Job summary
We are looking for an experienced and passionate Senior Counsellor to work in our newly established Maternal Mental Health Service. This service presently offers assessment and psychological intervention to birthing individuals experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties associated with experiences of perinatal loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, termination of pregnancy).
This is an exciting opportunity to develop and enhance your skills over time, in particular when working with complex grief, trauma, and mental health presentations.
Close liaison with maternity staff is integral to the Maternal Mental Health Service model, and as such, this post offers a real opportunity to develop your consultation, supervision and service development competencies. You will be expected to contribute to our training and consultation offer within maternity and other mental health services, as well as wider service development and evaluation initiatives. This service is being coproduced with principles of diversity and inclusion embedded throughout.
The successful candidate will have experience of working with loss, trauma and complex grief, as well as a genuine interest in and passion for maternal mental health. CPD and supervision for all grades of staff is highly valued; clinical supervision will be provided by a Perinatal Clinical Psychologist
Main duties of the job
The main clinical work undertaken by the post-holder will be to provide counselling and therapy services to clients referred to the service who have experienced perinatal loss and are struggling with their mental health as a result. This will include working within a trauma informed framework; there will also be an expectation that you undertake further training in trauma focused approaches if you do not have a trauma qualification already.
About us
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country. Across the whole of the region we provide:
- Adult and older adult mental health services
- Specialist learning disability services
- CAMHS
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 April 2020, after NHS England and NHS Improvement approved the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.
Combining resources, strategies and talented workforce enables us to deliver a wider variety of outstanding services that are based on best practice and are continually improving.
As a public body, we are accountable to the people we serve. The Trust Board is responsible for determining the strategy and overall direction of the Trust in an open, honest, and transparent manner.
We're using our position as an NHS Foundation Trust to strengthen our ties with the local community. We have a large and growing membership, and we're always encouraging people to join our Trust as members. Members are kept informed of what is happening in the Trust, and their advice is sought on ways we can improve the effectiveness and responsiveness of our services.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide counselling and therapeutic interventions as appropriate to clients referred to the Black Country Maternal Mental Health Service. Clients will present with moderate or severe mental health difficulties within the context of perinatal loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, termination of pregnancy). Counselling will be carried out in community venues.
- To work with the Maternal Mental Health Service Lead and other members of the team to develop and establish working practices to promote and maintain the mental health of women living in the Black Country who have experienced perinatal loss.
- To contribute to initial assessments of clients referred to the service; and to contribute to partners assessments in line with perinatal Long Term Plan ambitions
- To provide accurate and informed feedback of client progress to colleagues across mental health and maternity service as appropriate. To liaise with other staff within and outside of the NHS, including 3rd Sector agencies, on matters relating to client well-being and care.
- To plan and prioritise own case management.
- To be responsible for auditing own outcome figures in line with service targets.
- To maintain up to date clear client records and case notes in line with the policies of the Black Country Partnership Foundation NHS Trust (BCPFT).
- To undertake regular clinical supervision in line with BACP and BCPFT requirements.
- Continuing personal development to be acquired through attendance at training events, line management supervision, reading relevant articles and journals, and clinical supervision.
- To use standardised questionnaires to assess clients and monitor progress in clinical work as appropriate.
- To contribute to the development of clinical outcome measures and evidence based practice.
- To supervise trainees and volunteer counsellors.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide counselling and therapeutic interventions as appropriate to clients referred to the Black Country Maternal Mental Health Service. Clients will present with moderate or severe mental health difficulties within the context of perinatal loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, termination of pregnancy). Counselling will be carried out in community venues.
- To work with the Maternal Mental Health Service Lead and other members of the team to develop and establish working practices to promote and maintain the mental health of women living in the Black Country who have experienced perinatal loss.
- To contribute to initial assessments of clients referred to the service; and to contribute to partners assessments in line with perinatal Long Term Plan ambitions
- To provide accurate and informed feedback of client progress to colleagues across mental health and maternity service as appropriate. To liaise with other staff within and outside of the NHS, including 3rd Sector agencies, on matters relating to client well-being and care.
- To plan and prioritise own case management.
- To be responsible for auditing own outcome figures in line with service targets.
- To maintain up to date clear client records and case notes in line with the policies of the Black Country Partnership Foundation NHS Trust (BCPFT).
- To undertake regular clinical supervision in line with BACP and BCPFT requirements.
- Continuing personal development to be acquired through attendance at training events, line management supervision, reading relevant articles and journals, and clinical supervision.
- To use standardised questionnaires to assess clients and monitor progress in clinical work as appropriate.
- To contribute to the development of clinical outcome measures and evidence based practice.
- To supervise trainees and volunteer counsellors.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Accreditation as a counsellor
Desirable
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Accreditation as a counsellor
Desirable
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
