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Form of work
SalaryDescription
The starting salary for these positions is £31,262 per annum based on a 36-hour working week.
In Surrey we believe that every child should have the opportunity to reach their full potential and that children are best supported to grow and achieve within their own families. By working together, we are developing flexible services which are responsive to children's and families' needs, providing the right level of help at the right time.
We now have some fantastic opportunities to join our new Intensive Family Support Service (IFSS)!
We are proud of our commitment to families in Surrey and excited to be developing more opportunities to help and support children in local communities. We are looking for Family Intervention Workers to join our four quadrant teams based across Surrey.
Our four quadrants are:
- South West Surrey – Office base location in Guildford
- South East Surrey – Office base location in Reigate
- North West Surrey – Office base location in Woking
- North East Surrey – Office base location in Walton on Thames
Rewards and Benefits
- 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
- Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
- An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
- Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
- Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
- A generous local government salary related pension
- Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
- 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
- Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
About the Team
The Intensive Family Support Service (IFSS) provides intensive early help to whole families who have interconnecting needs.
IFFS teams work closely with social work colleagues and jointly with a broad range of local community partners including Police, Health, Education, Housing, Employment and Benefits, Leisure, Mental Health services and a wide range of local groups from the Voluntary Sector, so families can receive help that is meaningful to them, and early enough to avoid the need for statutory interventions. We want to maximise these partnership opportunities and work together with families to enable better outcomes for children, as per the national Supporting Families Outcomes Framework.
We are welcoming applications from people local to Surrey and our surrounding borders with a broad range of experience to create multi-skilled teams that can engage with diverse families. Full training will be provided, so if you are interested in this type of work and are committed to supporting families locally - we would be pleased to hear from you.
To find out more about Early Help, please refer to the National Supporting Families Outcomes Framework.
About the Role
As a Family Intervention Worker, you will work face to face within the local community to support whole families with interconnecting needs, doing what is required to support them to achieve their goals.
On a typical day you can expect to be involved in:
- Supporting whole families through a strengths-based and trauma-informed approach, using motivational interviewing skills, one-to-one meetings, visiting children in schools, families in their homes and delivering group-work
- Coordinating key Support Services and professionals to form an engaged, active and effective Team Around the Family with clearly defined roles and expectations as per the family plan
- Maintaining positive contact and effectively managing the balance of providing hands-on support and coordinating relevant partners, ensuring that families are not 'passed around' different services and that support and relationships are consistent and meaningful
The role demands a unique blend of people skills as you will need to engage effectively with diverse families and help coordinate a range of partners in a Team Around the Family. You will need to be organised, able to write accurate and timely records, and produce clear and relatable written reports for families to use to identify strengths and agree actions together.
Shortlisting Criteria
To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:
- Understanding or awareness of legislation, procedures and issues relating to the service user group or the willingness to learn and develop this area
- Ability to plan, manage and prioritise a caseload, seeking guidance where necessary
- Effective written and oral communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders
- Ability to work effectively and flexibly as part of a team, supporting your colleagues when needed.
- Full driving license and access to a vehicle to allow you to travel extensively around your geographical quadrant area and the wider County as required
The application process for this position will consist of 6 questions related to your experience and understanding of the role together with a request to upload your CV. Please note, you are not required to submit a personal statement.
Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the attached 'Frequently Asked Questions' document which will provide more information about IFSS and the job description.
Contact Us
Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.
For an informal discussion please email IFSS@surreycc.gov.uk and we will arrange at time to speak.
We are holding an information session about the new Intensive Family Support Service on Tuesday 6th February 2024 at 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM GMT. This session is aimed at anyone who wants to find out more about the service, and/or is thinking of applying to one of our advertised roles. The session will give an over-view of the service and will have time for questions at the end. Once you have booked onto the session, you will receive a meeting invite, and a joining link for the session. You can book onto the session here.
The job advert closes at 23:59 on Sunday 3rd March 2024 with in-person interviews planned for w/c 11th March 2024.
Our Values
Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.
Our Life at Surrey handbook also attached provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.
Our Commitment
Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:
- The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
- The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form
Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.
We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.
