Wellbeing Counsellor and Autism and Learning Disabilities Specialist at YMCA DownsLink Group

In this role, you will provide counselling that is adapted to ensure accessibility for autistic children and young people, as well as those with learning disabilities. This support will be offered to clients aged 4 to 25 who have a formal diagnosis.

Experience and Knowledge

- Experience in individual counselling with children and young people (aged 4+)
- Experience in counselling children and young people with Autism and Learning Difficulties
- Training/experience in working with children with communication difficulties, including Autism and LD
- Experience and/or knowledge of local statutory and voluntary agencies
- Experience of working in a community setting
- Experience of carrying out assessments
- Training / experience in using play and creative techniques in therapy
- Experience / ability to work autonomously, including working remotely.

Skills and Abilities:

- Ability to establish and maintain empathic, supportive relationships with people in significant distress with their families and/or carers
- Willingness to receive, understand and communicate confidential client information of a sensitive and often complex nature, including discussing care with family members within boundaries of confidentiality.
- Proficient to communicate in a sensitive and reassuring manner, with empathy, and where appropriate reassurance
- Able to make good use of clinical supervision in a group and/or individual format
- Skilled in liaising with other teams and services including external agencies as required for the wellbeing of service users
- Proficient to assist in assessment of young people's mental health and make appropriate decisions regarding treatment or referral to other services.

Qualifications

We are recruiting a qualified counsellor, who has experience working with children and young people with autism and learning difficulties, delivering face to face counselling and carrying out assessments with young people to include working with high risk and complex issues. You will have a graduate or post-graduate level Counselling Diploma, or equivalent, and a minimum of two years post-qualifying experience, CYP IAPT Autism Spectrum Conditions and Learning Disabilities, or CYP Psychological Therapies for autism and learning disabilities (renamed in 2025). You will also need to be BACP Registered/Accredited or registered with another recognised professional body (e.g. HPC, UKCP).

The successful applicant will have experience of managing risk, with effective communication around safeguarding procedures. You will also have experience of multi-disciplinary team working and knowledge of local statutory and voluntary agencies. You will also have experience of using electronic database for case management notes and administrative tasks to include monitoring and evaluation.