Family Development Worker

Job Title: Family Development worker

Salary: £12.50 per hour

Location: Bensham, Lobley Hills and Teams ward in Gateshead

DBS/Safeguarding Checks: Enhanced DBS

About St Chads Community Project: Our purpose is to help local individuals and families discover their potential to live their best lives in great communities. Established in 1990 to tackle local poverty, unemployment and high levels of inequalities. We are a primary community hub serving people in and around Bensham, engaging 4,000 people a year to bring about improvement in their lives through our childcare, family support, retail and community development teams.

Job Summary: Working within a locality of the Family hub network, this role will build meaningful relationships and trust with clients to provide practical and emotional support directly to clients. You will also be able to signpost and refer to relevant provision available within the Family Hub network to meet their needs or develop the required provision. To provide an integrated one team approach to Family Support Outreach Services to children, young people, and families across the Bensham & Lobley Hill, locality and surrounding areas. To plan, deliver and assess outcome focussed work with the aim of providing holistic needs led support including outreach, projects, programmes, activities, and services.

Hours: 37.5 hours and 18 hours per week, Monday to Friday between 8.00am – 6.00pm. Your flexibility is expected.

Contract: Fixed term contract for 1 year

Reports to: Head of children and family services

Job Purpose: Successful delivery of the family support groups.

Key responsibilities:

Holding initial, attuned and sensitive conversations with families and take a holistic approach to support clients.

Providing direct support (where appropriate) as well as signposting to relevant services by utilising the online Start for Life offer and associated materials and be able to share these directly with families.

To provide direct support and guidance to families in their homes or in other community settings in relation to the health, care and well-being of children and young people across the 0-19 age range with an emphasis upon promoting children & young people’s communication, language, physical, social and emotional development.

Offer emotional and practical support to parents, children and families.

Offer a whole family approach to families with complex needs.

Build trusting relationships with parents and children to help support their needs.

Work alongside colleagues to assess the needs of the families referred for support and participate in the reviews and evaluation of the support.

Plan creative and innovative responses to families’ needs and keep high-quality records and assist with the preparation of reports.

Support inclusive practices, focussing on preventative and early intervention measures.

Support vulnerable and ‘at risk’ children and families in a manner appropriate for individuals’ needs.

To represent St Chads CP core values and behaviours and to working line with St Chads CP policies and procedures.

Facilitate group family support sessions and conduct them in a positive, holistic and confidential manner.

Be knowledgeable of the range of agencies available locally; working with them directly or signposting parents towards suitable assistance.

Collaborating and sharing best practice across the network to present responses that meet need and solve problems early for individuals and communities, in a way which recognises the complexity of people’s lives.

Promoting the role of parent carer panels and identify, recruit and retain panel volunteers.

Working in partnership with other health, education, and social care professionals to promote the family’s wellbeing according to agreed outcomes.

To successfully deliver Family Support sessions and groups in a positive, holistic and confidential manner. To utilise the information gained when leading these groups to recognise, plan and deliver future sessions that will benefit the community.

Person specification

Qualification and Training

• Qualified or working towards NVQ Level 3 or above in social work, health, education or equivalent experience and evidence of a commitment to continuing learning and professional development.
• Relevant DBS check.
• A current full driving licence or access to mobility support

Experience and abilities

Community engagement and development leading to improved outcomes.

Experience of working with vulnerable children and families.

Experience of planning and running support groups and delivering supportive training.

Experience of implementing support measures and monitoring their effectiveness.

Able to reflect on their own practices and undertake training to continue professional development.

Knowledge of relevant guidance and legislation relating to child protection and safeguarding.

Knowledge of the various challenges that families and children may face.

Able to demonstrate the ability to monitor and evaluate services and progress.

Strong record keeping skills, with an understanding of the importance of keeping accurate and appropriate records in line with General Data Protection regulations of the Data Protection Act 2018.

A genuine commitment to anti-oppressive practice.

To comply with St Chads CP Diversity & Equality Policy in every aspect of the work and positively promote the principles of these policies amongst colleagues, service users and other members of the community.

To work flexibly as may be required by the needs of the service and carry out any other reasonable duties as required.

Other Duties

The post holder may be required to perform duties other than those given in the job description for the post. The particular duties and responsibilities attached to posts may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and would not of themselves justify the re-evaluation of a post. In cases, however, where a permanent and substantial change in the duties and responsibilities of a post occurs consistent with a higher level of responsibility, then the post would be eligible for re-evaluation.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: £12.50 per hour

Expected hours: 37.50 per week

Benefits:

• Free parking
• Sick pay
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• No weekends

Experience:

• social work: 1 year (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• HCPC (preferred)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 07/05/2024
Expected start date: 20/05/2024