ROTHERHAM WOMEN’S COUNSELLING SERVICE (RWCS)
JOB DESCRIPTION FOR SPECIALIST SENIOR COUNSELLOR
Job Title: Specialist Senior Counsellor
Rate of pay: £28,379 pro rata (based on a 37 hour week) = £18,408
Contract hours: 24 per week over 4 days
Contract type: Fixed Term until 31 st March 2016
Holiday Entitlement: 6 Weeks + Public Holidays (pro rata equivalent)
Responsible to: Clinical Lead/Co-ordinator
Accountable to: RWCS Management Committee
About the organisation
RWCS provides free professional trauma counselling to men and women age 18 and
over, who have experienced rape, sexual or domestic abuse or assault at any time in
their lives. It has charity exempt status and works to a management committee
structure.
Job Purpose
The Specialist Senior Counsellor post is a mixture of client work, supervision of
counsellors and overall support for the clinical aspect of the service. This role acts as a
deputy to the Clinical Lead (part of the Senior Management Team) and will require staff
management experience.
Main Duties and Responsibilities

In consultation with senior managers of the service, establish a reasonable balance
of work, which will normally include spending some of their allotted time in face-toface client contact. The remaining time is allocated for activities including deputising
for Clinical Lead, record keeping; general administration; liaison and consultation;
continuing professional development; attendance of meetings e.g. MC; and
contribution to audit and service evaluation.

Provide a qualified specialist counselling and psychotherapy service to clients
within RWCS in accordance with need and within the protocols and procedures
established for the team. The Counsellor will practice within the scope of their
professional competence, skill and expertise - and possess knowledge and
understanding relating to a range of counselling skills and therapeutic
interventions.

Be responsible for effectively managing their own workload. The Counsellor will
work collaboratively as a member of the Clinical team, managing all aspects of
the counselling waiting list, including decisions around prioritising clients.

Co-ordinate the waiting list and appointment system for other counsellors and
provide support, regular in-house supervision and mentoring when needed.

To manage staff (paid and unpaid), including non-clinical staff as required.

Provide initial MAM risk assessments, and offer appropriate contracts or referral
on to more appropriate interventions, including to other mental health workers and
counsellors within Rotherham borough.

Manage all aspects of arranging and working with interpreters where assessed as
necessary for the counselling contract.

Offer professional advice and support to other referring mental health care teams
around all aspects of counselling.

Demonstrate a commitment to maintaining a high level of clinical practice by
attending a minimum of 1.5 hours' clinical supervision per month as required
by BACP.

Participate in the strategic planning and development of the counselling
service within RWCS.

Work to the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling &
Psychotherapy

Work autonomously within RWCS standards and guidance.

Work with clients through interpreters where the preferred language is one other
than English.

Maintain counselling records and monitor and report progress to MC, demonstrating
appropriate respect for client confidentiality and the consent of the client.

Liaise and maintain ongoing dialogue with Business Development Manager, all the
operational team and the Management Committee.

Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing personal and professional development
(CPD minimum of 30 hours per year). Staff are expected to maintain children and
vulnerable adults safeguarding awareness and procedures.

Demonstrate a commitment to audit and evaluation of the service and one's own
practice, and an ability to use evaluation tools to improve the quality and
effectiveness of the counselling service in the team.

Demonstrate an awareness of research and be able to take part in the development
and implementation of evidence based practice for psychotherapy/ counselling
within RWCS.

Be able to work with an electronic appointments and patient information system to
the level used within RWCS.

Maintain up to date knowledge of developments in mental health guidelines.

Maintain an active involvement with current developments in the area of
specialist counselling within mental health.

Contribute to training events.

Abide by RWCS Policies and Procedures, and work to the agreed protocols of the
organisation. When the contract with the client is negotiated, the Counsellor will
ensure that the client understands the limits of confidentiality (i.e. where there is
significant risk to self or others, including the protection of children and vulnerable
adults).
Organisational Responsibilities
 To attend and participate in clinical supervision
 To participate in training to facilitate personal development
 To be flexible
 To participate in worker meetings, management meetings and Service planning
discussions
 To co-operate with and adhere to all RWCS Policies and Procedures
 To observe the Organisations Equal Opportunities Policy in their behaviour to the
public and fellow members of the team
The duties described in this post may over time change and develop to meet the needs
of the service. The description of this post would be amended after consultation with
the post holder and in relation to individual appraisal.
Chair of RWCS Signature:
Date:
Clinical Lead Signature:
Date:
Job Holder's Signature:
Date:
Rotherham Women’s Counselling Service
Person Specification – Specialist Senior Counsellor
Assessment
Criteria
Qualifications /
Training
Essential:
 Training and experience of working with survivors
CSA/CSE and DV
How
assessed
AF
 Graduate Diploma in Counselling/Psychotherapy
AF
 Supervision qualification
AF
 BACP/UKCP Accreditation
AF
Desirable:
Experience
 Specific training in use of interpreters
AF
 Specific training in the mental health needs of survivors
of sexual and domestic violence, CSA/CSE
AF
Essential:
 At least 5 years relevant counselling experience
including experience of working transculturally and
working with trauma.
AF / IN
 At least 2 years supervising counsellors
AF / IN
 Minimum 40 hours personal therapy
 Minimum 30 hours p.a. of relevant Continuing
Professional Development
AF
AF
 Experience of conducting counselling risk assessments
AF / IN
 Experience of working with client groups with multiple
and complex issues
AF / IN
 Experience of managing staff
AF / IN
Desirable
Knowledge
Skills and abilities
 Experience working clinically with interpreters
AF
 Experience of audit and research
AF
 Experience of mentoring
AF
Essential
 Specialist knowledge of application of counselling /
psychotherapy assessments and interventions with
survivors of trauma including refugee and asylum seeker
population
AF / IN
 Knowledge of BACP Ethical Framework for good
practice
AF / IN
 Knowledge of counselling research procedures
AF / IN
 Wide knowledge of mental health issues
AF / IN
Essential:
 Able to establish and maintain therapeutic alliances and
AF / IN
hold firm boundaries when working with complex and
challenging cases.
 Skills in using a range of counselling interventions
flexibly to respond to different client needs.
AF / IN
 Well developed skills in communicating effectively
complex and sensitive information both verbally and in
writing
AF / IN
 The ability to practice within the scope of a professional
ethical framework with a diverse client population in an
anti-oppressive anti-discriminatory manner.
 Competent in assessing and managing risk
(unintentional or intentional harm to self or others) and,
having the skills to liaise and work collaboratively when
necessary, with other health and social care
professionals.
 Able to contribute to the research programme of the
service
 Able to work effectively in multi-disciplinary settings
Attributes
AF / IN
AF / IN
AF / IN
AF / IN
 Skills in working with medium to long term contracts.
AF / IN
Essential
IN / REF
 Self-aware and open to clinical supervision
AF /IN
 Able to communicate effectively and build and maintain
relationships with a range of service users and allied
health and social care professionals.
IN
 Interest in continually improving skills and knowledge.
Availability
Essential
AF / IN
 Must be available four days a week, preferably Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays.
IN
 In addition, evenings or Saturday mornings may be
required as part of a normal working week.
Key to how assessed: AF = Application form IN = Interview P = Presentation REF=
References
Rotherham Women’s Counselling SERVICE
Assessment Criteria
Essential
Desirable
How
assessed
Qualifications/Training
•
Survivors CSA/CSE and DV
Graduate Diploma in Counselling/
Psychotherapy and supervision
• BACP/UKCP Accreditation
vv to include a Post
- Qualification in supervision.
Experience
•
• Specific training in use of
interpreters
• Specific training in the mental
Health needs of survivors of sexual
AF
And domestic Violence: CSA/CSE
AF
• Experience working clinically with
interpreters
• Experience of audit and research
• Experience of mentoring and supervision
supervising
AF/IN
AF
• Minimum of (40 hrs) of
personal therapy
AF
•
AF/IN
Continuing Professional Development
• Experience of conducting counselling
Risk assessments
• Experience of working with client
groups with multiple and complex
AF/IN
AF/IN
Issues
Knowledge
Experience of managing staff.
• Specialist knowledge of application of
counselling / psychotherapy
assessments and interventions with
Survivors of trauma including refugee
• Knowledge of clinical governance in
relation to mental health work
AF/IN
PERSON SPECIFICATION - Specialist Senior Counsellor
And asylum seeker population
• Knowledge of BACP Ethical
Framework for Good Practice
• Knowledge of counselling research
AF/IN
AF/IN
AF/IN
procedures
Skills and Abilities
• Wide knowledge of mental health
• Able
to establish and maintain
issues
therapeutic alliances and hold firm
boundaries when working with
complex and challenging cases
• Skills in using a range of counselling
interventions flexibly to respond to
different client needs
• Well developed skills in
communicating effectively complex
and sensitive information both
verbally and in writing
• The ability to practice within the scope
of a professional ethical framework
with a diverse client population in an
anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory
manner.
• Competent in assessing and
managing risk (unintentional or
intentional harm to self or others) and,
having the skills to liaise and work
collaboratively when necessary, with
other health and social care
AF/IN
AFIIN
AF/IN
AF/IN
AF/IN
professionals
• Able to contribute to the research
programme of the service
Attributes
AF/IN
• Able to work effectively in multidisciplinary settings
• Skills in working with medium to long
contracts
AF/IN
• Self aware and open to clinical
supervision
• Able to communicate effectively and
build and maintain relationships with a
range of service users and allied
health and social care professionals
• Interest in continually improving skills
IN/REF
AF/IN
AF/IN
IN
and knowledge
Availability
Must be available four days a week,
preferably Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday and Fridays.
In addition, evenings or Saturday
mornings may be required as part of a
normal working week.
Key for How Assessed: AF = Application form In = Interview P = Presentation REF= References
IN