About this role
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.