About SISD The Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai (SISD) is a leading international day and boarding school where future generations are inspired to become confident and enthusiastic lifelong learners, ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges of a global world. Founded in 2015, our school currently welcomes more than 1800 students of more than 90 different nationalities on its cutting-edge campus, in the centre of Dubai. From Pre-KG to Grade 12, SISD follows the full continuum International Baccalaureate (IB) programme in three streams focusing on personalised learning and the development of 21st century skills. Students choose between the English with additional languages/STEAM stream or the bilingual English-French/German streams. We pride ourselves on being a fully accredited IB Continuum World School, offering the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), IB Careers Programme (IB CP) and IB Diploma Programme (DP). Our personalised international curriculum offers an engaging learning experience, the challenge of developing a real understanding of cultural diversity and the support of a thriving international community. Our state of the art, eco-friendly campus adjacent to Dubai creek, ensures that we can offer a wide range of sporting and after school activities tailored to the personal needs and preferences of every student. Job Title: Early Years and Primary School Counsellor
Department: Phases 1 & 2
Start Date: August 2023
Reports to: Head of Phases 1 & 2 Job Scope:
The role of the Early Years and Primary School Counsellor is to promote, deliver and support health and wellbeing throughout the school and to implement proactive programs to promoting resilience and wellbeing amongst the students and staff. Main Duties and Responsibilities This not an exhaustive list of all duties/responsibilities. The responsibilities outlined may be modified by the Head of Phases 1 & 2, upon mutual agreement, to reflect or anticipate changes in the role:

• Ensure that the school caters in a thorough and integrated fashion for the emotional and learning needs of Phase 1 & 2 students.
• Collaborate with class teachers to deliver a strong advisory counselling programme
• Ensure that the counselling programme is aligned across the linguistic strands and with the academic IB PYP curriculum.
• Ensure that the counselling programme reflects the school\xe2\x80\x99s philosophy and is culturally adapted to the local and international context.
• Coordinate counselling services and provide counselling for individual and group student support.
• Assist with students\' services in the school
• Promote a climate in which diversity and inclusion is valued
• Nurture meaningful relationships with students and provide the individual attention they need
• Promote and maintain a safe environment for students both indoors and outdoors
• Assess and monitor student progress using data- qualitative and quantitative
• Assume responsibility for the pastoral care of students, paying particular attention to personal development, child protection and wellbeing.
• Collaborate with other teachers and Head of Inclusion to develop and implements new approaches, and professional knowledge
• Communicate accurately and regularly with parents and staff
• Participate in school activities outside regular school hours to include, but not limited to, ASA\xe2\x80\x99s, Boarding House(s) support, school trips (international and local), staff meetings, parent\xe2\x80\x99s evenings, open days, INSET days, professional development training sessions, conferences and workshops, induction and if applicable examination supervision
• Maintain suitable records on support offered, identified and provided
• Review and develop operational policies/procedures for support services
• Provide support and training to staff and parents regarding mental health, stress and anxiety
• Promote all elements of play to ensure students\xe2\x80\x99 needs are catered for in all contexts
• Perform duties with codes of practice and ethics recommended by BABCP
• Provide leadership and support to individuals in cases of bereavement and loss, transition, eating disorders, self-harm, depression, erratic behaviour, abuse, anxiety, fear, and anger management
• Promote an environment of positive education, care, and support where concerns and risks can be identified and mitigated.

Expectations:
To support Early Years and Primary School students, families, and colleagues by:

• Inspiring trust and confidence.
• Ensures that Safeguarding and Child Protection procedures are followed effectively.
• Develop the child protection and safeguarding action plan alongside the pastoral team in relation to counselling and mental health and report progress made against it
• Working with secondary counselling colleagues to lead developments in the whole school counselling service
• Gathering information from all sources to best help students
• Participate in regular external CPD approved by the school
• Reporting to school bodies on recent developments and best practice
• Engage in his/her own professional development and support staff in their professional development
• Ensure that counselling and mental health maintains a high profile within school
• Publicize their services and developments in counselling through the school communication platforms
• Lead and present workshops to parents and families to develop greater understanding of counselling and mental health and provide strategies to support students and families
• Liaise and communicate with parents, guardians, carers and families effectively and respectfully
• Maintain and further develop an effective online area and set of resources
• Establish, encourage and maintain strong links with local, regional and international organisations

Confidentiality:

• The Early Years and Primary School Counsellor should follow the guidelines and codes of practice agreed with senior leadership to ensure the highest levels of confidentiality in all matters
• The Early Years and Primary School Counsellor should ensure all staff and students using the services are aware of the conditions of confidentiality

Financial Management:
Working with the Head of Phases 1 & 2\xe2\x80\x99s and Secondary Counsellor, the Early Years and Primary Counsellor will:

• Budget for and distribute resources related to counselling and mental health effectively
• Work as a team to coordinate overseas and local orders to ensure adequate resourcing for counselling and mental health
• Contribute to the short, medium, and long-term planning processes having regard to financial implications
• Ensure that counselling provides good value for money through cost-effective and efficient delivery

Teaching Responsibilities:
The Early Years and Primary School Counsellor would not usually be expected to teach a fixed timetable. Regular teaching or facilitation of student, staff and parent groups would be undertaken to meet the needs of the community with regards to wellbeing. Some counsellors also choose to lead sessions for students in areas of their expertise and we welcome all contributions that are in the best of interests of our students and young people. Key Relationships Internal: Students, Phases 1 & 2 Leadership Team, Deputy Leadership Team, Pastoral Leads, Curriculum/Subject/Grade Coordinators, Head of Depts, Teachers, LSAs, CRA\xe2\x80\x99s, Inclusion Team, Secondary Counsellor, Healthcare Team, HSE Team, Marketing & Admissions Team, Principal
External: Parents, KHDA, IB Position Requirements Education:

• Diploma in Counselling/Certificate in Counselling Children and Young People or equivalent recognized qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology
• Post graduate diploma or Masters qualification in Counselling or Psychotherapy specializing in children and young adults
• Teaching qualification
• BACP Accrediditation, UKCP or BCP registration or other professional registering body
• Relevant recent professional development that qualifies the candidate for this post

Experience:

• Experience of specialist psychotherapeutic assessment and treatment of Early Years and Primary aged students with a range of psychological needs in an international school setting
• Experience of working with children and young person\xe2\x80\x99s ages 3-11 years and their families.
• Significant experience and successful track record of supporting students in international school setting.
• Experience of working with students for whom English is an additional language
• Up to date knowledge of current Child Protection and Safeguarding best practice
• Show commitment to the inclusion of all students
• Experience of working in an international environment is preferred, however not essential.
• Experience of leading investigation and case resolution
• Experience of leading workshops and presentations for students and families
• Experience of networking
• Awareness of global diversity and third culture issues

Competencies:

• A fluent first language English speaker
• A second language (French/German/Arabic) is desirable
• A positive, flexible, \xe2\x80\x98can do\xe2\x80\x99 work ethic.
• A commitment to ensuring high standards of care and confidentiality
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information to students, families and colleagues
• Strong collaboration skills to foster partnerships with teachers, students, and parents
• A clear personal philosophy on child protection and safeguarding and how this informs practice.
• An ability to work as an autonomous counsellor with an appropriate level of clinical and managerial supervision
• An ability to stay informed of current counselling developments and disseminate such information
• A desire to be involved in the life of the school beyond the classroom and an understanding of the importance of this to student learning
• Excellent standards of personal presentation.
• Enjoyment of working in a positive, collaborative team environment with the values of honesty, integrity, and mutual support at the core.
• An enthusiasm for engaging with diverse cultures tempered only with high levels of patience and adaptability
• Inter-culturally aware with well-developed interpersonal skills.

Salary & Benefits: Competitive remuneration and benefits
Contract: Fixed Term contract Application Candidates are requested to submit ALL of the following documents: