Post:Parent & Family Support Advisor

FURNESSSCHOOL

JOB DESCRIPTION

Grade:KS8

Job Summary:To secure the active engagement of parents/carers in theirchild’s learning, well being and development, through establishing and promoting apositive and effective working partnership between parents with the school, and otheragencies, with the shared goal of improving outcomes for all our pupils.

Furness is a specialist school for young people with emotional & social development needs so good interpersonal skills will play an important role in this exciting position

Responsible to:Deputy Headteacher

FurnessSchool is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment

Principle Responsibilities:

Parent & Family Support Advisor

Main responsibilities

Pupils’ learning, progress and well being
Establish a revised home school contract and enable parents’ commitment tosupporting their child’s learning, development and wellbeing.
To ensure actions from person centred reviews are implemented.
To have a key role in planning effective parents’ evenings.
Demonstrate a commitment to the safeguarding of pupils and apply policy inpractice.

Developing Parents’ Skills:

Lead and facilitate opportunities for parents/carers, to empower them to developpositive parenting skills and other skills and strategies that will enable them tosupport the learning, development and well being of their child. This will includeworking in homes as well as school.

Partnerships:

To work pro actively with other service providers and schools to secure

opportunities to benefit our young people.

To be a key player in the Pastoral Team on site.

Advice guidance and support:

Establish and maintain an information bank for parents regarding services,resources, clubs and funding, enabling parents to access these.
To enable parents to meet together and support each other, being responsive to

their needs in planning training, information sharing and other sessions as appropriate.

Knowledge and skills:

A demonstrable understanding of the needs and opportunities of young peoplewith profound and complex needs and a range of SEN and how this may impact onfamilies and in school.
To support pupils in the school environment as required in order to buildrelationships and understanding of needs and of successful strategies with individualpupils.
A demonstrable understanding of factors which impact on emotional well beingand the need to ensure that pupils’ holistic needs are met.
Knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities and their impact on daily practice.
Be prepared to undertake First Aid Training and be a First Aider.

School self evaluation processes:

To formulate and review the impact of an annual action plan, in consideration ofrelevant national, local, school and parental priorities/initiatives and to reporttermly to the governing body.
To be responsible for engaging parents in consultation processes and analysingrelated data.

Communication:

Promote the school and activities in relation to the role in the local press and withinthe local community as a whole.
Provide regular information for the school website.
To provide a range of reports for various purposes as required.
To forge close partnerships between home and school and facilitate thedevelopment of respectful relationships between all.

Problem solving and creativity:

Ability to make holistic assessments and work with children, young people andtheir families to devise action plans linked to assessed needs.
Ability to work with competing deadlines and changing demands.
Ability to think and deliver services in a creative and non‐stigmatising way.
Ability to understand and interpret legislation to meet service requirements.
Ability to work with other services and professionals to deliver coherent andeffective services to children and their families.

Ability to work independently taking responsibility for decisions within agreed goodpractice boundaries (including information sharing).

Contacts and Relationships:

To meet and communicate both verbally and in writing with a number of serviceusers and voluntary and statutory services.
Frequent contact with statutory services, voluntary agencies and service users aspart of undertaking or contributing to assessments.
Frequent contact with statutory services, voluntary agencies and service users aspart of undertaking and contributing to devising and implementing action plans.
To build relationships and work with a variety of professionals to ensure that theirservice delivery is part of co‐ordinated and cohesive services to children, youngpeople and their families.
To retain a professional relationship at all times when working with our families,building positive working relationships with parents/carers, young people and schoolstaff.
To attend and be prepared to lead multi agency meetings where they may need tocontribute verbally or produce written reports.

Physical Effort and Working Conditions:

Constant use of VDU within H&S guidelines.The postholder is likely to be required to transport service users.
The postholder will undertake home visits.
The post holder may be exposed to unpredictable behaviour and unpleasantenvironments.

There is a risk of acquired infection, verbal or physical abuse.

The post holder needs to make risk assessments: planned and dynamic aroundInteractions with parents and the environment in which they take place.
The postholder may work alone outside office hours and therefore must adhere toCounty Council health and safety working procedures, i.e. lone working.
Assist pupils as required with personal care and medical needs, undertaking allrelevant training as required.
Substantial physical effort is required on a regular basis, to give pupils access tolearning and social activities, in providing assistance to pupils with significantphysical disability, and in some cases to those who challenge behaviourally.
There are regular physical risks associated with intervention in incidents ofchallenging behaviour, including aggression, which are encountered with pupils whohave psychological needs and/or physical disabilities.

The duties may be varied to meet the changing needs and demands of the School at the discretion of the Principal in consultation with you. This job description does not form part of the contract of employment. It denotes the way the post holder is expected and required to perform and complete particular duties.

FURNESSSCHOOL

PA AND HR ADVISOR

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Post:Parent & Family Support Advisor

Grade:KS8

Job Summary:To secure the active engagement of parents/carers in their child’s learning, well being and development, through establishing and promoting a positive and effective working partnership between parents with the school, and other agencies, with the shared goal of improving outcomes for all our pupils.

Furness is a specialist school for young people with emotional & social development needs so good interpersonal skills will play an important role in this exciting position

Responsible to:Deputy Headteacher

FurnessSchool is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment

Key Competencies

Develops and sustains professional working relationships with children and young people and their parents, schools, health and local authority staff based on mutual trust and respect for individual rights and cultural needs and the promotion of equality and diversity
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to work to tight deadlines and prioritise workload
Ability to work on own initiative within the remit of the action plan
Ability to act as a facilitator within meetings with key stakeholders
Ability to think originally and creatively and to translate ideas into practice and policies into action
Ability to identify, plan for and manage risks to ensure successful completion of projects
Competent in using ICT software applications including Word and Outlook

Professional attributes

Reflective and creative.
A positive team member who is reliable and consistent.
Emotional resilience and the abilities to remain calm under pressure.
Empathic towards the pupils and their families and the challenges they face.
Committed to professional development.
High expectations of yourself and also your colleagues.
Passionate about empowering parents/carers to overcome barriers to the learning,inclusion and well being of their child to enable them to flourish and experiencesuccess.

Demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Ability to work flexible hours and outside normal office hours.
Commitment to work in partnership with schools and other service providers.

Work Experience

Essential

Work or personal experience of children or adults with learning difficulties/challenging behaviour
Working with the broad range of services for children, young people and families in health, education and social care
Working in an educational and/or social care setting

Desirable

Experience of delivering training programmes
Experience of working in a multi agency and multi disciplinary environment

Qualifications

Essential

GCSE at grade C or above in Maths and English
Evidence of continued professional development to update skills and knowledge

Desirable

Educated to A-Level standard
NVQ Level 3 in Learning and Development and Support Services for children and young people who care for them (or other relevant area)

Knowledge / Skills

Essential

Understanding of factors which impact on emotional well being and an ability to understand our pupils’ holistic needs
Understanding of the need of young people with profound and complex needs and a range of SEN
Knowledge and understanding of other services provided in the statutory and voluntary sectors and that materially affect children and young people’s outcomes
Ability to complete grant applications in line with the role.
Ability to manage a budget in line with good practice
Understanding and application of confidentiality and data protection requirements
Be prepared to undertake all training relevant to the post, including Personal Care, First Aider and Positive Behaviour Management
Ability to work independently
Ability to prioritise and manage time and workload effectively
Understanding and application of confidentiality and data protection requirements
Be prepared to undertake all training relevant to the post, including Personal Care, First Aider and Positive Behaviour Management
Ability to work independently
Ability to prioritise and manage time and workload effectively
Ability to communicate clearly, concisely and logically both verbally and in writing
Ability to form effective working relationships across agencies and professional boundaries

Desirable

An understanding of the Common Assessment Framework and the role of Lead Professional
Knowledge and understanding of School systems
Ability to present complex information
Evidence of training relevant to our pupil population

Personal Attributes

Essential

Ability to lead meetings and deliver training effectively
Commitment to work in partnership with school and other service providers
Demonstrates a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

Desirable

Ability to drive the school minibus or a willingness to undergo relevant training.

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(JD Parent & Family Support Advisor. doc)