Counsellor

Hertfordshire County Council; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council is seeking a Safe Space Counsellor to join the Safe Space team. The role supports children and young people across Hertfordshire within school/college settings, typically delivering 8-12 sessions per young person and managing a caseload with supervision.

You will travel between schools, with a driving licence and business insurance essential. The role operates term-time hours at 22.2 hours per week and is based across Hertfordshire schools/colleges.

Qualifications

• Diploma-level qualification with BACP membership.
• Experience in safeguarding concerns management.
• Full driving licence with access to a car.
• Experience delivering therapy to children and young people.
• Ability to use/play & develop Play and Creative Therapy skills.
• Strong communication with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to build relationships with professionals and school staff.
• Caseload management within BACP or Ethical Framework.
• Good IT skills and use of EHM for case records.

Responsibilities

• Support 10-20 clients per week with 8-12 sessions each.
• Work mainly in school/college settings with travel between sites.
• Maintain diary and case records using the EHM system.
• Access to clinical supervision (individual and group).

Skills

BACP membership

Safeguarding experience

Driving licence

Therapy with children

Play & Creative Therapy

Stakeholder communication

Holistic relationship building

Caseload management (BACP)

IT skills / EHM

Education

Diploma-level qualification

Job description

Job Title: Safe Space Counsellor

Salary: £39,481 progressing to £43,149 pa pro rata (approximately £20,262 - £22,144 pa)

Hours: 22.2 hours a week (term-time only)

Location: Schools/colleges across Hertfordshire

Contract type: Permanent

Directorate: Childrens Services

About The Team

Safe Space is a counselling and therapy service which offers children and young people across Hertfordshire a creative, confidential and safe space in which to explore any issues affecting their everyday lives. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Safe Space within Hertfordshire. Our Service is unique in that, whilst being part of Hertfordshire County Council, we are a traded service which means our services are purchased by schools and other organisations across the county. Safe Space also supports Foster/Kinship carers and forms part of HCC’s Crisis Response support to schools following a critical incident. We work with children and young people between the ages of 4 and 25, usually within a school or college setting (and occasionally online). Alongside our counselling and therapy offer, we have a very successful Mentoring programme, which supports young people (age 11 and above) across the county.

About The Role

As a Safe Space Counsellor, you will be part of a team of 25 Counsellors and Senior Counsellors and work alongside school colleagues and other health professionals to support 10 - 20 clients per week (offering between 8-12 sessions to each young person, although this can be longer). Sessions are usually held at the same time and day each week, in a school/college setting, and last between 40-50 minutes. This is a dynamic role which involves excellent communication skills (with young people, parents/carers, school colleagues and other professionals) and good level IT skills. Safe Space counsellors are largely school based and could be in a single school for a full day (or more) each week, or need to travel between schools, perhaps visiting up to 4 in one day. Diary and time management is a key skill for this role, and we offer flexibility, autonomy and any support required, when it comes to planning your travel and caseload (bearing in mind school hours and room availability). Safe Space is a county-wide service which may mean you will be required to travel to different locations depending on the needs of the service. For this reason, a driving licence and car (plus business insurance) is essential to the role. As a Safe Space counsellor, you will be part of a highly supportive team, reporting directly to one of our Senior Counsellors, and will have access to clinical supervision (both individual and group).

About You

Essential

• Diploma level qualification and proof of BACP membership (or equivalent body).
• Experience of how to manage safeguarding concerns.
• Driving licence with access to a car (with business insurance).
• Experience of delivering therapy to children and young people.
• Ability to use/develop Play and Creative Therapy skills
• Ability to communicate well with a variety of stakeholders
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of professionals and school staff in order to take an holistic approach to working with children/young people.
• Ability to manage a clinical caseload within BACP or equivalent Ethical Framework.
• Good level IT skills to maintain your online diary and accurate case records on each child/young person using the Early Help Module (EHM) online system in accordance with Data Protection Act / GDPR.

If you are a qualified counsellor and see yourself as part of a team making a real difference to children and young people, then this may be the role for you and we would welcome your application.

Interview date(s): 4th and 5th November 2026

For an informal discussion please contact: Sally Gubb- Safe Space Manager [e-mail]/ 01992 588251 or Debra Gee- Safe Space Clinical Manager [e-mail]

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 10. Please locate the job profile here: Job profiles - Health and social care

Additional Information

We are changing Hertfordshire County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles. LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident

We are proud to be aDisability Confident employerand guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding

This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving Required

You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required).Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.