Wellbeing Children & Young People’s (CYP) Lead at YMCA DownsLink Group

Overview of key areas of responsibility:

Leadership

- Provide line management support and supervision to wellbeing workers (e.g. counsellors, practitioners, therapists, link workers and trainees).
- Work alongside a team of leads to support the running, development and management of the service.
- Lead induction, mentoring, and training of new staff, trainees, and volunteers.
- Foster a culture of learning, innovation, and continuous improvement across the team.

Core Clinical

- Carry out individual counselling assessments of children and young people and make appropriate referrals.
- Provide guidance and oversight for complex or high-risk cases.
- Ensure all interventions are evidence-based, child-centred, and trauma-informed.
- Develop and oversee counselling protocols, therapeutic pathways, and risk assessment frameworks.

Safeguarding and Risk

- Lead and give oversight for safeguarding concerns, embedding a safeguarding-first culture across the service.
- Work to ensure all counsellors, staff, and volunteers are trained, confident, and compliant in safeguarding practice.
- Implement robust risk assessment and management processes.
- Monitor safeguarding incidents, identify themes, and strengthen safeguarding practice.
- Liaise with schools, health, social care, police, and other agencies in safeguarding matters.

Service Development

- Work with the Service Manager, Leads and Clinical Leads to strengthen and expand counselling provision, including group work.
- Triage referrals and represent the service in multi-agency triage meetings.
- Promote and develop opportunities for community participation and youth voice in service design.
- Build strong relationships with schools, health services, local authorities, commissioners, and community partners.
- Represent the service at local and regional forums, influencing CYP wellbeing strategies.

Qualifications, knowledge, and experience

- More than 2 years post-qualified at graduate or post graduate level Counselling Diploma or equivalent [of two years minimum duration including personal counselling or psychotherapy].
-BACP Registration or Accreditation and/or eligible for other Professional Accreditation e.g. UKCP/HPC.
- Strong team-management and line-management experience is required, including demonstrated experience in supervising, developing, and supporting staff.
- An in depth understanding of counselling theory and practice and working to short-term models.
- A sound understanding of child developmental processes, Child Protection and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding issues and procedures, along with proven experience in safeguarding young children.
- Solid experience in delivering counselling and assessment, along with experience with high-risk/complex cases.
- Experience of multi-disciplinary team working, with the ability to work within time-limited frameworks.