Trainee Counsellor

We operate a bilingual policy. All applicants are invited to apply in Welsh, and any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English.

Please note that the advertised salary for this position is subject to a pending pay award. The final salary will be adjusted in line with the nationally agreed pay award.

We are offering a student counsellor the opportunity to work in Ceredigion schools to gain clinical hours required to become fully qualified.

*All clinical hours gained on placement can be used towards accreditation with bodies such as BACP and UKCP.

You will be studying towards one of these professions at the following levels:

• Diploma in Counselling children and young people (Level 4 or above). If you are in your first year, you will have completed a full academic year Certificate Course in Counselling or the equivalent of 9–12 months.
• Degree, MSc, or MA in Counselling, Counselling Psychology – if you are in your first year, you will have relevant experience of direct work with children.

You will join the team at an exciting time as we move forward in managing the counselling service in-house. We have a friendly, lively, and innovative team of Educational Psychologists and School-Based Counselling who are committed to assisting the LEA in increasing inclusion and raising educational standards. Committed to inclusive education, you will understand the challenges facing education with increased mental health and wellbeing needs and be a passionate supporter of high expectations and achievement for all pupils.

By joining us, you will access:

• Quality, dedicated administrative and IT support.
• Family-friendly flexible working arrangements.
• Monthly supervision in accordance with BACP code of practice.
• Attendance at team meetings and peer supervision.
• Access to the council’s superannuation pension scheme.
• Opportunities for further training and development.

Ceredigion is a beautiful rural area in West Wales, offering easy access to coastal paths and scenic walks. It is rich in culture, home to the National Library of Wales and an Art Centre.

As a Local Authority, we are committed to delivering improved safety and wellbeing outcomes for children, individuals, and families. To achieve this, we focus on workforce development, assessment, and care planning informed by evidence of best practices. Ceredigion aims to provide sustainable, quality services using co-productive and collaborative methods, focusing on safety and wellbeing. We work with children, individuals, families, and partner agencies across sectors to make a positive impact.

The Signs of Safety Practice Framework underpins all service delivery, ensuring consistency and transparency. It emphasizes building individual, family, and community strengths, with robust assessments to identify clear goals, enabling us to deliver the right help at the right time.

For further information or an informal discussion about this post, please contact Meriel Evans at Meriel.evans@ceredigion.gov.uk.

Note: We reserve the right to extend the application closing date.

We are committed to safeguarding children and adults at risk. Some roles require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including an Enhanced DBS check for this role. Previous convictions do not necessarily disqualify candidates; each application is assessed case-by-case, considering the relevance of any convictions. We aim to create an inclusive, respectful work environment. Please contact us with any questions about this process. Your privacy and dignity are paramount throughout recruitment.

What we offer

Work-life balance, lifestyle savings scheme, generous pension scheme, cycle to work scheme, learning and development opportunities.

Where you'll work

Schools and Culture

We support our schools to deliver excellent education across all abilities. Our primary functions include:

• School Improvement: Leadership, Support and Challenge, Teaching and Learning, Digital Literacy, Literacy and Numeracy, Welsh in Education
• Additional Learning Needs: Provision for pupils with Additional Learning Needs, Inclusion, Attendance, Educational Psychology
• Pupil Wellbeing: Counselling, Welfare, Anti-Bullying, Pupil Voice
• Education Governance: Data, Governor Support, Policy support
• School Admissions
• Culture: Music Service, Cered, Felinfach Theatre, Museum
• Infrastructure and Resources: Planning School Places, Modernisation, Twenty First Century Schools, Buildings, Grants
• Catering: Day Centres, Primary Schools, Residential homes
• Childcare Unit: Childcare Sufficiency Assessment, Childcare & Play Grant, Childcare Offer, Out of School activities, Day Nursery, Childcare support and training