jd-family-support-wkr-sfsc

JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE:

Family Support Practitioner

REPORTS TO:

Senior Project Worker

ORGANISATION:

Safety Net

About Safety Net Safety Net is an independent charity which was established in December 2004. Prior to that Safety Net was managed by the National Children’s Society. The aim of the project is to work together with organisations, community groups, parents and children to promote children’s safety and to prevent abuse. The principle methods of working are through community education, awareness raising and training and by working in partnership with other agencies and groups to establish child safety systems, policy and practice.

ORGANISATION CHART Safety Net Board of Trustees Project Director Training project

Schools project Families Team Manager

Parenting programme (triple p) project

Project Worker

Specialist mental health project worker

Project Worker

Project Worker

Project Worker

1. Purpose of post To provide a mix of short and time limited support to families in Brighton and Hove, with particular emphasis on interagency partnership with schools and families, and participation in project outcomes. To encourage and support parents/carers in understanding and enhancing their children’s development, education, health and well being and resilience, and to promote positive child-centred parenting, quality of life and participation in school and community life.

To encourage and support parents/carers to recognise, value, and develop their own skills, well being and resilience.

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2. Key Accountabilities: 

The post-holder will be expected to engage with children and families individually and in groups to negotiate achievable goals that build on family strengths and respect and are sensitive to the culture and make up of the family and children concerned. Ensure that agreed goals relate to the aims of the service as outlined in the work programme, use CAF (common assessment framework) process to ensure work coordinated and part of interagency plan.

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To undertake assessment, plan and deliver time-limited, evidence and outcome based interventions to vulnerable children and families whose needs cannot be met by schools or other parenting / family services, using principles of solution focused working, protective behaviours and social learning theory and evidenced based interventions. This usually involves home visiting.

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To plan and deliver and facilitate group work and evidenced based parenting programmes, bespoke workshops to parents and to identify groups of parents/carers with specific needs as agreed ensuring coordination with other agencies.

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Plan and deliver families activities events and outings as part of team and support the participation of family members alongside participation worker.

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Work in partnership with statutory non statutory and voluntary sector agencies. Attend interagency meetings, as a part of planning and reviewing work and communicating about any developing themes or issues for families, and build constructive interagency relationships

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Offer partnership working to a group of schools and have a lead responsibility for an agreed geographical area and work with autonomy.

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To assist from a neutral perspective the positive management of conflict between families, carers school and other agencies

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Keep up to date information on other agencies and resources and ensure that families have access to this.

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Offer consultancy to schools’ staff.

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Produce reports and information for monitoring and evaluation as needed on time and be present at associated meetings

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To work with child protection policies and ensure that Safeguarding procedures are followed at all times, and to seek advice if necessary from statutory agencies.

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To work with in current good practice guidance and legislation and to be part of a team developing and exchanging good practice within and beyond the organisation, participating in peer support supervision and practice forum meetings

WORKING WITHIN SAFETY NET 1. To work in accordance with the principles of the Children’s Act and to adhere to the Safety Net child protection policy at all times.

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2.

A commitment to attend training on solutions focussed and Protective Behaviours approaches and other relevant training as required.

3. To initiate and maintain accurate information in partnership with the family.

4. To contribute to the overall aims, objectives and smooth running of the Family Link project, including monitoring and evaluation, domestic tasks, attending staff meetings and training events as required.

5. To embrace Safety Net’s Equalities Policy and adhere to Safety Net’s Health & Safety policy.

6. To undertake such duties appropriate to the grade and character of the post as may reasonably be required.

WORKING CONDITIONS You will be expected to work a 37-hour week or agreed part-time hours. The work base will be at Emmaus in Portslade. Some after school hours may be required. The post holder will be expected to work with a degree of independence and autonomy The post holder will need to be prepared to travel across Brighton and Hove area including the Deans area.

The list of duties in the job description should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. There will be other duties and requirements associated with your job and as a term of your employment you may be required to undertake.

Your duties will be as set out in the above job description but please note that Safety Net reserves the right to update your job description, from time to time, to reflect changes in, or to, your job.

You will be consulted about any proposed changes

Person Specification Essential Criteria

Desirable Criteria

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A good understanding of child development

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Excellent interpersonal skills

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An in depth understanding of the problems and challenges facing children and families and an ability to form relationships with families in difficulty and or conflict and to facilitate acceptable goals for change with all appropriate family members.

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Knowledge and experience of key evidenced based perspectives, strength based approaches and repertoire of change methodologies such as solution based work, CBT. X

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Experience and training in parenting programmes such as Triple P, FAST, Family Seal Excellent facilitation skills and ability to deliver training, workshops, groups and courses for parents and families.

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Experience of working with or in schools and a good understanding of how schools operate.

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Ability to work competently and confidently in schools with autonomy and negotiate constructive relationships with a set of schools.

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Ability and commitment to working effectively and collaboratively as part of a multi-agency team, knowledge of Common Assessment Framework and ability to take lead role and to operate confidently in interagency meetings

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Knowledge of statutory, non-statutory support services, x

Local Knowledge of community and voluntary sector agencies.

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Ability to manage a case load and keep accurate notes / records

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Sound knowledge of core statutory policies and procedures such as safeguarding and experience of working within these.

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Ability to produce clear, concise written reports to assist case work, evaluations and monitoring and to present as needed

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Computer literate & the willingness to adopt IT systems to facilitate working practices

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Good understanding of the principles of equal opportunities and how they would impact on this field of work.

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Very good standards of personal organization including reliability, time and workload management very clear appropriate communication.

Experience of home visiting

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Commitment to continued professional development and ability to utilize research, training and relevant literature to improve professional development.

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Ability to reflect on use of self in interaction with service users, other agencies and colleagues to enhance skills, including use of supervision

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Able to balance the authority aspects of the role with being able to engage constructively with parents and children who may be suspicious or distressed Committed to equalities practice, working with diversity, and anti discriminatory practice

x Committed to the promotion of the rights, and responsibilities, of children and parents and enhancing the participation of children and parents x

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Ability and willingness to travel throughout East Brighton. This will require a driving licence and access to a vehicle or access to private means of transport or the ability to demonstrate how this requirement will be met.

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