Counselling jobs in United Kingdom

• About the role
• We are seeking a committed and passionate Education and Youth Justice Liaison Officer to join our Children and Young People’s Service. This role is vital in ensuring that all children engaged with the Youth Justice Service (YJS) have their education, training, and employment (EET) needs assessed and appropriately supported—whether in the community or in custody. This includes both under-16 education and post-16 provision.
  
  
  

The successful candidate will support children and their families to maintain EET placements, and collaborate with schools, training providers, and employers to create sustainable opportunities that help divert young people from re-offending.

Key Responsibilities:

• Liaise with internal and external agencies to secure suitable EET opportunities for children open to the YJS, improving their life chances and reducing re-offending risk.
• Track and record EET engagement for all YJS-involved children, including the preparation of quarterly KPI reports.
• Provide targeted support to NEET children to explore and access appropriate EET pathways.
• Facilitate effective information sharing between the YJS, education services, training providers, and secure establishments.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with a range of education and training providers, voluntary sector organisations, and local employers.
• Deliver training to YJS staff and the wider service to ensure up-to-date awareness of EET developments.
• Lead on designing accredited curriculum activities and coordinate the delivery of AQA qualifications.
  
  
  

Person Specification:

Qualifications:

• 5 GCSEs (including English and Maths) or NVQ Level 3 in a relevant field – essential
• A teaching qualification, Youth and Community qualification, Youth Justice Effective Practice Certificate (YJEPC), or a relevant degree – desirable
  
  
  

Experience:

• Proven experience working with socially excluded or at-risk young people
• Experience supporting or engaging with young people involved in the Youth Justice system
  
  
  

Knowledge & Skills:

• A good understanding of the Youth Justice system and relevant legislation
• Strong engagement skills with education/training providers and employers
• Excellent organisational abilities, capable of managing independent workloads and collaborating within a team
• High-level written and verbal communication skills
  
  
  

Competencies:

• Commitment to continuous service improvement
• Takes ownership and delivers outcomes reliably
• Acts as a positive role model for peers and young people
• Demonstrates flexibility and resilience in challenging situations
  
  
  

Additional Information:

• This role may require occasional work outside standard office hours, including some evenings, weekends, or bank holidays.

• About You
• About us
• We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us. We understand that a happy and motivated workforce is essential for the success of our organisation. That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work-life balance, financial wellbeing, health, and professional development.
  
  
  

Here’s a comprehensive overview of the fantastic benefits we provide:

• Flexible Working Hours – We recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life.
• 36 Hour Week – Enjoy a standard 36-hour workweek for all full time staff.
• Generous Holiday Entitlement – increasing with length of service (for non-casual roles).
• Hillingdon Sports & Leisure – Stay active and healthy with discounts at council owned leisure centres and swimming pools across the borough.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – option to join schemes for cycle purchase, electric vehicle leasing and additional voluntary pension contributions (subject to scheme rules).
• Cycle to Work – Eco-friendly commuting with our cycle purchase scheme. We also provide bicycle parking, lockers, and showers at the Civic Centre.
• Local Government Pension Scheme – access to Local Government Pension Scheme and membership to the Credit Union.
• Vivup Benefits – Access a variety of offers and discounts through our Vivup Benefits.
• Mental Health Support and Counselling Services – Our mental health first aiders are trained to identify, understand, and help employees experiencing mental health issues. Access free 24-hour confidential advice and counselling as well as a legal advice service for you and your immediate family.
• Travel Support – Make your daily commute easier with our season ticket loans and free car parking.
  
  
  

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. This commitment means that all employees, job applicants and others who work for us will be treated fairly.

The aim is for our workforce to be representative of all sections of society and Hillingdon residents so we welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds. We strive to ensure that our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias, and we are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants with disabilities.

Join us in building a workplace where everyone feels respected, able to give their best and be themselves at work, whilst contributing meaningfully to our organisation's success.

Recruitment Information

Hillingdon Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities that meet the essential criteria for the role and wish to be considered under this scheme. We believe in the option to choose, so candidates declaring a disability have the choice to opt in for consideration under this scheme, on a ‘per application’ basis.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Some posts are subject to The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2019 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

In addition to verifying Right to Work in the UK and a new starter health questionnaire, the post is subject tothe following pre-employment screening:

• Enhanced DBS Check
• 5 years of Referencing
  
  
  

Please note:Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Hillingdon Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.

It may be necessary due to a high volume of applications to close this role early. We therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.