Barnardo's is seeking a motivated and compassionate Children's Therapist/Counsellor to join our Child Bereavement Service (CBS). Funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA), the Child Bereavement Service specialises in postvention support following death by suicide, murder-suicide, or similarly traumatic circumstances.
This specialist service supports children and young people aged 4–18, along with their families, who have been bereaved through suicide.
The service includes:
- A dedicated advice line
- One-to-one therapeutic support and counselling
- Group work programmes
- Consultancy and training
All interventions are tailored to the individual needs of each child, young person, and family, and are based on best practice in traumatic grief support.
This is an opportunity to provide meaningful therapeutic interventions to and with children and families navigating trauma and complex grief, as part of a skilled and supportive multidisciplinary team.
Belfast (office-based), with service delivery responsibilities across the Southern Trust area.
We would like to hear from individuals who are:
- Passionate about therapeutically supporting children, young people, and families affected by trauma and bereavement
- Qualified as a Children's Therapist/Counsellor (Level 5 or above) or Art/Play/Drama Therapist, with:
- At least 350 hours of clinically supervised practice (or equivalent)
- Accreditation, or currently working towards accreditation
- Experienced and confident in working online as well as involved in adviceline work
- Registered with a relevant professional body
When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described.
Additional Information
- A waiting list may be held for similar vacancies for 6–12 months
- Interviews will take place on Thursday 16th July 26
- A driving licence with business insurance and access to a car will be required for the position.
If you are committed to supporting children, young people and families through some of the most challenging experiences of their lives, we would welcome your application.
Although this contract has a permanent status, please be aware that this post is subject to funding currently to 31 December 2026 and therefore should this funding not be extended further, you may be subject to a redundancy consultation or a TUPE arrangement. This contract is due to expire on 31 December 2026.
Successful applicants will be required to undertake an Enhanced Access NI with Child and Adult Barred List Check.
Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.
