228 Hatfield Road Tel: 01727 855134

St Albans Fax: 01727 811541

Herts., AL1 4LW Email:

Website:

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: / Deputy Director/Partnership Development Officer
SALARY: / £ (pro rata)
REPORTS TO: / Director of Vista St Albans CIC

Vista is commissioned to run the Family Support Service in the St Albans Plus Schools Partnership.

The service runs under theHertfordshire Core Offer which offers School Family Workerswho work with the whole family in the family home, at school or in a safe place in the community with a focus on giving every child the opportunity to thrive in their family, school and community by:

  1. Removing barriers to learning for children and young people;
  2. Working with parents, carers and schools to support children and young people who are at risk of not achieving.
  3. Providing support to families before their needs escalate and helping them to retain control and responsibility for their futures (preventing needs escalating to require specialist statutory intervention).

The Local School Partnerships Core Offer – Deputy PDO Main Responsibility

  • To support Director in monitoring the SFW Service.
  • To support Director in management of team.
  • To offer Supervision for SFWs. Case supervision and personal supervision.
  • Line management as determined by the Director.
  • Work with the whole family (whole family approach).
  • Working at universal, emerging needs and targeted levels of support as set out in Families First Continuum of Early Help.
  • Work with children and families in school and in their home.
  • Undertake home visits as part of their work .
  • Undertake and/or coordinate assessment of children and family’ needs using Families First Assessment tools (as set out in Families First Guidance).
  • Contribution to and attendance at TAF where appropriate.
  • Referrals can be received from schools, parents and carers and other services .
  • Will undertake the Lead Practitioner role where this is appropriate.
  • Will undertake direct intervention work with children and family where this is appropriate, including one to one support identified as part of an intervention.
  • Provide information and advice to families and schools, including signposting and referral of families and schools to relevant services in response to identified need, including where the needs of a family requires intensive intervention as set out in Families First Continuum of Early Help.
  • Can undertake step-down work with families if appropriate where a family is stepped down following successful completion of intervention at either specialist assessment level – CP/CIN or intensive multi-agency provision in line with Step Down protocol.
  • Work in partnership with schools, parents/carers and other services/agencies in undertaking their work.
  • Work with families throughout the year including during school holidays.
  • Share information appropriately (with consent) and securely with other services to facilitate timely identification of needs, and access to appropriate support by the right service/agency for children and families in line the Data Protection policy and the principles of good practice under the Data Protection Act 1998

St Albans Plus Schools Partnership – Local Offer – SFW Main Responsiblity

  • Provide appropriate intervention programmes for vulnerable children and their families when required.
  • Where appropriate providing short programmes in primary and secondary school.
  • Offer Parent Support on an individual basis as well as through group work (including home visits).
  • To record, maintain and share data as appropriate including evaluation of outcomes following planned programmes of work.
  • To attend weekly team meetings and support colleagues.

The duties and responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present. The post holder is expected to accept any reasonable alterations that may from time to time be necessary.

PERSON SPECIFICATION REQUIRED - YOU SHOULD HAVE:

  • Experience of direct work with children, young people, SEN, parents and carers, and the knowledge and understanding of how to respond to a diversity of needs and backgrounds. Experience of working with vulnerable or disadvantaged families is desirable.
  • Knowledge and experience of ECaf.
  • Knowledge of children and young people’s development, Child Protection and Safeguarding policies and procedures.
  • Knowledge of Integrated Processes, early intervention programmes and an understanding of support available to children and their families including parenting support.
  • Good communication skills and the ability to engage positively with children, young people and their families with a solution focussed approach to ‘hard to reach’ families. It is essential to be able to work in partnership with parents in a non-judgemental way.
  • The ability to work independently and pro-actively in a busy environment.
  • The ability to engage positively and negotiate with professionals from a range of services to access appropriate support for children and families.
  • Good organisational, administrative and time management skills including record keeping and computer literacy.
  • Knowledge of locally available universal and preventative services.
  • The use of a car with a clean driving license.
  • The ability to work effectively as part of a team.

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