Closing date for applications 9am Wednesday 9th September 2026.
Interviews will be held week of the 21st September
We require all applicants to have an informal discussion with a member of the team prior to submitting an application. Please email [email protected] for further information.
Base: Hybrid working from a ‘virtual office’, with the team working together online via Zoom during the working day. The postholder will be required to travel to The Parenting Project's head office in Kenilworth and to other locations across Warwickshire as required.
Salary: £34, 247 FT
Hours of work: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday. The role will normally be worked between 9.00am and 5.00pm, with some flexibility required to meet the needs of the service.
Our Counselling and Therapeutic Services
The Parenting Project provides safe, ethical and confidential counselling and therapeutic services to parents, carers, children and young people across Warwickshire.
Our adult counselling service provides up to 18 weekly sessions using person-centred/integrative or psychodynamic approaches. Our Children and Young People's (CYP) service provides therapeutic support to children and young people within school and community settings.
Our approach is underpinned by the belief that “it is not what is wrong with you, but what has happened to you.” We recognise the impact that trauma and adverse experiences can have on individuals and families. Working in a trauma-informed and relational way can support better outcomes for clients and reduce the stigma associated with experiencing mental health difficulties.
Job Purpose
To work alongside the Mental Health Lead (MHL) in the development, delivery and oversight of The Parenting Project's counselling and therapeutic services, ensuring that services are safe, effective, ethical and responsive to the needs of parents, carers, children and young people.
The postholder will provide operational and clinical support to the counselling service, contributing to the development of both the adult and CYP services and ensuring that practice is consistent with relevant professional standards, including the BACP Ethical Framework and The Parenting Project's policies and procedures.
The postholder will work collaboratively with the MHL, counselling team, partner organisations, schools and other statutory and voluntary sector agencies to support the effective delivery and continued development of the service.
Key Relationships
- Parents, Children and Young People (CYP), Carers, MHL, Counselling Volunteers, Associate Counsellors, Student Counsellors, Universities, other Statutory and Voluntary Sector Agencies and Services.
Key Responsibilities
Service Development and Oversight;
- Work alongside the MHL to develop, promote and oversee the CYP Counselling Service, including developing and maintaining effective relationships with partner schools and acting as a key point of contact for school-based counselling and CYP therapeutic projects.
- Work alongside the MHL to develop, promote and oversee the adult Counselling Service.
- Contribute to the strategic development of the counselling and therapeutic services and identify opportunities for new projects, partnerships and sources of funding.
- Support the implementation of new projects and service developments, ensuring that appropriate systems, processes and therapeutic standards are in place.
- Contribute to service evaluation and quality improvement, using feedback, outcomes data and learning from practice to inform service development.
- Support the promotion of The Parenting Project's counselling and therapeutic services, including representing the organisation at networking events and meetings with partner agencies.
Clinical Practice, Quality and Risk;
- Work alongside the MHL to ensure that counselling and therapeutic practice is safe, ethical and of a consistently high professional standard.
- Support the MHL in maintaining appropriate clinical governance arrangements across the adult and CYP counselling services.
- Ensure that practice is consistent with the relevant professional ethical frameworks, including the BACP Ethical Framework, and The Parenting Project's policies and procedures.
- Support the assessment and management of clinical risk and safeguarding concerns, including providing advice and support to counsellors where required.
- Oversee the application and screening process for parents, carers, children and young people referred to the counselling service, working alongside the MHL to review referrals and determine appropriate allocation.
- Support counsellors to work within appropriate professional boundaries and within their level of competence and experience.
- Work within The Parenting Project's Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and relevant Warwickshire safeguarding procedures.
- Act as a Designated Safeguarding Lead and ensure safeguarding concerns are appropriately identified, responded to recorded and escalated.
- Maintain appropriate standards of confidentiality, information sharing and professional record keeping.
Clinical and Team Support;
- Work alongside the MHL to provide clinical line management, advice and support to counsellors and therapists working within The Parenting Project, including students, associates and volunteers.
- Provide support to therapists in relation to clinical practice, risk, safeguarding, professional boundaries and the application of therapeutic approaches.
- Support the recruitment and induction of new counselling students and associate counsellors/therapists in accordance with The Parenting Project's policies and procedures.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships across the counselling and wider Parenting Project teams.
- Support the development and delivery of training for counselling staff, volunteers and external partners as required.
- Hold a CYP and/or adult counselling caseload when required by service need, maintaining appropriate clinical standards alongside the wider responsibilities of the role.
Data Monitoring and Reporting;
- Maintain accurate and appropriate counselling records, databases and online systems.
- Monitor service activity, outcomes and other relevant data to support effective service delivery and demonstrate impact.
- Assist with the preparation of reports for funders, commissioners and partner organisations as directed by the MHL.
- Provide information and data requested by the MHL to support service monitoring, evaluation and strategic development.
- Ensure that relevant records and data are maintained in accordance with organisational policies, confidentiality requirements and data protection legislation.
Professional Responsibilities;
- Attend and participate in staff development sessions, team meetings, individual and group supervision, clinical supervision and other meetings as required.
- Maintain ongoing professional development and keep up to date with relevant developments in counselling, psychotherapy, safeguarding and children's and adults' mental health.
- Work in accordance with The Parenting Project's values and policies and procedures.
- Have due regard to the Equality Act 2010 and ensure that all individuals are treated with dignity, respect and without discrimination.
- Undertake any other duties that are reasonably required and are in line with the scope and spirit of the job purpose, title and grading of the post.
Person Specification
Criteria
Essential / Desirable
Qualifications and Professional Registration
Minimum Level 4 qualification in counselling or psychotherapy - E
Recognised qualification in Child and Adolescent Counselling, Psychotherapy or an equivalent CYP therapeutic discipline -E
Current registration/accreditation with an appropriate professional body, such as BACP, UKCP or NCPS - E
Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development relevant to the role - E
Qualification or training in systemic practice and/or group psychotherapy - D
Professional Knowledge and Understanding
Good knowledge and understanding of relevant professional ethical frameworks, including the BACP Ethical Framework - E
Good understanding of safeguarding and child protection practice, including the assessment and management of risk - E
Knowledge and understanding of confidentiality, information sharing, professional boundaries and data protection within therapeutic services - E
Good understanding of trauma-informed and relational approaches to therapeutic practice - E
Understanding of the needs of parents, carers, children and young people experiencing emotional and mental health difficulties - E
Understanding of clinical governance, quality assurance and safe service delivery within a counselling or therapeutic setting - E
Knowledge of working within school-based or community therapeutic services - E
Understanding of outcome monitoring and the use of data to evaluate therapeutic services - D
Experience
Significant experience of providing counselling or psychotherapy to adults - E
Significant experience of providing therapeutic support to children and young people - E
Experience of delivering counselling or therapeutic work within a school setting - E
Experience of assessing and managing risk and safeguarding concerns within therapeutic practice - E
Experience of working with parents/carers experiencing complex or challenging circumstances - D
Experience of providing clinical advice, support or oversight to other counsellors/therapists - D
Experience of working within a mixed team of qualified practitioners, students, volunteers and/or sessional staff - D
Experience of developing or delivering training to groups - D
Experience of developing or overseeing therapeutic services or projects - D
Experience of partnership working with schools, statutory services and/or voluntary sector organisations - D
Experience of collecting, analysing and reporting service data and outcomes - D
Skills and Abilities
Ability to provide sound clinical judgement and appropriately assess risk, safeguarding concerns and the suitability of referrals - E
Ability to provide effective clinical support and guidance to counsellors and therapists while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries - E
Ability to work within own professional competence and recognise when further advice, supervision or escalation is required - E
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with clients, colleagues and partner organisations - E
Excellent organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work to deadlines- E
Ability to work independently and use initiative within a broad and varied role - E
Ability to contribute to service development and identify opportunities for improvement - E
Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary and multi-agency team - E
Ability to maintain accurate, confidential and professional records - E
Ability to collect, monitor and interpret counselling data and contribute to reports for funders and partners - E
Good IT skills, including confidence using Microsoft Office, Google Workspace and online databases/systems - E
Project management or service development skills - D
Personal and Professional Qualities
Demonstrates the personal and professional qualities reflected within the relevant ethical framework, including care, diligence, courage, empathy, humility, integrity, resilience, respect, sincerity and wisdom - E
Demonstrates a strong commitment to the therapeutic relationship as a key vehicle for change - E
Warm, approachable and able to establish trusting relationships with children, young people, parents, carers and professionals - E
Demonstrates emotional maturity and resilience when working with complex presentations, risk and safeguarding concerns - E
Able to reflect on own practice, recognise limitations and make effective use of supervision and professional support - E
Demonstrates commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice - E
Committed to a trauma-informed, strengths-based and person-centred approach - E
Self-motivated, adaptable and able to respond positively to changing service needs - E
Other Requirements
Willingness to work flexibly across The Parenting Project's adult and CYP counselling services according to service need - E
Ability to undertake the responsibilities of a Designated Safeguarding Lead, with appropriate training and support- E
Willingness to undertake required training and maintain professional development relevant to the role- E
Satisfactory completion of an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including any relevant checks required for working with children and young people- E
Ability to travel to different locations across Warwickshire as required by the role- E
Pay: £34,247.00 per year
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Kenilworth
