Job summary
Purpose of the Post
To support the Head of Family Support and Bereavement Services by leading the Family Support and Bereavement Counselling team
The role ensures the delivery of high-quality emotional and counselling support for:
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Adults who have experienced bereavement through illness, suicide, sudden death, road traffic accidents, murder, or manslaughter
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Adults with a palliative diagnosis, or those affected by the diagnosis of someone close to them
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Children and young people aged 5 to 17 who have experienced bereavement or are facing the loss of a loved one
This includes supporting individuals with complex psychosocial needs, such as suicidal thoughts, self-harm, or safeguarding concerns
The post holder also supports the Head of Family Support and Bereavement Services to deliver safe, effective, person-centred services aligned with KEMP's strategic aims and core values
We Care Showing compassion and empathy in all we do
We are Collaborative Working as one team with colleagues and partners
We are Innovative Always looking to improve what we offer
We are Inclusive Valuing everyone's uniqueness
We have Integrity Being honest and accountable
We are Sustainable Building long-term resilience and strength
Main duties of the job
This role leads service delivery, team performance, & development across KEMP's family support services
Service Provision & Quality Assurance
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Ensure effective operating processes, admin systems, & referral management.
- Oversee data collection & outcome reporting.
- Maintain accurate EMIS & personal notes; audit regularly.
- Monitor quality, implement improvements, & report at governance meetings.
Leadership & Team Management
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Act as a role model.
- Support daily operations.
- Oversee triage & referral allocation.
- Line manage counsellors, students, & volunteers; deliver inductions, 1:1s, & performance support.
- Support recruitment & ensure supervision & CPD within budget.
- Approve leave in line with service needs.
Service Development & Delivery
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Lead bereavement & family support for adults & CYP.
- Facilitate group & individual support.
- Develop hospice patient support & attend the MDT.
- Encourage joint working across teams.
Governance & Safeguarding
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Ensure risk assessment & management for clients.
- Escalate risks.
- Attend safeguarding & quality meetings.
- Contribute to the Safeguarding Team.
External Engagement & Additional Duties
-
Represent KEMP in meetings.
- Build partnerships with hospices, schools, charities, & care providers.
- Hold a suitable caseload.
- Deputise for the Head of Family Support when needed.
About us
Why KEMP?
KEMP Hospice is a charity providing care and support to people in the Wyre Forest affected by life-limiting illness and bereavement
For over 50 years, KEMP has delivered compassionate end-of-life care, counselling, and emotional supportcompletely free of chargeto adults, their families, and carers. We stand beside them in our day hospice, in their homes, or online, during lifes hardest moments.
We are proud to be a great place to work and volunteer. We care deeply about staff and volunteer wellbeing, promoting a healthy work-life balance. With flexible working options and benefits shaped by team feedback, youll join a supportive, inclusive, and passionate organisation that puts people first.
What We Offer:
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A fantastic team where everyone is welcomed and empowered
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Supportive managers who want to develop you
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30 days annual leave + bank holidays, rising with service
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Buy or sell leave twice a year
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Discount schemes including Blue Light Card
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Increased employer pension contribution
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Company sick pay
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Bereavement leave
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Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
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EAP: financial, legal, wellbeing, and mental health support
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Free eye tests
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Death in service benefit
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Flexible working from day one
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Family-friendly policies
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Free Will writing service
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Staff events
Job description
Job responsibilities
Service Provision & Quality Assurance
- Ensure effective and safe operating processes, administrative systems, and referral management.
- Oversee data collection and reporting mechanisms to monitor service outcomes.
- Ensure accurate client records are maintained on personal electronic notes and EMIS, conducting regular audits and reviews.
- Monitor service quality and implement action plans where necessary, presenting updates at Quality and Governance meetings.
Leadership & Team Management
- Act as a role model, promoting the highest professional standards.
- Support the Head of Family Support and Bereavement Services in managing day-to-day service operations.
- Oversee triage and assessment of referrals, ensuring timely allocation to appropriate support staff and volunteers.
- Line manage employed counsellors, student placements, and volunteers, providing regular 1:1s, inductions, and performance management.
- Support staff recruitment, including student placements and volunteers.
- Ensure Clinical Supervision arrangements and CPD requirements are met within budget constraints.
- Ensure staffing levels align with service needs, including the approval of annual leave.
Service Development & Delivery
- Oversee a range of bereavement and family support services for adults, children, and young people.
- Support the facilitation of group support, therapeutic group work, and individual counselling to meet community needs.
- Develop support provision for hospice patients, ensuring attendance and representation at the monthly MDT meeting.
- Foster a collaborative approach between services to enhance joint working and service integration.
Governance & Safeguarding
- Ensure a robust system is in place to assess and manage risk for adult and CYP clients.
- Report identified risks and issues to the Head of Family Support and Bereavement Services.
- Attend Quality and Safety Group and Safeguarding Group meetings.
- Serve as part of KEMPs Safeguarding Team.
External Representation & Promotion
- Promote the service and hospice at internal and external meetings.
- Develop links with relevant organisations, including hospices, educational institutions, charities, and health and social care providers.
Casework & Additional Responsibilities
- Maintain a personal counselling caseload appropriate to qualifications, experience, and case complexity.
- Deputise for the Head of Family Support and Bereavement Services as needed in areas including Finance & Welfare and Pastoral Support services.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Service Provision & Quality Assurance
- Ensure effective and safe operating processes, administrative systems, and referral management.
- Oversee data collection and reporting mechanisms to monitor service outcomes.
- Ensure accurate client records are maintained on personal electronic notes and EMIS, conducting regular audits and reviews.
- Monitor service quality and implement action plans where necessary, presenting updates at Quality and Governance meetings.
Leadership & Team Management
- Act as a role model, promoting the highest professional standards.
- Support the Head of Family Support and Bereavement Services in managing day-to-day service operations.
- Oversee triage and assessment of referrals, ensuring timely allocation to appropriate support staff and volunteers.
- Line manage employed counsellors, student placements, and volunteers, providing regular 1:1s, inductions, and performance management.
- Support staff recruitment, including student placements and volunteers.
- Ensure Clinical Supervision arrangements and CPD requirements are met within budget constraints.
- Ensure staffing levels align with service needs, including the approval of annual leave.
Service Development & Delivery
- Oversee a range of bereavement and family support services for adults, children, and young people.
- Support the facilitation of group support, therapeutic group work, and individual counselling to meet community needs.
- Develop support provision for hospice patients, ensuring attendance and representation at the monthly MDT meeting.
- Foster a collaborative approach between services to enhance joint working and service integration.
Governance & Safeguarding
- Ensure a robust system is in place to assess and manage risk for adult and CYP clients.
- Report identified risks and issues to the Head of Family Support and Bereavement Services.
- Attend Quality and Safety Group and Safeguarding Group meetings.
- Serve as part of KEMPs Safeguarding Team.
External Representation & Promotion
- Promote the service and hospice at internal and external meetings.
- Develop links with relevant organisations, including hospices, educational institutions, charities, and health and social care providers.
Casework & Additional Responsibilities
- Maintain a personal counselling caseload appropriate to qualifications, experience, and case complexity.
- Deputise for the Head of Family Support and Bereavement Services as needed in areas including Finance & Welfare and Pastoral Support services.
Person Specification
Skills, knowledge, and personal attributes
Essential
- Strong understanding of safeguarding legislation and ability to assess and respond appropriately to risk in adults and CYP
- Formulating strategies and support plans using creative and integrative approaches.
- Ability to deliver constructive feedback and manage difficult conversations with compassion and professionalism
- Ability to lead and support colleagues through emotionally demanding work
- Supportive, empathic nature with the ability to relate to adults with varied personal circumstance.
- A good working understanding of the importance of GDPR.
- Ability to organise self, prioritise varied workloads, plan effectively and work to deadlines.
- Evidence of commitment to professional training.
- Effective team player.
- Self-awareness - respectful of individual differences.
- Respect for KEMPs underlying ethos and Values.
- Ability to work unsupervised and work to own initiative.
- Effective computer literacy skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Desirable
- Ability to deputise at meetings or represent the organisation externally, confidently and in line with organisational values
- Ability to compile reports and collate service figures.
- Confidence in using client information systems and maintaining data accuracy
- Knowledge of child safeguarding and Gillick competence.
- Knowledge of child and adolescent development.
- Experience of working within a Hospice or charity setting
- Be able to work evenings if required.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of coaching and managing people as part of a supervisory role.
- Experience of managing or working with safeguarding concerns, including acting as a safeguarding lead or deputy
- Extensive professional experience of working with adults, preferably in a therapeutic or support setting.
- Demonstrable experience of providing significant levels of bereavement-specific support.
- Working with distressed individuals.
- Understanding of mental health problems in adults.
- Experience of providing bereavement support following an unexpected death.
Desirable
- Experience of contributing to service development and evaluating outcomes
- Experience of working with case management systems e.g. EMIS, and using data to support service planning or quality assurance
- Experience and qualifications in training.
- Experience of counselling children and young people aged five to seventeen.
- Experience of assessing children, young people and families.
- Experience of working with families and groups.
- Working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience of working with volunteers.
- Insight into palliative care and knowledge of the Hospice movement.
Qualifications
Essential
- Hold a minimum Level 4 - or equivalent - recognised adults counselling qualification.
- Be a registered member of the BACP or similar recognised body.
- Enhanced DBS disclosure. This can be applied for on appointment.
Desirable
- Level 4 - or equivalent - Children and young persons recognised counselling qualification or be willing to
- undertake this.
- Level 5 - or equivalent - recognised adults counselling qualification.
- Be an accredited, or working towards, member of the BACP or similar recognised body.
Person Specification
Skills, knowledge, and personal attributes
Essential
- Strong understanding of safeguarding legislation and ability to assess and respond appropriately to risk in adults and CYP
- Formulating strategies and support plans using creative and integrative approaches.
- Ability to deliver constructive feedback and manage difficult conversations with compassion and professionalism
- Ability to lead and support colleagues through emotionally demanding work
- Supportive, empathic nature with the ability to relate to adults with varied personal circumstance.
- A good working understanding of the importance of GDPR.
- Ability to organise self, prioritise varied workloads, plan effectively and work to deadlines.
- Evidence of commitment to professional training.
- Effective team player.
- Self-awareness - respectful of individual differences.
- Respect for KEMPs underlying ethos and Values.
- Ability to work unsupervised and work to own initiative.
- Effective computer literacy skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Desirable
- Ability to deputise at meetings or represent the organisation externally, confidently and in line with organisational values
- Ability to compile reports and collate service figures.
- Confidence in using client information systems and maintaining data accuracy
- Knowledge of child safeguarding and Gillick competence.
- Knowledge of child and adolescent development.
- Experience of working within a Hospice or charity setting
- Be able to work evenings if required.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of coaching and managing people as part of a supervisory role.
- Experience of managing or working with safeguarding concerns, including acting as a safeguarding lead or deputy
- Extensive professional experience of working with adults, preferably in a therapeutic or support setting.
- Demonstrable experience of providing significant levels of bereavement-specific support.
- Working with distressed individuals.
- Understanding of mental health problems in adults.
- Experience of providing bereavement support following an unexpected death.
Desirable
- Experience of contributing to service development and evaluating outcomes
- Experience of working with case management systems e.g. EMIS, and using data to support service planning or quality assurance
- Experience and qualifications in training.
- Experience of counselling children and young people aged five to seventeen.
- Experience of assessing children, young people and families.
- Experience of working with families and groups.
- Working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience of working with volunteers.
- Insight into palliative care and knowledge of the Hospice movement.
Qualifications
Essential
- Hold a minimum Level 4 - or equivalent - recognised adults counselling qualification.
- Be a registered member of the BACP or similar recognised body.
- Enhanced DBS disclosure. This can be applied for on appointment.
Desirable
- Level 4 - or equivalent - Children and young persons recognised counselling qualification or be willing to
- undertake this.
- Level 5 - or equivalent - recognised adults counselling qualification.
- Be an accredited, or working towards, member of the BACP or similar recognised body.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
