JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Counsellor

Reports to: Treatment Services Team Leader

Responsible for: To provide advice, information and structured psychosocial interventions for family members and carers affected by a loved one’s substance use.

Grade/Salary: Sc. 23: £19,809 – Sc. 25: £21,104 (pro rata)

The role/duties of the post are outlined below. In undertaking this role, the employee will be expected to behave at all times in a way that is consistent with and actively supports WCADA Limited’s values and operating principles, which are: -

Our Values:

ü  Integrity: We conduct ourselves with fairness, respect and honesty in all our affairs.

ü  Accountability: We are accountable to service users, communities and commissioners and are transparent in all our activities.

ü  Team Culture: We collaborate with and support each other to attain excellent individual and team performance through continuous professional development.

ü  Creativity: We are open to new ideas and finding innovative solutions to the challenges that face our commissioners, our service users and ourselves.

ü  Partnership: We work in partnership with our stakeholders, service users, other agencies and the community to achieve the best possible outcomes.

ü  Best Practice: We deliver best practice quality services through our excellent staff that welcome constructive feedback and display a ‘can do’ attitude.

ü  Diversity: We provide equality of access to all people in the communities we serve and we challenge discrimination in all its forms.

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Role Purpose:

To provide advice, information and structured psychosocial interventions (on a one-to-one and group basis) for family members and carers affected by a loved one’s substance use. The post holder will receive referrals, carry out assessments, develop and review care plans and contribute to a holistic package of care for the whole family. The aim is to improve relationships and outcomes for families affected by substance use and addiction, working closely with all other organisations involved.

Post Outline:

·  Undertake family assessments and risk assessments, and develop and review care plans to meet identified needs of service users.

·  Work collaboratively with service users to increase emotional resilience and coping mechanisms.

·  Take personal responsibility for referrals, care plans and subsequent caseload.

·  Develop and facilitate educational and therapeutic group work suitable for family members and carers affected by a loved one’s substance use.

·  Carry out one-to-one sessions utilising counselling skills.

·  Promote health awareness to individuals accessing the service and work in partnership with dedicated agencies to provide holistic support and assistance.

·  Raise awareness of the issues faced by family members and carers and the need for specialist support.

·  Encourage family members to access interventions such as Naloxone training and BBV testing and vaccination as appropriate.

·  Maintain appropriate written and database client records, and undertake appropriate administrative tasks in a timely manner. The Paris database is currently being utilised.

·  Develop close and collaborative relationships with a wide range of service providers, both in statutory and voluntary sectors to ensure the holistic care of the family.

·  Contribute to monitoring and reviewing procedures; ensure quarterly statistics and Key Performance Indicators are achieved.

·  Participate in weekly team meetings, thematic meetings and regular supervision sessions.

·  Attend regular clinical supervision sessions. Please note: WCADA support staff to attend regular clinical supervision sessions and will pay £55 per month towards clinical supervision costs.

·  Be prepared to undertake professional development training as required.

·  Provide advice, support and training to colleagues in partnership agencies as necessary.

·  Maintain confidentiality in accordance with WCADA Limited’s policy and procedure, and with any statutory/contractual requirements.

·  Work in a non-judgmental, anti-discriminatory way at all times.

·  Promote a positive profile of the agency.

·  Organise and manage time effectively to ensure service delivery opportunities are maximised.

·  Take responsibility for updating training needs and knowledge requirements such as relevant legislation, and practice/research relevant to the role.

·  Carry out all tasks with professionalism and in line with the agencies policies and procedures.

·  Be willing to work flexible hours to respond to the needs of the service.

·  Undertake other reasonable duties as requested by the management team.

Role Profile: Counsellor

COMPETENCE DESCRIPTION / National Occupational Standard Unit Number
SERVICE DELIVERY
Help individuals access substance misuse services
*Promote choice, wellbeing and the protection of all individuals / HSC 35
Support individuals in difficult situations
Provide services to those affected by someone else’s substance use / AB7
Develop practice in the delivery of services
*Reflect on and develop your practice / HSC 33
Educate people about substance use, health and social well-being
Raise awareness about substances, their use and effects / AD1
Assess substance misusers’ needs for care
Carry out assessment to identify and prioritise needs / AF2
Plan and review integrated programmes of care for substance misusers
Develop, implement and review care plans for individuals / AG1
Assist in the transfer of individuals between agencies and services / AG3
MANAGEMENT OF SERVICES
Provide a healthy, safe, secure and suitable environment for the delivery of services
*Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the working environment / HSC 32
Manage information
Receive, analyse, process, use and store information / HSC3115
Manage relationships
*Promote effective communication for and about individuals / HSC 31

*Mandatory competencies

Note: Post holders will be given an opportunity to select one or two additional NOS units to reflect either specialism/area of interest.

Person Specification

Desirable / Essential
Knowledge
Knowledge of legislation pertinent to the role including Safeguarding / ü
Knowledge of local and national resources / ü
Knowledge of different approaches to working with individuals affected by substance use / ü
Knowledge of the 12-Step Family Programme / ü
Skills
An ability to organise own time and work on own initiative / ü
Assessment and care planning skills / ü
Ability to complete risk assessments and manage risk / ü
Counselling and Group facilitation skills / ü
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills / ü
Good IT, report writing and note keeping skills, including maintaining all client records as required / ü
Prepared to work on own and use own initiative, and also able to work as part of a team / ü
Ability to prioritise workload and work under pressure to deadlines and changing demands on time / ü
Proven ability to develop effective partnership working with other professionals and agencies / ü
High level of motivation and enthusiasm / ü
Experience
Experience of working with families / ü
Experience of liaising with other specialist and non specialist agencies / ü
Experience of group facilitation / ü
Additional Requirements
Counselling qualification to Diploma level / ü
Commitment to WCADA’s vision and values / ü
Committed to promoting the Welsh Language / ü
Full driving licence with access to own transport to be used for work purposes with appropriate insurance / ü

Please note: Applicants who are in recovery must have been stable in their recovery for at least the past two years. We cannot accept applications from any individuals who are not stable in their recovery; this is to ensure their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of our service users.

This post is subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check including the Independent Safeguarding Authority Registration process as well as two favourable references.

Requirements:

It is essential that applicants hold a counselling qualification to Diploma level. Successful applicants would also be required to attend training appropriate to the role.

It is desirable that applicants have experience of delivering a range of interventions to individuals affected by substance use, and knowledge of the issues associated with substance use.

Hours of Working: 37.5 hours per week

Salary Scale: Sc. 23: £19,809 – Sc. 25: £21,104 (pro rata)

Location: WCADA deliver services across the Western Bay Area (Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, and Bridgend). The post holder will be based in Swansea.

Further information and General Responsibilities:

Confidentiality: Ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity.

Data Protection Act: To comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

Conflict of Duties: All applicants to any post within WCADA Limited are required to declare any involvement either directly or indirectly with any firm, company or organisation that has a contract with WCADA. Failure to do so may result in an application being rejected or dismissal after appointment.

Equal Opportunities and Diversity: To ensure that all service users, their partners, colleagues both in WCADA Limited and other partner organisations are treated as individuals.

Health and Safety: You are required to comply at all times with the requirements of the Health and Safety regulations and WCADA Limited’s Health and Safety Policy and Procedures.

You are responsible for taking reasonable care with regard to yourself as well as any colleague, client or visitor who might be affected by an act or failure to act by yourself.