Job summary
Family andBereavement Counsellor and Support Worker
- Hours:Full time 37.5 hours per week
- Location: Helen and Douglas House
- Salary:£33,636 - £40,483 per annum (dependant on experience)
- Closing date:8 July 2025 at 12 noon
- Interview date:16 July 2025
We have an exciting opportunity, due to retirement of the current post holder, to join our Family and Bereavement Support Team.
Family and Bereavement Counsellor and Support Workers provide emotional and psychological support to parents of babies and children living with a life-threatening illness, or life limiting condition; and provide grief education, emotional and psychological support to parents and grandparents for up to 2 years following the death of a baby or child. Family and Bereavement Counsellor and Support Workers help parents and grandparents with managing their emotions and coping with grief, building their resilience and empowering them at level 1-2 of the Bereavement Network Europe Model.We help clients to access level 3 intervention if they require this.
If youre excited by the opportunity to be part of this unique service where youll be able to give parents approaching bereavement, and those who are bereaved the time and focus they need, and where youll see the impact of your work, every day, then please apply now.
Apply now via the Helen & Douglas House website: https://helenanddouglas.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/3877689?cid=3373&t=Family-and-Bereavement-Counsellor-and-Support-Worker
Main duties of the job
Applicants will have experience of working therapeutically with individuals experiencing loss and change, youll be compassionate, sensitive, creative and a great communicator. A relevant qualification is essential and this maybe a Diploma in Counselling, Registered Nurse, or Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker with counselling experience or with significant experience of working with grief and loss. Ideally, youll have experience of working with bereaved parents and have experience of running peer-to-peer bereavement support groups. The post holder will work onsite at Helen & Douglas House Childrens Hospice, in hospital settings and in parents own homes. It is therefore vital to be able to drive and to have a car as the hospice covers 6 surrounding counties.
Clinical supervision is provided in line with British Association of Psychology and Counselling standards which will also complement your resilience and self-care skills. The hours in client facing work count as counselling hours.
About us
Helen & Douglas House is a registered hospice charity based in Oxford, providing palliative, respite, end-of-life and bereavement care to life-limited children and their families.
We foster a climate where team members feel able to openly question, debate and appropriately challenge their own and the practice of others; as such, we welcome new ideas and strive to constantly improve our delivery of care to our patients.
Applications will be reviewed and invited to interview as received. We reserve the right to close the advert at any time, therefore we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible.
Informal conversations welcome in advance of application. For more information, please call Jo Wilson, Team Lead Family & Bereavement Support or Debbie Kelly, Head of Community & Family Support Services (Tuesday Friday 9-5 01865 794749)
Apply now via the Helen & Douglas House website: https://helenanddouglas.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/3877689?cid=3373&t=Family-and-Bereavement-Counsellor-and-Support-Worker
Job description
Job responsibilities
Summary of the Roles Main Purpose:
For family support, the counsellor and support worker will provide education, emotional support and
facilitate practical support via the wider multi-disciplinary team to parents of children who have been
referred to Helen & Douglas House for palliative and end of life care. The role will contribute to the
delivery of integrated, well-communicated care to parents through their childs illness and death.
The role provides bereavement support for parents where the child has died at Helen & Douglas House, in
their own home, and local hospitals, including parents whose child died suddenly. The role provides
emotional and psychological support level 1-2 (European Association of Bereavement Network) and work
with GPs and mental health services to provide level 3 support for those clients requiring this.
For the full job description, please see the supporting documents.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Summary of the Roles Main Purpose:
For family support, the counsellor and support worker will provide education, emotional support and
facilitate practical support via the wider multi-disciplinary team to parents of children who have been
referred to Helen & Douglas House for palliative and end of life care. The role will contribute to the
delivery of integrated, well-communicated care to parents through their childs illness and death.
The role provides bereavement support for parents where the child has died at Helen & Douglas House, in
their own home, and local hospitals, including parents whose child died suddenly. The role provides
emotional and psychological support level 1-2 (European Association of Bereavement Network) and work
with GPs and mental health services to provide level 3 support for those clients requiring this.
For the full job description, please see the supporting documents.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Diploma in Counselling, Registered Mental Nurse or other relevant qualification with extensive relevant experience. Willingness to complete counselling registration in the future if not held.
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with bereaved parents beyond the childs actual time of death.
- Good team player and experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Ability to work independently.
- Up to date with current research on child and adult bereavement.
- Therapeutic interventions in grief work.
Desirable
- Knowledge of working in the voluntary sector and statutory services.
- Experience of working with people with complex needs.
Skills
Essential
- Excellent listening and communication skills (written and verbal), and ability to contain emotional distress.
- Group work skills.
- Good time management and organisation skills.
- Competent information technology skills.
- Debrief skills.
Desirable
- Presentation skills for a variety of audiences.
Attributes
Essential
- Flexible approach to work and working hours as job requires some and weekend work.
- Commitment to participating in clinical supervision
Other
Essential
- Not on ISA Barred list from working with children/adults.
- Hold a current driving licence and be able to travel as a regular part of the role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Diploma in Counselling, Registered Mental Nurse or other relevant qualification with extensive relevant experience. Willingness to complete counselling registration in the future if not held.
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with bereaved parents beyond the childs actual time of death.
- Good team player and experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Ability to work independently.
- Up to date with current research on child and adult bereavement.
- Therapeutic interventions in grief work.
Desirable
- Knowledge of working in the voluntary sector and statutory services.
- Experience of working with people with complex needs.
Skills
Essential
- Excellent listening and communication skills (written and verbal), and ability to contain emotional distress.
- Group work skills.
- Good time management and organisation skills.
- Competent information technology skills.
- Debrief skills.
Desirable
- Presentation skills for a variety of audiences.
Attributes
Essential
- Flexible approach to work and working hours as job requires some and weekend work.
- Commitment to participating in clinical supervision
Other
Essential
- Not on ISA Barred list from working with children/adults.
- Hold a current driving licence and be able to travel as a regular part of the role.
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).
