Job Title: Mental Health Support Officer
Department: Learning Support
Salary: £31,999.04 to £34,952.77 (FTE £33,302 to £36,376) per year
Job Type: Full time, permanent, 35 hours per week
Please note, this a 42 week term-time only position.
We are looking for three dedicated individuals to join our Learning Support department as Mental Health Support Officers. The postholder will be working within the Safeguarding Team, alongside the Counselling and Mental Health Team, to provide mental health educational needs assessments, as well as supporting these students. The postholder will be responsible for developing support and safety plans where relevant, liaising with external agencies to support individual mental health needs, and advocate on behalf of students to facilitate educational attainment. The postholder will play a key role in raising awareness around mental health issues and to offer practical advice and guidance to the College staff around inclusion.
You must be educated to at least Level 4 in a relevant subject or a recognised mental health qualification and have recent experience of working with students with mental health needs to support them to achieve and to stay safe. You will be expected to contribute to achieving excellence in supporting students through innovative and excellent practice.
Responsible to: Safeguarding, Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager
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To contribute fully to the mission and values statement of the College ensuring its effective implementation in all aspects of College life
- To manage and maintain a caseload of students presenting range of mental health needs from mild-moderate to complex, severe and/or enduring
- To develop support and safety plans
- To undertake mental health educational needs assessments
- To advocate for reasonable adjustments to support the attainment of education
- To adhere to the GDPR compliance requirements in relation to safeguarding of personal data
- To record, file and enter data in College systems
- To advocate on behalf of students as and when appropriate
- To develop mechanisms whereby young people have a voice in order to evaluate the service and take an active role in decision making.
- To coordinate and attend multi-agency meetings as required.
- To comply with the policies and practice requirements in terms of health and safety, safeguarding, equality and diversity etc.
- To adhere to record keeping and recording systems.
- To actively participate in the evaluation and quality assurance of the service.
- To share knowledge and skills through training as and when required.
- To work within a multi-agency framework to ensure the needs of students are addressed holistically.
- To actively promote participation in all aspects of service delivery.
- To develop and maintain sound working relationships with health, education and social care, to enable a joint working, joint thinking approach in relation to the needs of students
- To contribute to the College and service area strategic objectives and to actively engage in the annual review
- Evaluate and improve own communication skills to maximise effective communication and overcome barriers
- To review own professional development needs and to participate fully in future training and development
Professional Practice and Values:
- To contribute fully to the mission and values statement of the College Group ensuring its effective implementation in all aspects of College life.
- To take a proactive approach and responsibility for personal professional development, Health & Safety, and meeting other regulatory compliances (e.g. GDPR, DPA, Safeguarding), thereby enabling safe and professional working practices to be observed at all times.
- To support cross college actives as required in particular the key enrolment and invigilation periods.
- Carry out any other relevant and appropriate duties as determined by the needs of the service and as appropriate to the grade.
Essential:
- Educated to Level 4 e.g. Degree or equivalent
- Experience of working with people with mental health issues
- Excellent computer literacy – ability to use the current IT programs of the College
- Experience of assessing clients’ mental health needs
- Experience of developing support plans and strategies
- Knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding requirements and legislation.
- Engaged in Continuing Professional Development
- Minimum of Level 2 literacy and numeracy or willingness to complete
- High level of communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to set high standards for students, colleagues and for themselves
Desirable:
- A recognised Mental Health qualification
- Membership of a relevant professional body
Please Note
This role may close earlier than the advertised deadline if we receive sufficient applications. Early submission is strongly encouraged.
Why Join The City of Liverpool College?
Benefits of working at the College
As a valued member of our College community, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, dedicated wellbeing support, and meaningful opportunities for professional growth and development.
Pension Scheme
You'll be part of the Local Government Pension Scheme with employer contributions of up to 20.20%, one of the best pension packages in the sector.
Leave entitlement
Up to 30 days annual holiday allowance, plus 1 wellbeing day. You’ll also benefit from 5 to 7 days statutory closure and 2 further days closure at Easter.
Employee Benefit Platform
As part of your role, you’ll have access to the COLC Employee Benefits Platform, a one-stop hub for a wide range of perks designed to support your wellbeing, work-life balance, and everyday savings. You’ll be able to access discounts at major supermarkets, fashion and lifestyle retailers, tech stores, travel providers, and more. You’ll also benefit from the Cycle to Work Scheme, cinema and leisure discounts and tech and home appliance discounts, with the option of spreading the cost through salary sacrifice. The platform is part of our commitment to supporting you in every aspect of your working life – and beyond.
Health and Wellbeing
As part of our commitment to supporting your health and wellbeing, all employees have access to the Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – a completely confidential support service available 24/7, 365 days a year. Whether you’re facing personal challenges, looking for advice, or simply need someone to talk to, Health Assured is here to help. Through Health Assured, you can access a 24/7 confidential helpline, face to face, online or telephone counselling, as well as structured support for a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, relationships, bereavement, legal and financial concerns.
You'll also have access to the online wellbeing portal, a secure, user-friendly platform offering a wide range of self-help resources, health assessments, articles, and guidance covering emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing, and to the Wisdom App, which offers mood trackers and wellbeing tools, meditation guides, fitness videos, and self-help modules as well as daily wellbeing tips.
You’ll also be entitled to a free eye test through our voucher scheme with Specsavers, which covers a full eye exam (worth up to £25) and even includes £45 towards a pair of glasses. We also offer free flu vaccinations to help keep you feeling your best all year round.
Travel
We offer interest-free loans to help you buy annual travel passes from Merseytravel and Merseyrail. That means you can enjoy the savings of up to two months' free travel—without having to cover the full cost upfront. It’s all about making your commute more affordable and less stressful.
Flexible Working
We offer flexible working options depending on business need to support our employee's work-life balance.
Professional Development
We’re passionate about helping you thrive, offering a mix of formal and informal professional development opportunities—designed to sharpen your skills, expand your knowledge, and accelerate your career.
College Benefits
Our excellent sports and fitness facilities can be used free of charge by staff. You can also access a range of discounted hair and beauty treatments at our Academy and Graduate Hair & Beauty Salons, and a staff discount at our Academy Restaurant.
About The City of Liverpool College
The City of Liverpool College is a leading education provider for almost 12,000 students across the Liverpool City Region, from ages 16 and up.
Our passion for nurturing talent and personal approach to teaching makes sure all our students are fully equipped to realise their potential and be empowered to live out their career ambitions.
We believe in opportunity for all and offer access to both academic and vocational courses. From GCSE to degree level, our students achieve some of the highest exam results in the region.
As a recognised leader in skills and education, we are proud to have been named the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce 2024 Skills Provider of the Year, a testament to our deep-rooted commitment to delivering outstanding education that meets the needs of our students and the regional economy. We are also a proud member of the Chartered Institution for Further Education, reinforcing our position as a centre of excellence within the sector. Our recent Ofsted inspection rated us ‘Outstanding’ for Adult Provision and Personal Development, highlighting our dedication to providing life-changing education that empowers learners at every stage of their journey.
Our Mission
To provide high quality skills and education by delivering opportunities for growth to all people and businesses of the Liverpool City Region.
Our Goals
- Deliver world class skills in business
- Provide an outstanding learning and student experience
- Develop the talent for sustainable employment
Safeguarding Our Students
The City of Liverpool College is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the welfare our learners, and all staff will require an Enhanced DBS check.
Ready to Take the Next Step in Your Career?
Join a dynamic team shaping the future of education in the Liverpool City Region. With over 600 dedicated staff, five campuses, hundreds of courses, and more than 10,000 students, we're proud to be a leader in learning and innovation. Ready to make an impact? Apply now and become part of our journey.
