Whole School Counsellor

Whole School Counsellor

Location: Xi’an, China

Experience Level: Mid-Level

Role Overview

Byron Recruitment is seeking a thoughtful and experienced Whole School Counsellor to support the wellbeing, personal development, and emotional health of students across the school community in Xi’an, China. This role is ideal for a counselling professional who is passionate about student welfare and able to work collaboratively with students, families, teachers, and school leaders to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.

The Whole School Counsellor will play an important role in promoting positive mental health, providing individual and group support, and helping to develop a school-wide culture of wellbeing.

Responsibilities

• Provide counselling support to students across different age groups, using appropriate strategies based on developmental needs

• Offer individual and small-group sessions to support emotional, social, behavioural, and mental health needs

• Identify student wellbeing concerns and provide timely intervention, support, and follow-up

• Work closely with teachers, pastoral staff, and school leadership to support student welfare and safeguarding

• Maintain accurate, confidential, and timely counselling records in line with school policies and professional standards

• Support the development and delivery of wellbeing initiatives, prevention programmes, and mental health awareness activities across the school

• Help students build resilience, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and positive coping strategies

• Provide guidance and support to families on student wellbeing and development where appropriate

• Contribute to safeguarding procedures and act in accordance with child protection policies

• Make referrals to external specialists or services when needed and support coordination of care

• Collaborate with staff to identify trends, emerging needs, and strategies to improve student wellbeing across the school

• Participate in meetings, case discussions, and relevant school activities related to student support

• Contribute to staff training and awareness on student mental health, wellbeing, and pastoral care practices

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Counselling, Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health, or a related field

• Recognised counselling qualification or professional certification

• Mid-level experience in a counselling role, ideally within a school or educational setting

• Strong understanding of child and adolescent development, mental health, and pastoral care

• Experience supporting students with social, emotional, behavioural, or wellbeing needs

• Knowledge of safeguarding, child protection, and confidentiality best practices

• Ability to build trust with students, families, and colleagues from diverse backgrounds

• Strong listening, communication, and interpersonal skills

• Ability to manage sensitive situations with professionalism, empathy, and sound judgement

• Organised approach to case management, documentation, and follow-up

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary school environment

• Strong spoken and written English skills

Nice to Have

• Master’s degree in Counselling, Psychology, or a related discipline

• Experience in an international school or multicultural educational environment

• Familiarity with whole-school wellbeing frameworks and preventive mental health programmes

• Experience designing and delivering workshops for students, staff, or parents

• Understanding of cross-cultural counselling practices

• Additional language skills, including Mandarin, would be beneficial

What Success Looks Like

• Students feel supported, heard, and safe within the school environment

• Effective counselling interventions contribute to positive student wellbeing and engagement

• Staff and families are well supported in addressing student pastoral and emotional needs

• Wellbeing programmes are embedded across the school and contribute to a positive school culture

• Safeguarding and student support processes are handled with care, consistency, and professionalism

Working Environment

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a school community by supporting student wellbeing at every level. The successful candidate will join a collaborative environment that values inclusion, compassion, and the holistic development of every student.