes to see change and or recovery and makes an accurate assessment of risk to self and others.
- Provide a range of interventions using core principles of CYP-IAPT practice along with an evidence-based intervention consistent with the training course they are doing.
- Involve family members and others in treatment as necessary.
- Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the overall number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.
- Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.
- Act as an advocate to publicise the service within the school, speaking in assembly and staff meetings where necessary.
- Work closely with the Schools Counselling Liaison Manager to identify and support potential ‘Young Champions’ who will be able to take up an active part in commenting on and contributing to all aspects of the H4Y service form a young person’s perspective.
- Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service.
- Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols and use these records and clinical outcome data in clinical decision making.
- Work closely with other members of the team ensuring appropriate step-up and step-down arrangements are in place to maintain a stepped care approach.
- Assess and integrate issues surrounding education into the overall therapy process
- Operate at all times from an inclusive values base which promotes recovery and recognises and respects diversity.
TRAINING AND SUPERVISION
1. Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post including practical, academic and practice-based assessments.
2. Apply learning from the training programme in practice
3. Receive supervision from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards.
4. Prepare and present clinical information for all clients on their caseload to a clinical case management supervisor within the service on an agreed and scheduled basis, in order to ensure safe practice and the clinical governance obligations of the worker, supervisor and service are delivered.
5. Respond to and implement supervision suggestions by supervisors in clinical practice.
6. Engage in and respond to personal development supervision to improve competences and clinical practice.
7 Engage in all requirements to use feedback and clinical outcomes tools
8. Engage in service user participation as appropriate
PROFESSIONAL
1. Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to Here4You and professional regulating bodies, and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. NHS plan, National Service Framework, National Institute for Clinical Excellence).
2. Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.
3. Be aware of and keep up to date with advances in the spheres of treatment for common mental health problems.
4. Ensure clear objectives are identified, discussed, and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
5. Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.
6. Keep up to date all records in relation to Continuous Professional Development and ensure personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
7. Attend relevant conferences / workshops as appropriate, in line with identified professional objectives.
GENERAL
1. To contribute to the development of best practice within the service.
2. To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures in relation to Mental Health and Primary Care Services.
3. All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health of safety of colleagues, clients and the general public.
4. All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both clients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the GDPR (2018) and Security and Confidentiality Policies.
5. It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.
6. This Job Description does not provide an exhaustive list of duties and may be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder in light of service development.
This Job Description does not provide an exhaustive list of duties and may be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder in light of service development.
PERSON SPECIFICATION – for CYP IAPT CBT Roles
Essential
Normally a minimum of a second-class Bachelor’s degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in a relevant subject e.g. psychology AND a registerable professional qualification in Counselling, Counselling Psychology, Psychotherapy or related profession from a UK university or overseas professional qualification of an equivalent standards
Experience working with children/young people in a mental health setting
Capability to complete academic work at postgraduate diploma level, including IELTS or equivalent to the appropriate level for students with English as a foreign language (BAND D) https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/entry-requirements/english-language.aspx
Desirable
Experience working as a counsellor within a school setting
Additional Information
Please note: The position will be based at within a Here4You London secondary school counselling setting but successful candidates will be expected to travel to Anna Freud in North London (Rodney St, N1 9JH) for teaching during the training year.
More information about the course content can be found on the Anna Freud webpage: https://www.annafreud.org/ucl-postgraduate-study/ucl-postgraduate-programmes/child-and-young-person-iapt-therapy-pg-dip/
There is also a useful training FAQ section for prospective candidates: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KlJh8GmnzJKonKFYJISG7apA9KBJNf5LYZRh6QJUXL0/edit?usp=sharing
Please review the additional documents for more information on the role, person specification other employment documents.
For more information about the role or to have a confidential discussion, please reach out to:
Rita Moran Here4You School Counselling Liaison Officer on rita.moran@metanoia.ac.uk
For application-related queries, please contact: hr@metanoia.ac.uk
Privacy notice
As you also apply for a training course that is delivered by Anna Freud and UCL, your data may be shared with them for the purpose of processing your application (shortlisting) and enrolling you onto this Programme.