School Counsellor

Job Summary

The Primary School Counsellor provides emotional, social, behavioural, and developmental support to primary-aged students by creating a safe environment for expression and growth. The role involves collaborating with students, teachers, parents, and leadership to promote wellbeing and positive school culture.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual and small-group counselling to primary school students to address emotional, social, behavioural, family, friendship, or school-related challenges.
• Develop students emotional awareness, resilience, self-confidence, communication skills, and healthy coping strategies.
• Support students through transitions, separation anxiety, grief, bullying, friendship difficulties, and family changes by delivering age-appropriate wellbeing check-ins and interventions.
• Maintain professional boundaries ensuring counselling is child-centred and developmentally appropriate.
• Design and deliver social-emotional learning and wellbeing programmes tailored to primary students.
• Conduct classroom sessions, assembly talks, and workshops for students and parents on topics including emotional regulation, friendship and conflict resolution, self-esteem, respect, bullying prevention, online safety, stress management, and healthy relationships.
• Identify and respond to safeguarding and child protection concerns by following school policies and reporting procedures.
• Escalate safeguarding concerns promptly to designated leads and maintain accurate, confidential records of interventions and referrals.
• Collaborate with teachers to assess students emotional, social, and behavioural needs and provide tailored strategies to support individual students.
• Participate in student-support meetings and contribute to Individual Support Plans and school-wide wellbeing initiatives.
• Communicate sensitively and professionally with parents and guardians about student wellbeing, providing practical strategies and facilitating referrals to external specialists when needed.
• Conduct initial assessments and develop case formulations to identify students concerns, strengths, and intervention needs.
• Implement and monitor intervention plans, adjusting strategies based on student progress and feedback from teachers and parents.
• Prepare reports and case summaries for school leadership and MUIS in compliance with policies and best practices.
• Support students during significant school events, transitions, or periods of emotional need, promoting an inclusive and safe environment.
• Participate in staff training on student wellbeing, safeguarding, behaviour, and mental health.
• Perform other duties as assigned by School Leaders.

Preferred competencies and qualifications

• University degree in Counselling, Psychology, Child Psychology, Social Work, or related field is preferred.
• Professional counselling qualification and/or relevant professional accreditation.
• Experience working with primary school children is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of child development and age-appropriate counselling approaches.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and child-protection practices.
• Experience collaborating with teachers and parents is an advantage.
• Experience in international or multicultural school environments is an advantage.