Job Title: Counselling & Therapies Groups Project Lead- FTC Salary: £37,899.Team: Care Events
About Shooting Star Children’s Hospices
We have an exciting opportunity for a Counsellor or Therapist to join our Family Support Team at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, leading a new, two-stranded project focused on support groups for families and community-based counselling and therapy interventions.
Shooting Star Children’s Hospices (SSCH) is a leading children’s hospice charity caring for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families. We support families across North West, Surrey and South West London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care.
Our Care Events team provide an extensive programme of groups and events for the 750+ life-limited children, their families and bereaved families. There are themed family events, support groups for siblings of different ages, pamper days for mums, counselling groups, memorial days and many festive events such as ice-skating at Hampton Court. There are 3-4 events each week, making many opportunities for families to make memories together, and to build a peer network of support.
Design and co-ordinate the implementation of new therapy groups for SSCH families over the next 12 months.
The introduction of therapy groups will ensure the sustainability of our services and provide families with access to other families who have lived understanding of their experience. In this role you will co-ordinate and support the production of new support groups, being the lead counsellor/therapist on three of these.
# Design and implement a community counselling and therapies service in local settings in NWL ICB.
A pilot of community-based interventions in local hubs is planned to increase access, whilst also providing opportunities to learn the shape of service that families in NWL need.
Key performance indicators:
Family member engagement in therapy groups, reducing demand on individual interventions.
Improvement in wait times for counselling and therapies.
Safe delivery and take-up of therapies/counselling in NWL community hubs.
Facilitating therapeutic groups for children and adults that are enriching and empowering.
# Removing the disadvantage for families in NWL through bringing counselling and therapies to local hubs.
# Understanding the unique needs and experiences of families in NWL, so that we can create a service that is meaningful and accessible.
Have a flexible and responsive approach that brings counselling/therapy skills to less formal therapy settings.
This role is intended to have an equal balance of project work and client-facing work. The processes required for professionalism, governance and record keeping of these therapy groups will involve data entry, writing of content for invites and report writing. Alongside this is the opportunity to engage and support families firsthand through leading new and much-needed therapy groups. In return you will receive a competitive salary along with a range of benefits, which include:
Pension scheme
~ NHS Pension Scheme (for eligible employees) or our stakeholder pension scheme, with up to 7% employer contributions
Annual leave
27 days plus Bank Holidays rising with length of service
2 weeks paid sabbatical leave after 5, 10 and 15 years’ service
Generous sick pay scheme
Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave pay
Flexible working arrangements
Death in service benefits
Reimbursed professional membership fees
Employee referral scheme
Blue Light discount card
Employee Assistance Programme
Cycle to work scheme
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff to share this commitment. Employment is subject to receipt of satisfactory references and a DBS check.
Our recruitment checks, induction and ongoing support and supervision reflect our commitment to safeguarding the families we support and consider all applicants in line with the Rehabilitation of Offender Act 1974.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Shooting Star Children’s Hospice is committed to inclusion and diversity in everything we do. Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence.
Our vision is for Shooting Star Children’s Hospice to be a place where people of all backgrounds, groups and communities feel welcomed to work and volunteer.
Please contact Caroline Brett-Field [ caroline.brett-field@shootingstar.To apply please complete our online application and send a statement outlining how your skills and experience meets the criteria set out in the person specification.
For more information, you can visit our website: