Care First Recruitment Ltd. are currently recruiting for 1x experienced Family Support Practitioner, and 1x Family Solutions Practitioners. These two separate vacancies are based in London (two London Local Authorities, in Central/West & South London)
Role Purpose:
Family Support exists to support local families to give their children the best start in life.
Family Support is a collaborative and community-focused service providing proactive, integrated and innovative preventative support to families most in need. The Family Support Service will aim to have a positive long-term impact on families’ futures, reducing demand for statutory care services, and operating as a financially sustainable organisation.
Part of Children's Services, Family Support (Early Help) supports children, young people and families in the borough by providing a range of targeted services and family support work to help them overcome difficulties, so they are able to thrive, live and engage happily in their communities.
We are looking for an experienced Family Support Practitioner with extensive early help experience who understands the challenges that impact children and their families. The successful candidate will be responsible for completing assessments, direct work, leading team around the family meetings, understanding the complexities of MH, drug and alcohol use, domestic abuse, extra familial harm and harmful practices impacts on our children and families.
The successful candidate will require an ability to demonstrate an aspiration to promote the best outcomes for children. The successful candidate will also have access to training throughout as part of their personal development, and shadowing opportunities during the induction period.
** The Family Solutions Service works with the whole family utilising strengths based and solution focused methodology to support them in developing and implementing sustainable, long term desired change. Intervention is intensive and time limited and as a consequence, caseloads are comparatively small and offer the opportunity for direct and frequent engagement at the heart of families.
** The Edge of Care Family Solutions Practitioner will work as the lead professional, working closely with families and partners to ensure family members’ needs are met using the whole family and strengths-based practice.
** To assess the needs and risks for children and identify actions appropriate to meet need and address risk in collaboration with referring social workers.
** They will work alongside allocated Social Workers.
Role duties:
Leadership within the team: The post holder will be expected to model the values, behaviours, and practices of the organisation and act as an example to colleagues.
Contribution to a practice: Alongside practice development they will be expected to share their knowledge and experience with all colleagues across the organisation, as part of their day-to-day work.
Front-line service delivery: Supporting a number of families allocated to themselves by using their knowledge and skills to in a wide variety of circumstances, acting as their first point of contact on behalf of Family Support.
Support can take place in the family home, in the children’s centres and in the local community, and at any time during the week, according to the needs of the family.
The support can include, but is not restricted to, families who:
** Have no family network or have newly moved into the area, including families who have no recourse to public funds
** Find themselves in unexpected circumstances such as bereavement, family illness or family separation
** Face family crises, such as food poverty, financial or housing problems
** Supporting families where mental health is a contributing factor to the challenges, they are experiencing
** Have a child or parent with a disability or special educational need
** Have a domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse issue and/or other significant / serious issues affecting children’s lives
** Need support or guidance in parenting, dealing with children’s challenging behaviour or coping with family life
** Have a need to be supported around young carers – including completing young carers assessments
** Are experiencing difficulties with education which may include attendance at school, risk of exclusion, communication difficulties
Work with practitioners from other agencies (such as, CAMHS, school nursing team, health, police, and schools) and voluntary groups to provide integrated preventative health and social care services with other organisations so that vulnerable families receive consistent, coordinated support that is centred around their needs.
To complete 1:1 support plan (and/or other agreed Outcomes) to establish a baseline, agree outcomes with family, and review and track progress against agreed outcomes regularly.
To ensure that the voices of children, young people and parents / guardians are sought, heard and represented appropriately. Make sure any child or parental feedback is logged, families tracked to ensure outcomes are sustained, and relevant evidence of impact given to the line manager.
Complete case notes and service plans for each family in a timely manner on the appropriate system in line with the Local Authorities policies and procedures around information management.
To work to the highest possible quality standards of service at all times in accordance with the Local Authorities policies and procedures. This includes but is not restricted to:
** Following good practice guidelines for working with vulnerable children and families in a safe and professional manner
** Ensuring that all support given to the mother, father or carer givers, keeps the needs of the child/children at the centre of the support at all times
** Working in genuine partnership with families to empower them to make positive changes and develop strategies for improving their current situation and tackling difficulties appropriately in the future
Responsibilities:
** To manage a caseload of families with additional and multiple needs as directed by line manager
** To complete Family plans and intervention reports and ensure case notes are up to date
** To use reflective supervision in casework attending regular supervision with their line manager
** To work directly with child and young person to ensure their voice is heard and incorporated into the planning process
** To provide and co-ordinate structured support and intervention to families to help them change their behaviour. Some of these interventions may be required to be intensive
** To support practitioners to build up their knowledge and skill-set in working with young people and dealing with issues pertaining to adolescent development
** To connect up local services to strengthen the local partnership network and mobilise resources so they become available to the local families
** To attend and chair Family meetings as a way of supporting practice in this area as an ‘expert practitioner’
** To have a sound understanding of the Council’s safeguarding thresholds and ability to apply this knowledge in practice
** To undertake the full range of assessment, planning and reviewing activity in relation to children and families with additional and complex needs. This will include:
*** achieving concrete outcomes for families
*** co-ordinating work across networks, communities and agencies to support Families
*** providing evidence-based support
*** Sound decision-making with an appropriate level of independence and
Autonomy
*** Taking the initiative, to form constructive alliances and to act as a change agent
*** Modelling good practice for universal and community professionals
*** Undertaking direct work with children, young people and their families on an
individual or group basis.
** To develop and maintain a thorough knowledge of legislation and regulations and departmental procedures relating to working with children and families including the Council’s safeguarding procedures and GDPR laws
** To collect and provide managers with such information as may be required about assessments, casework and capacity building activity, utilising new technology and case management systems
** To organise and plan work activities taking into account competing demands and priorities and to keep manager appraised of any difficulties
** To recognise and act on safeguarding concerns relating to children and to adults with care and support needs, and contribute to the response to such concerns, promptly escalating cases were necessary
** To meet the organisation’s requirements in regard to record keeping, including that required for the monitoring of performance and quality
** To prepare and present reports and assessments for meetings with families and partners including at reviews and panels
** To keep your skills and knowledge of systemic practice up-to-date, in order to be able to meet the requirements of your role and to maintain requirements of professional registration where applicable. This will include keeping up-to-date with relevant best practice, regulations and guidance, and acting in line with it, particularly around systemic practice and capacity building
** To have regular contact with community partners including in schools, Children Centre’s, and GP surgeries according to local need
Professional Accountabilities
** To complete bespoke Solution Focused Brief Therapy training within the first year of this role
** To act as a source of expert advice and consultation for staff within Children & Families, on professional issues relating to edge of care work and assessments of risk to the child or young person affected
** Contribute to the implementation and review of child plans (CIN, CP, care and pathway plans etc)
** To attend regular group supervision and collaborate with the proposed interventions for families
Special Conditions
** Employment is subject to an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) criminal record disclosure satisfactory by the Council, to be undertaken on a three yearly basis. You must inform your manager if you are arrested for or charged with any criminal offence
** Due to the nature of the work with vulnerable children and families some work beyond normal office hours is required from time to time
** The post is exempt from Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974, as the duties give you access to persons who are under the age of 18. Applicants are not entitled to withhold information about convictions, which would be regarded as spent for other purposes.
Knowledge and Skills:
** Must have experience in a relevant area such as Health, Children’s social care and Education
** Will have a personal approach and values that are conducive to working with vulnerable families
** Ambitious for themselves and the organisation
** Innovative in delivery
** Experience of building relationships with a variety of people at all levels and creating networking opportunities
** Experience of writing and producing reports
** Excellent communication skills, both written and interpersonal
** The candidate must have the ability to remain calm under pressure, work without supervision to tight deadlines and to prioritise workloads to meet conflicting deadlines
** Excellent time management and organisational skills
** Excellent computing skills, including full MS Office package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Hours: 36 hrs per week
Ability to Commute: London (required)
Work Location: In person
Candidates are required to have similar experience in previous roles, and practical experience working with children, young people and their families.
Candidates will compulsorily need to pass a background check by the Disclosure and Barring Service (Enhanced DBS certificate)
Pay: From £21.50 to £24.50 per hour (rates vary depending on client)