Self‑Employed Mental Health Therapists and Counsellors – Children & Young People

Job Reference: MHPT-SESS-0526

YMCA Trinity Group is a charitable organisation delivering a Mental Health Service programme within education and community settings. We are seeking self‑employed therapists and counsellors to work with us on a sessional basis, supporting children and young people.

Current opportunities across Suffolk include:

• One half day per week (3.5 hours) within an SEMH setting for young people aged 8–16.
• Two separate half days per week within a Primary School, starting in September.

We also welcome applications from therapists based in Cambridgeshire, as we anticipate expanding our work in this area from September, subject to contracts being confirmed.

About the Role

Our Mental Health Services (MHS) Team offers sessional work to self‑employed contractors as opportunities arise. While the team is based at our Peterborough offices, these roles are considered hybrid community‑based, with therapeutic work delivered primarily within schools and community settings.

Our Mental Health Service provides:

• 1:1 therapy and early intervention programmes for children and young people aged 4–18
• Therapeutic and non‑therapeutic interventions for social, emotional and behavioural needs
• Support for schools and other settings to develop wellbeing and whole‑school approaches
• Opportunities to work with school staff, including 1:1 support and drop‑in sessions

Due to increasing demand, we are expanding the service and require additional therapists and counsellors to support therapeutic and non‑therapeutic programmes across the region.

There may also be opportunities for suitably experienced applicants to be considered for sessional trainer roles, delivering our existing portfolio of mental health training courses and workshops to schools and other organisations (presentation experience required).

We are committed to inclusive policies and practices and to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

Essential Criteria

The successful applicant will:

• Have previous experience working with children and young people
• Hold a minimum of:
  • a Play Therapy Diploma, or
  • a Level 4 Counselling qualification with additional training in play‑ or arts‑based therapy (Primary School work), or
  • a Level 4 Child & Adolescent Therapeutic Counselling qualification (adolescent work), or equivalent
• Be registered with PTUK, BAPT, BACP or an equivalent professional body, with a minimum of 120 hours clinical experience, including at least 60 hours with children and young people, and have access to a clinical supervisor
• Be able to travel as required for the role
• Be able to work on a self‑employed basis during school hours for the duration of each contract
• Demonstrate a commitment to continued CPD (minimum 30 hours per year)
• Be highly organised and able to follow quality assurance and safeguarding requirements

Self‑Employment Status:
All roles are offered on a self‑employed basis.

DBS Requirement

Applicants must hold a current and satisfactory Enhanced DBS certificate, covering:

• Adult Workforce (for supervision), and
• Child & Adult Workforce (for counselling work)

The DBS must be registered with the DBS Update Service. If you do not currently hold a DBS that meets these requirements, YMCA Trinity Group can facilitate an application at the applicant’s cost.

Rates and Support

In return, we offer:

• £23.50 – £31.50 per hour, depending on the intervention and number of sessions per day
• £32 per hour for delivering staff training
• Regular networking meetings
• Peer support sessions
• Free and subsidised CPD
• Free therapeutic resources
• Subsidised group supervision
• Flexible work patterns to suit your availability

Closing Date

Applications are assessed on a rolling basis, and early application is encouraged. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once roles are filled.

Contact Us

If you would like to discuss any of our Mental Health Services roles, please contact:
mentalhealthservices@ymcatrinity.org.uk or call 01733 373187

Please note: emails may occasionally be filtered to spam or junk folders.

Additional Information

Additional Information Please note YMCA Trinity Group does not have a sponsored Licence to recruit non-UK workers and therefore all candidates are expected to be able to work in the UK.

YMCA Trinity Group welcome job applications from all. Should you require a reasonable adjustment request to apply for a vacancy, please do not hesitate to contact us. Applications are assessed fairly against relevant Job Descriptions. Unless stated otherwise, we require all candidates to complete our online application form in full, to be formally considered for a role. CVs are not considered as an application, merely an expression of interest.

Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you soon!

Ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals is paramount to our mission. As such, we are committed to upholding rigorous safeguarding practices in all aspects of our work. Join us in making a meaningful difference while adhering to the highest standards of care and protection for those we serve

Visit ymcatrinitygroup.org.uk to view our current work and volunteering opportunities