Counselling jobs in Bovingdon

ABOUT THE ROLE

This post combines two connected workstreams in a single contract: remote crisis text response and community wellbeing delivery. Three days a week you work from home as a crisis text responder on the NXG Thrive platform.

NXG Thrive is launching our 24/7, all-age crisis text support service, commissioned across the East of England. It gives anyone in a mental health crisis or worried they are heading towards one, a free, confidential way to reach a trained practitioner by text, day or night, without needing to speak on the phone. As a responder, you will pick up live text conversations, using text-based active listening, grounding and safety planning to help each person move from crisis towards a calmer, safer place. Every contact gets a human response within five minutes, and any sign of immediate risk to life is escalated straight away to the on-shift supervisor. It is a fast, entirely message-based work, different in pace and format from your community sessions, but drawing on the same core skills: careful listening, sound judgement under pressure, and confident risk assessment.

The remaining two days a week you work in community settings across Milton Keynes, delivering in-person group sessions and one-to-one online sessions on the Healthie applicationto young people aged 11–19 under the NHS commissioned provision, building referral relationships with schools, GP practices and VCSE partners, and promoting our crisis text service locally.You will have a counterpart who works in Cambridgeshire and there may be occasions where you are asked to shadow, observe or cover sessions in Cambridgeshire.This will be discussed with you in advance and subject to mileage claims.

Both strands serve the same purpose: reaching people in mental health crises at the point they need support. The combination gives you clinical depth and digital crisis practice in one role, which is unusual in a single contracted post, and it opens progression routes that neither strand offers alone.

What you’ll do

• Deliver wellbeing sessions for CYP ranging from 11–19yrs old via group work at up to 1:15, plus one-to-one clinical sessions.
• Adapt teaching methods to suit diverse learning styles, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.
• Contribute to developing and updating lesson plans, resources and activities that reflect the latest research and best practice in mental health education.
• Collaborate with colleagues to refine curriculum content and share innovative delivery approaches.
• Baseline and track progress using RAG rating, YP-CORE and Outcome Star, and review attendance, behaviour and progress with commissioning schools at least every six weeks.
• Record and escalate concerns to NXG’s DSL, use the Duty Desk / LADO route for concerns about an adult, and make Prevent referrals where needed.
• Record attendance each session and report unexplained absence to the commissioning school within 30 minutes of the young person’s planned arrival time.
• Complete venue and individual risk assessments, and work to lone-working procedures on community days.
• Provide crisis text support on the NXG platform, meeting a five-minute human first response and escalating high-risk contacts immediately.
• Promote the crisis text service locally with schools, colleges, GP practices and VCSE partners.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Essential

• Degree in psychology, social work, counselling, mental health nursing or a closely related field.
• Current registration with BACP (Accredited member or above), HCPC, UKCP, NMC, BPS (Chartered Member) or Social Work England, with no restrictions on practice.
• Three years’ post-qualification experience with children and young people, including complex and high-risk cases.
• Competence in CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care or an equivalent evidence-based clinical modality.
• Safeguarding training at Designated Safeguarding Lead level (Level 3 or above) and current Prevent awareness — or the ability to complete both before your first delivery session.
• Working knowledge of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026, with experience of making statutory referrals.
• A first aid certificate, or willingness to obtain one within 12 weeks.
• De-escalation training, or willingness to complete it, and a clear commitment to avoiding restraint and restrictive interventions.
• Excellent written communication — a significant part of this role happens in text
• Ability to travel independently and reliably across Milton Keynes.

Desirable

Experience in commissioned alternative provision; familiarity with the Barclays Life Skills resources, YP-CORE or Outcome Star; knowledge of safeguarding,GDPR and education services; safer recruitment training; experience with EHCP’s, personal education plans or children in care; lived experience relevant to the role (see below).

Lived experience

We value lived experience alongside professional qualifications. Personal experience of mental health difficulties, of using crisis services, of the care system, or of exclusion and alternative provision can make you a more effective practitioner, and we would encourage you to apply.

Whether you tell us about it is entirely your choice. You can reference it in your application if you would like it considered, and you are welcome to say as much or as little as you wish. Choosing not to mention it will not count against you, and we will not press you for personal detail at the interview.

The health declaration we ask for an offer stage is about what support or adjustments would help you do the job well. It is not a screen for anyone with a mental health history.

What we offer

• Salary £28,000 to £31,000 annually.
• 28 days’ annual leave included Bank holidays. Funded first aid, de-escalation, safeguarding training.
• Monthly clinical supervision, peer case review, annual appraisal and 24/7 debrief support.
• Travel costs will be covered for any travel beyond 20 miles from your base location, with mileage claims reimbursed at the HMRC rate of 45p per mile.

Before you apply

We are commissioned and follow safer recruitment.It is worth knowing the following before you start an application.

• Applications must be made on our application form. We cannot accept a CV alone, because we need your full employment history and other details required by Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE 2026).
• Appointment is conditional on an Enhanced DBS check with children’s and adults’ barred list checks, obtained by us. A certificate issued to a previous employer is not sufficient.
• We will also need evidence of your right to work in the UK, two photographic identity documents, two references including one from your current or most recent employer, verified qualifications, a health declaration covering any adjustments you may need, and a self-declaration about any criminal record.
• We carry out an online search in line with KCSIE 2026. We will inform you before we do, and you will have the chance to comment on anything it raises.
• Interviews include safeguarding scenario questions.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and require a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Reasonable adjustments are available at every stage — contact .

Altwork Global is the recruiting company for NXG Enterprises (Pty) Ltd.

Pay: £28,000.00-£31,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person