POST TITLE:Senior Family Support Worker

CAVS

JOB DESCRIPTION

CAVS is an organisation committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and has an expectation that all staff, Trustees and volunteers share this commitment.

POST GRADE:NJC Scale 30-33

POST SALARY:£26,771

HOURS OF WORK: 37hours per week to include evening and weekend work as and

when required by the service

POST LOCATION:Castle Point, Essex

REPORTS TO:Head of Operations

PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE:To support children, young people and their families

To ensure that the most vulnerable children, young people and families have access to support that

enables them to lead safe, happy, healthy lives like the majority of their peers across Essex.

Supporting parents and their children to:

Be stable, resilient, safe families
Emotionally healthy
Physically healthy
Involved and connected
Have Positive futures

Children, young people and families are well looked after and safe with their basic needs being met within resilient families.
Children, young people and families are emotionally healthy and make good decisions.
Children, young people and families are engaged in positive activities and are physically healthy.
Children, young people and families positively support each other within their communities.
Children, young people and familiesare supported in having a good education. Training and work opportunities.

Community

Achievement

Voice

Support

Growing together with children, families and the

Community of Castle Point to improve opportunity

The Senior Family Support Workerwill lead and oversee the Family Support Workers, Volunteers and the management of tailored support to families with children aged pre-birth - 19to meet identified needs.The post holder will engage and develop local partnership working to promote this service to meet the schemes stated objectives and outcomes and work with partners to assess need and to provide appropriate interventions for children, young people and families.

The postholder will adopt a person centred approach to work with children, young people and families strengths. This approach supports a style of working with people that informs our whole culture always putting the client at the centre of the care they receive and provides a framework for them to plan and set a direction for their life.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST:

To take the lead for coordinating,managing and developing the team and provision of service support in line with contractual requirements.

To proactively engage with local families,children,the community, agencies and other professionals ensuring that the service provision is promoted, objectives planned and developed and outcomes achieved that improves the lives of children.

To manage the scheme and team members to ensure compliance with legal requirements and associated reporting.

To be acentral point of contact for partners in relation to this scheme

To manage, supervise and appraise staff and volunteers.

Manage the preparation and maintenance of reports necessary to carry out functions of the department. Prepare periodic reports for management as necessary or requested to track strategic goal accomplishment.

Are committed to providing high quality services to the communities that CAVS serves.

Plan, evaluate and improve the efficiency of the business process and procedures to enhance speed, quality, efficiency and output.

Empower employees to take responsibility for their jobs and goals. Delegate responsibility and expect accountability and regular feedback.

Inspire and motivate your team to achieve companyobjectives.

Have the ability to think innovatively, at an accelerated pace if required, a solutions focused person who can adapt to change.

Other responsibilities will include:

To oversee and manage referrals to the service and allocate to the Family Support Workers.

To assess the needs, abilities and requirements of families and identify the most appropriate volunteer to support them.

To raise the profile of the Family Mentoring Scheme through marketing and publicising activity to all sectors of the community.

To give presentations to various size groups.

To ensure that the Family Support workers visits are appropriately organised, arrangements communicated and that the relevant risk assessments have been completed.

To work effectively and collaboratively with the relevant statutory and voluntary agencies.

To monitor the scheme, including satisfaction of volunteers and families and contribute to the monitoring reports and evaluations.

Development of and budget management.

Give practical, personal and emotional support to enable children and their families to meet assessed needs to maintain and promote their health, physical, mental and social development and wellbeing. This will be done either with individual families or within a group work environment within a variety of settings.

Manage a caseload and at all times adhering to case management guidelines.

Deliver evidenced based parenting course.

Maintain clear and confidential records in line with organisational guidelines and policy, producing reports as required.

Ensure that parents and carers are encouraged to become involved in their children’s learning, development and wellbeing through tailored interventions.

Liaise and develop links with other professionals, e.g. Community Nurses, Child Psychologists, Health Visitors, Early Years workers, parents/carers, etc. to ensure assessed needs are met within the agreed plans for the child and their carers.

Complete and contribute to or SharedFamily Assessment andbe involved in ongoing monitoring and review. Act as or liaise with, the Lead Professional as appropriate. Where necessary lead or be part of a Team around the Family.

To deliver services at different outreach sites or in family homes.

Have a commitment to ongoing training and development.

Maintain an awareness of relevant information and resources that may assist children and their carers.

Ensure that children, young people and vulnerable adults are safe at all times and have a thorough understanding of the CAVS ‘Safeguarding Children’ and Safeguarding Adults’ Policies. Advise the Designated Person of any concerns regarding safeguarding issues preserving confidentiality as necessary.

Recognise the diversity within our community and ensure that all activities are inclusive. Treat all service users with respect.

Adhere to information sharing guidelines and protect the privacy of service users.

Undertake any other reasonable duties as directed by the Head of Schemes.

Participate in regular supervision with the Line manager and take responsibility for continuing self-development.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Essential / Desirable
Skills / Managing a team
Leading project development from inception.
Project management and oversight of reporting.
Case management experience
Excellent administrative and IT skills.
Ability to organise workload.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Experience of working with families, identifying needs and supporting them to achieve positive outcomes
An understanding of Health & Safety and the ability to undertake risk assessments
Experience in planning interventions for children, young people and their
parents/carers.
The ability to work under pressure and handle multiple priorities.
A flexible and Innovative approach to work.
Ability to organise own work load.
Ability to provide written and oral communication to a high standard.
Confidence in presentation skills to groups of various sizes. / Experience of Shared family Assessment completion and integrated working processes
Abilities / Ability to maintain clear boundaries with clients and colleagues.
Ability to work using own initiative and as part of a team
Ability to communicate and inform at all levels e.g with children, parents, colleagues, senior managers, and other professionals etc
Ability to travel outside of Castlepoint to attend meetings and or training as required.
Qualifications / NVQ level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development or Youth qualification that is equivalent.
NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in children, young people or families’ studies.
Effective team leadership skills with a proven track record of management. / NVQ 4.
First Aid Certificate.
Sign Language – Makaton or BSL.
Training in delivery of parenting courses.
Training in delivering Early language Development programmes.
Training on Domestic Abuse.
Safeguarding Level 2 for Adults and Children.
5 GCSEs A-C.
Management qualification.
Relevant degree level qualification.
Knowledge / An awareness of issues that can impact on children and families – e.g., poverty, disability and bereavement etc, and have the ability to support access to services, signposting where appropriate.
Knowledge and understanding of the Essex Children and Young People’s plan 2016 onwards.
Knowledge and understanding of child development
Understanding of inclusive practice
Knowledge of services available to adults, children and families within the community.
Understanding of safeguarding children.
Knowledge of services that CAVS provides.

CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIC TO THE POST:

The post will involve travel around the Castle Point Borough therefore the post holder must hold a current driving license and have access to a car for business.
Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends if required.
Must be contactable by telephone.

VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS

Passionate – about achieving results

Constantly strives to do an excellent job.
Is professional and positive.
Takes responsibility for monitoring and achieving own targets.
Takes specific action to improve team or individual performance.
Agrees standards and intervenes promptly and constructively to tackle inappropriate behaviour or poor performance.
Learns from mistakes.
Good Timekeeping.
To work with colleagues and partners to achieve: Key Performance Indicators; at least a `good` Ofsted grade with aspiration towards outstanding.

Responsive – to customers’ needs

Listens and responds to stakeholders in ways that show courtesy, respect and understanding of their individual needs.
Maintains clear communication with clients concerning expectations and progress.
Takes responsibility for resolving customer queries and responding to requests, within service standards / timeframes.
Receives and acts on customer feedback positively.
Monitors customer satisfaction, actively seeking feedback.
Uses feedback and information to improve the way things are done.
Takes personal responsibility for correcting problems and resolving mistakes positively.

Inspirational – and bold in thinking and solutions

Is receptive to change, being open to new ways of working.
Acts promptly and decisively to overcome obstacles and provide solutions.
Sees opportunities to progress the work and avoid problems in the short term.
Applies good practice to meet service needs.
Anticipates and takes action in order to create and seize opportunities, or avoid crises in the medium term.
Takes an overview of complex situations to generate new perspectives – ‘thinks outside the box’.
Seeks out good practice within their field anduses itto challenge and improve what we do.
Reacts positively to problems / issues, developing solutions.

Supportive – of others’ input and perspective, working as one

Treats colleagues with respect and values them as individuals.
Maintains positive relationships with colleagues.
Supports colleagues and is flexible towards others’ needs.
Practices open and honest two-way communication, listening to others and actively sharing information.
Contributes to team dialogue / meetings in order to develop own and team’s performance.
Shares resources or provides support to further cross-team and / or cross-functional working.
Values and seeks out the input of others, to establish an inclusive environment and deliver services.
Brings people together to share insights and concerns on common goals and to make informed decisions.

Motivating

Encourages others, acknowledges their efforts.
Shares skills and knowledge in areas of own expertise, to support others.
Makes sure those they are working with have all the necessary information to do the job.
Takes action to enable the team to achieve maximum contribution, ensuring / providing appropriate structures, resources and staffing.
Communicates vision, direction, and outcomes clearly, motivating others to achieve.
Shows belief and confidence in staff, delegating appropriately and encouraging staff.
Provides regular, balanced feedback and ongoing coaching to the team and individuals.
Acknowledges and rewards good work, celebrating team and individual successes.

HOURS OF WORK

This role will require the post holder to be flexible between 8am – 8pm and willrequire evening and weekend workthat may be required to meet the needs of families.

ANNUAL LEAVE

Holiday entitlement is 25 days per annum pro rata. Holiday entitlement increases by one day per year after five years’ service to a maximum of 30 days. Annual leave year runs from 1 April – 31 March.

TRAVEL

Travel throughout the locality will be required for which mileage or public transport expenditure will be reimbursed. Car mileage is paid at the NJC recommended rate is paid.

Castlepoint Association of Voluntary Services.

CAVS is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment in which all individuals are treated fairly and are valued and respected irrespective of, amongst other categories, disability, physical ability, sex, race, gender, age, health, sexual orientation, religion, learning ability, membership or non-membership of a trade union.