Counsellor

About the Role

Misk Schools is seeking a dedicated Counsellor to provide continuous mental health support to students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This full-time role focuses on supporting the social and emotional development of students, particularly those with additional needs, within a school environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support the assessment and treatment of students with mental health needs by liaising with students, parents, the academic team, and external support agencies.
• Apply a multidisciplinary approach to address student concerns such as self-esteem, anger management, time management, academic coping strategies, friendship issues, communication skills, grieving, and depression.
• Provide regular counselling sessions to identified or referred students.
• Communicate closely with the head counsellor and designated safeguarding lead regarding students of concern.
• Conduct specialist psychotherapeutic assessments and develop tailored programmes of care, providing individual or group psychotherapeutic treatment.
• Observe students and respond to their verbal and behavioral communications, fostering a supportive and safe environment.
• Attend core group meetings and collaborate with other professionals in planning support for children and their families.
• Regularly review and monitor the outcomes of assessments and the effects of treatment.
• Offer psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic advice, training, consultation, and supervision to other professionals involved in a child's treatment plan.
• Liaise with the assistant principal’s wellbeing team to promote broader wellbeing initiatives, including student talks, staff training, and parent workshops.
• Conduct risk assessments and risk management from a child psychotherapy perspective, while being sensitive to cultural perspectives on mental health in Saudi Arabia.
• Receive regular clinical professional supervision from a senior child psychotherapist.
• Support the well-being and mental health of Misk employees within the schools.
• Stay current with developments in theory and research and undertake continuing professional development (CPD).

Experience and Qualifications

Candidates should possess 2-5 years of relevant experience in providing mental health support, ideally within an educational setting. A strong understanding of child psychotherapy and multidisciplinary approaches is essential.

Safeguarding Commitment

The successful candidate will be responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, adhering strictly to the school’s safeguarding policies and staff code of conduct. This role directly supports the designated safeguarding lead to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.

Professional Development

The role requires a commitment to ongoing professional development and staying informed about current theories and research in the field of child psychotherapy and mental health.