Bereavement Services Coordinator

The Methodist Church in Britain; Taunton; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 38,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days leave incl. bank holidays

Pension: NHS continuation or employer/

Life assurance 2x salary

Health cash plan

Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced maternity leave

Learning and development

Free on-site parking

Job summary

St Margaret's Somerset Hospice is seeking a part-time bereavement specialist to lead assessment and support for bereaved individuals across Somerset. The role includes managing referrals, supervising volunteers and students, and working with multidisciplinary teams while travelling across the county.

You'll have an Advanced Diploma in counselling or psychotherapy and BACP registration, with extensive bereavement experience and strong communication skills to support complex cases.

Qualifications

• Advanced Diploma in counselling or psychotherapy or equivalent qualification.
• Diploma in Clinical Supervision.
• Training in bereavement and loss.

Responsibilities

• Assess complex bereavement needs and develop person-centred support plans.
• Provide specialist bereavement support to clients and respond to risk/safeguarding.
• Prioritise referrals and caseloads, ending episodes of care appropriately.
• Lead, supervise and support bereavement volunteers and counselling students.
• Recruit, induct and retain bereavement volunteers with hospice coordinators.
• Collaborate with hospice teams and external services.
• Monitor service quality and outcomes through data, audits and user feedback.
• Develop and review bereavement policies and operational guidance.
• Provide training and education to staff and professionals.
• Undertake risk assessments for the service, including lone/group working.
• Contribute to service reports and national bereavement networks.

Skills

Therapeutic approaches

Psychological assessment

Bereavement knowledge

Communication skills

Training staff

Education

Advanced Diploma in counselling or psychotherapy

Diploma in Clinical Supervision

Bereavement and loss training

Job description

This permanent post at St Margaret's Somerset Hospice leads bereavement support across the county, working with community and inpatient teams. The work centres on specialist assessment and support for bereaved people, including those with complex needs, alongside managing referrals, caseloads and a team of volunteers and counselling students. The post is part time at 22.5 hours over Monday to Wednesday, with regular travel across Somerset and evening and weekend work when the service needs it. Fit depends on a counselling or psychotherapy qualification and BACP registration.

What the job involves

• Assessing complex bereavement needs and developing person-centred support plans
• Providing specialist support to bereaved people, including responding to risk and safeguarding concerns
• Managing and prioritising referrals and caseloads, including ending episodes of care appropriately
• Leading, supporting and supervising bereavement volunteers and counselling students on placement
• Recruiting, inducting and retaining bereavement volunteers with the hospice volunteer co-ordinators
• Working with hospice multidisciplinary teams and external health, social care and community services
• Monitoring service quality and outcomes through data, audit and service user feedback
• Developing and reviewing bereavement policies, procedures and operational guidance
• Providing training and education to staff, volunteers and other professionals
• Undertaking risk assessments for the service, including lone and group working
• Contributing to service reports, including the annual supportive care report
• Representing the hospice in local and national bereavement networks

Qualifications

• Advanced Diploma in counselling or psychotherapy, or equivalent professional qualification
• Diploma in Clinical Supervision
• Training in bereavement and loss

Registration & licences

• BACP registration or equivalent

Experience

• Significant bereavement care experience, including needs assessment and caseload management
• Experience of delivering individual and group clinical supervision
• Experience of keeping contemporaneous clinical records

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge and competence in a range of therapeutic approaches and interventions
• Specialist psychological assessment skills, including awareness of mental health problems and psychological trauma
• Knowledge of theories of loss, grief and bereavement and the evidence base for bereavement care
• Excellent communication, including discretion with confidential information, and advice to other professions
• Ability to provide training and development for staff in bereavement care

Other

• Good time management and the ability to prioritise
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team, with evidence of personal development including exploration of personal losses
• Flexibility to change days and times of working, travel across Somerset, and work evenings, weekends and bank holidays if required

Nice to have

• Degree in a relevant specialist subject
• Post-qualification experience in counselling, psychotherapy or specialist bereavement care
• Experience of working with volunteers
• Experience of multidisciplinary or multi-agency working
• Teaching, training or report-writing experience or qualification
• Demonstrable leadership skills
• Working knowledge of diagnostic criteria and responses for complex or prolonged grief disorders
• Working understanding of safeguarding and mental capacity legislation

What’s offered

• 33 days' leave including bank holidays, rising to 35 after a year, pro rata if part time, with the ability to buy and sell leave
• Pension: NHS continuation where applicable, or 6% employer and 5% employee contribution for non-NHS staff
• Life assurance at 2x salary (eligibility criteria apply)
• Health cash plan
• Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 GP access, counselling and wellbeing support
• Enhanced maternity leave (eligibility criteria apply)
• Learning and development opportunities
• Blue Light Discount Card and free on-site parking in Yeovil and Taunton