Adult Sexual Violence Counsellor

Service: Family Action PARCS

Salary: £28,884 FTE per annum (£11,553.60 per annum for part-time, 14.8 hours per week)

Location: Portsmouth office with 1 day per week at Gosport Hub

Hours: 14.8 hours per week (part-time)

Contract: Permanent

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:
At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Service (PARCS), part of Family Action since 2021, provides specialist trauma-informed support to people affected by sexual violence, rape and domestic abuse. Our adult service delivers inclusive, time-limited, outcome-focused counselling, alongside wider support including helplines, group work and co-production opportunities. This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful difference by supporting adult survivors in their recovery, helping them rebuild safety, resilience and control.

We are seeking an experienced and compassionate counsellor to join our adult team. You will provide trauma-informed counselling to adult survivors of sexual violence and/or domestic abuse, working within a structured, time-limited model. The role is primarily based in Portsmouth, with one day per week at our Gosport Hub, ensuring accessible provision across the local area.

Working Pattern
• 14.8 hours per week
• Based in Portsmouth with 1 day per week in Gosport
• At least one evening per week required
• Occasional weekend working to support accessibility
• Flexible working options available, subject to service needs

What we offer
• 3 hours per month paid clinical supervision, plus line management support
• A strong wellbeing offer and supportive team culture
• Ongoing training, learning and development opportunities
• Generous pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
• Flexible working opportunities (from day one, where possible)
• You will join an established, supportive and high-performing service, within an organisation that values collaboration, learning and innovation.

Main Responsibilities:
• Deliver high-quality, ethical, trauma-informed counselling to adult clients
• Manage a caseload including:
o assessments and reviews
o risk assessment and safeguarding
o maintaining accurate and confidential records
• Work within a time-limited therapeutic framework focused on outcomes
• Provide sessions face-to-face and online, as appropriate
• Contribute to clinical discussions, reflective practice and service development
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary and supportive team
• Uphold professional standards and ethical frameworks

Main Requirements (for details check the job description and person specification):
• You will be a client-centred and reflective practitioner, committed to delivering safe and effective trauma-informed care.
• Level 5 qualification (or equivalent) in counselling or psychotherapy
• Accredited with, or working towards accreditation with, a recognised professional body (e.g. BACP, UKCP)
• Experience of working with trauma, ideally sexual violence and/or domestic abuse
• Strong understanding of:
• trauma-informed approaches
• safeguarding and risk management
• professional and ethical practice
• Ability to manage complex clinical work and maintain clear boundaries
• Commitment to continuous professional development

Benefits:
- an annual paid leave entitlement that commences at 25 working days (pro-rata), and after a full year of service, rising each April by one day, subject to a maximum of 30 working days plus bank holidays.
- up to 6% matched-pension contributions
- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions
- eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers
- cycle to work scheme
- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.

To Apply:
• Click the ‘Apply’ link below and fill out our digital application form
• Closing Date: 22nd July 2026 at 11.59pm

Interviews are scheduled to take place from 08-26 virtually, with slots throughout the working day and early/late slots available.

For any queries, or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the selection process or the potential for flexible working, please email: ester.wheeler@family-action.org.uk

All appointments with Family Action are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates. We are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action because we know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and we strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role.

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse reasonable travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.