Developing Health and Independence

JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: / Family Advocate
NJC Scale Point: / Pt 22 (£19,817)

Hours:

/ 37.5 per weekand such additional hours as are required by the business from time to time.
Annual Leave: / 26 days (pro rata) plus statutory and bank holidays (1 Additional day after each year of service, up to a maximum of 31days
Location: / Mendip
Pension: / Pension scheme (employer’s contribution 7% to a minimum 3% contribution from employee).
Accountable to: / Family Focus Team Leader
Principle Purpose of the Job

Works directly with complex families, intensively supporting them in order to help them achieve the Family Focus Project outcomes of:

a) Increased school attendance,

b) Reduction in youth offending and anti social behaviour

c) Reduction in the number of families on out-of-work benefits.

The postholder is responsible for planning, developing, co-ordinating and delivering a range of interventions to meet the needs of whole families. The advocate will support the family to develop and implement a ‘whole family action plan’ using a combination of practical help, support, education and psychological interventions always ensuring family members are empowered to take a lead role. They will work closely with a range of public and voluntary sector organisations ensuring that services are delivered to families in a more joined up manner and that inefficiencies are reduced. The postholder will work creatively to ensure sustained change occurs within these families.

Key duties and responsibilities

  1. Co-ordinate and manage a caseload of families that have been identified by the Family Focus Programme meeting the Government’s Troubled Families Programme criteria.
  1. Carry out Family Journey Mapping in conjunction with the whole family, identifying gaps and opportunities for streamlining and improving co-ordination and interventions from agencies involved.
  1. Develop and regularly review Whole Family Action Plans for each family, working with families to ensure responsibility and accountability for actions agreed and with the local Family Support Group to ensure that all partners collectively support the plan.
  1. Deliver family support interventions that support the agreed family outcomes. This will involve working directly with children and families and will require a flexible and ‘hands-on’ approach that will include working outside of ‘normal’ office hours.
  1. Develop skills and capacity within the familiesusing evidence based techniques such as motivational interviewing and goal setting, etc to support and sustain change.
  1. Ensure that families have a real opportunity to be listened to and can engage with the project in a sustainable way.
  1. Ensure effective cooperation with partner agencies and local communities in order to maximise the opportunities and resources available to families engaged in the project.
  1. Ensure information relating to families is treated with respect and remains strictly confidential within the boundaries of the programme and is only shared in accordance with agreed data sharing protocols.
  1. Ensure that a high priority is given to the management of health and safety and that legal responsibilities are met by carrying out necessary risk assessments.
  1. Identify common issues facing troubled families and issues of public sector duplication or inefficiency and highlight these to the Family Focus Team Leader, FSG and Programme Manager.
  1. Responsible for attending regular Family Focus Practitioner Group Meetings to share good practice and lessons learnt.
  1. Promote and communicate the project and its aspirations to staff in a wide range of local organisations.
  1. Work closely with theFSG and local agency to support the sharing of information and encourage the formation of strong working relationships.
  1. Establish links and networks within the community to identify additional community support for the families engaged within the project and fully utilise all community resources.
  1. Contribute to the recruitment and supervision of volunteers and peer mentors involved in delivering family support to add value to advocate work and sustain changes made.
Monitoring and Administration
1.To comply with data collection procedures and reporting maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of work using the database, both computerised and hard copy case files, and other required processes in line with the Families Focus Programme.
  1. Monitor individual family outcomes including the submission of Progress Report forms and outcome information for each family to enable the project to evaluate its success
  1. Prepare and present clear verbal / written reports as required.
Organisational Responsibilities

At all times adhere to DHI policies and procedures, with specific reference to:

  • Confidentiality

Ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity.

  • Data Protection Act

To comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

  • Equal Opportunities and Diversity

To ensure that all service users, their partners, colleagues both within DHI and other partner organisations are treated as individuals by following DHIS’s Equality and Diversity Policy

  • Health and Safety

To ensure you comply at all times with the requirements of the Health and Safety regulations and DHI’s Health and Safety Policy and Procedures. You are responsible for taking reasonable care with regard to yourself as well as any colleague, client or visitor who might be affected by an act or failure to act by yourself.

  • Quality Assurance

To ensure all activities are managed in a way that supports DHI’s Quality Assurance systems.

  • Safeguarding

To adhere to the implementation of risk management procedures (including child and adult safeguarding protocols) taking personal responsibility for keeping up to date on the requirements of these procedures.

  • Lone Working

To work in accordance with the DHI Lone Working policy and procedures.

At all times adhere to contract requirements, relevant legislation, good practice.

Participate in the organisational planning processes and contribute to the establishment of DHI’s business plan.

Contribute to the periodic review of service policies and procedures.

NB.This job description contains only the main accountabilities relating to the post and does not describe in detail all the duties required to carry them out. As duties and responsibilities change, the job description will be reviewed and amended in consultation with the post holder.

Family Focus Advocate

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential criteria:

Experience of working in a service delivery area directly related to the Troubled Families agenda – Employment Support, Education, Social Work, Probation, Health, Community Safety, Youth Work, Policing, or another relevant discipline

Experience of multi agency working with families/young people with multiple and complex needs to obtain successful outcomes

Experience of assessments and developing support plans

Ability to coach family members to identify solutions to their problems, take responsibility for their implementation and achieve sustained change focussing on their strengths

Ability to undertake practical tasks within a family’s home and life if appropriate, e.g. accompanying on visits; establishing routines

Excellent organisational skills

Ability to engage and communicatewith vulnerable and socially excluded families, volunteers, professionals, other agencies and individuals (written and verbal)

Excellent level of IT literacy

Knowledge and commitment to Adult and Child Safeguarding principles and procedures

Knowledge of legislation relating to employment, education, housing and anti social behaviour

Emotional resilience and ability to demonstrate commitment and confidence

Ability to evaluate own performance and implement lessons learnt

Ability to work on own initiative as well as part of multi- disciplinary team

A commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory policy and practice

Possess a clean driving licence and have access to a motor vehicle

1