Job ID: 306732

House Mother- Residential & Child Counsellor- Non Residential

Udayan

Location: Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal

Apply by: 15 Nov 2026

Relevant Sectors

Social, Gender, Education, Youth, Child

UDAYAN is a home and school on the outskirts of Kolkata, for children whose families are affected by Leprosy. These children suffer from the stigma of the disease -- they are rarely sent to school and often end up as beggars, street children, child workers or involved in crime. Girl children become victims of human trafficking.

Set on 8acres of lush, green land, this residential home and school helps transform the lives of up to 300 of these children who receive the highest quality of care, compassion and education, enabling them to lead healthy, respected, productive lives.

Udayan is fortunate to have Australian Cricket Legend, Steve Waugh as a Patron. He, and renowned French Author, the late Dominique Lapierre, have been supporters for over 3 decades. Udayan has received extensive acclaim and support internationally for its work.

Job Description: House Mother (Residential)

1. Care, Protection and Safeguarding
(i) Provide secure and safe environment for each child
(ii) Prepare, maintain and execute daily schedule of children in consultation with Home Superintendent and ensure 100% adherence to the rules and regulations.
(iii) Ensure children are protected from all kinds of abuses (Physical, Sexual, Emotional and Neglect) and report to immediate supervisor if any such abuses observed.
(iv) Accompany children while travelling to school and other activities outside of the Home.
2. Health and Hygiene
(i) Ensure all children get adequate Personal Hygiene materials (Detergent, Bathing Soap, Hair Oil, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, haircut) and monitor the usage and maintain the records.
(ii) Ensure all children maintain Hygiene practices on daily basis
(iii) Report and ensure children get adequate health Care/ treatment if the child fall sick /injured.
(iv) Accompany children to the dining hall and ensure all children get nutritional food prepared in the campus as per the scheduled time.
3. Educational and Extra-curricular Support
(i) Ensure 100% children attend School, monitor their School attendance and Academic Progress.
(ii) Support children in their Homework, School Project Work and Self-study session.
(iii) Ensure all children have adequate study materials and the usage of the materials properly.
(iv) Monitor children attendance in Private tuition, Computer class, English Language Calss, Other Extra- curricular activities arranged as per the Weekly/Monthly plan.
4. Home and Udayan Premises Maintenance
(i) Support children to maintain cleanliness of the Cottage (inside and outside) including bathrooms and ensure a hygienic living environment.
(ii) Report minor Maintenance of Girls residential area (Electrical, Plumbing, other fittings etc) to the Home Superintendent and Maintenance staff.
(iii) Custodian of all furniture’s/ fixtures of the girls residential facility
(iv) Encourage children to Practice acceptable waste management system.
5. Relationship Building
(i) Act as a mentor and counsellor, providing emotional support to the Girls’ and support their personal development, self-confidence, and responsibility.
(ii) Spend Quality time with children while children are in the Udayan Premises
(iii) Develop positive relationships with all children to foster a sense of trust and security, also identify and resolve conflicts between the children
(iv) Ensure children have adequate indoor and outdoor play materials and arrange the play time as per the schedule.
(v) Report the achievements of children (Educational, Extracurricular) to the Superintendent and recognize children’s achievements.
(vi) Identify the Physical, Socio-Emotional, Psychological and behavioural deviations of children, and avail the services of Other Support staff within the organization.
(vii) Positive Communication with the Parents/ guardian of the children during their visit to Udayan
6. Any other duty assigned by the Supervisor related to the Boarders and as per Organisational need.

Required Skills and Qualifications:
• A minimum of Graduation, with a preference for those with further education in childcare or social work.
• Fluency in “Bengali” Language (Writing and Reading) and Semi- fluency in Hindi desirable
• Previous experience in childcare, social work, or education is desirable.

Job Description – Child Counsellor- Non Residential
Key Responsibilities:
1. Counselling and Emotional Support
a. Identify children at risk and address their specific psychological and emotional needs through tailored interventions, guidance on stress management, and coping strategies.
b. Build and maintain trusting, confidential, and supportive relationships with children to ensure their emotional well-being and safety.
c. Provide individual and group counselling sessions for children experiencing academic stress, personal issues, trauma, mental health concerns, or socio-emotional challenges.
2. Resilience Building
a. Design, develop and implement structured resilience-building programs to strengthen children’s ability to cope with emotional, social, and academic challenges
b. Facilitate activities that promote positive self-image, self-esteem, and problem-solving skills especially the children in class VIII to XII.
c. Arrange sessions that promote healthy relationships, peer support networks, and effective communication skills.
d. Monitor and evaluate the impact of resilience-building activities, adjusting approaches to meet individual and group needs.
3. Child Development Planning (CDP)
a. Prepare and maintain Child Development Plans for all children, reviewing and updating them at regular intervals in collaboration with the Home Superintendents
b. Develop action plans for each individual child based on CDP, and coordinate with concerned Home Superintends for follow-up, implementation and monitor progress.
4. Academic Stress Management
a. Work in coordination with the Education Coordinator and school staff to identify children experiencing academic stress and provide emotional coping mechanisms
b. Help children to balance academic expectations with personal well-being
c. Support children in managing exam anxiety, School performance-workload-related emotional strain (especially the children appearing board examinations)
5. Career Guidance and Employability skill Development (class VIII -XII)
• Facilitate structured sessions for soft skills development such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management.
• Provide career counselling and vocational guidance based on children’s skills, aptitudes, and interests.
• Facilitate psychometric assessments (e.g., Multiple Intelligence, personality, and aptitude tests) to support career planning.
6. Crisis Intervention
• Respond promptly to situations involving trauma, abuse, mental health crises, or other urgent concerns.
• Develop safety plans and connect children with external support services, including mental health professionals and protective services, when required.
7. Capacity Building, Awareness, Reporting and Documentation
• Design and conduct Positive Youth Development (PYD) workshops on life skills, mental health, bullying prevention, substance abuse, self-esteem, and related topics.
• Provide training and guidance to Udayan staff, particularly House Brothers and House Mothers, on recognising and responding to children’s social, emotional, and mental health needs.
• Maintain accurate, confidential records of counselling sessions, assessments, and progress, and ensure timely reporting to the Assistant Director.
• Ensure all activities comply with organisational policies, safeguarding protocols, ethical guidelines, and confidentiality standards.
• Carry out any additional responsibilities or assignments as directed by the organisation’s leadership during team meetings or as operational needs arise.

Desired Candidature- Criteria and Qualifications:
• Education: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in psychology or related field. A counselling certification or licensure is a plus.
• Experience: Minimum of 2-5 years of experience in counselling, particularly with children and adolescents from underprivileged backgrounds. Experience working in the NGO sector is desirable.

Job Email ID:

asstdirectorudayan(at)gmail.com