Family Support Worker

The posting

Purpose of the Job

To work as a member of the Family First Service delivering targeted, tiered and co-ordinated interventions to families with a range of interacting needs. These will include effective parenting skills, relationship breakdown, family dynamics; emotional health and well-being, sexual health and self-esteem. Support will also be offered to children and parents to tackle issues such as poor school attendance and exclusion, risk-taking behaviour including crime, anti-social behaviour and employability.

The post-holder will contribute to assessment, planning and intervention for families as set out by the Lead Practitioner and will work in partnership with parents and children providing practical, hands on support, information, advice and guidance covering a range of issues such as childrens developmental needs, benefits and finance, learning, school attendance, behaviour management, parenting strategies etc:

The Family Support Worker will also deliver a variety of individual and group-based interventions to children and families, which will help move them forward, raising their aspirations and belief in their capacity to change their own lives.

Duties and Responsibilities

This is not a comprehensive list of all the tasks, which may be required of the post holder. It is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the work to be undertaken.

1. To act with persistence, assertiveness and creativity in order to engage challenging, hard to reach families with multiple needs which may impact negatively on outcomes for children, adults and the family as a whole.
2. To undertake direct work with individual children, young people and parents to find practical solutions to a range of issues. This may involve assisting with school attendance, home routines or other practical aspects of family life.
3. To contribute towards family based assessments and other appropriate assessments.
4. To contribute towards the development of an outcome-focussed intervention support plan to meet the identified needs of children young people and their families.
5. To have a good understanding of risk and be able to respond appropriately to incidents relating to child protection and safe guarding and maintain client confidentiality and information sharing protocols.
6. To ensure that children, young people and families are fully involved in planning and decision making and are consulted about the projects work and supported to represent their views.
7. Provide group-work interventions to young people on a range of issues such as sexual health, substance misuse, crime and disorder and equality and diversity
8. To contribute to the protection of the public and the safeguarding of children and young people, taking particular account of policy and procedures on the support and management of young people who are vulnerable or present a risk of harm to others
9. To maintain accurate, quality and timely records on the Early Help Module and actively support the audit process and use analysed findings to improve future practice.
10. To work flexibly to meet the needs of the service. This will encompass some early mornings, evenings and weekend work which may take place in service-users homes.
11. Support and deliver a range of Restorative Practices with young people, families and communities in various settings including schools.
12. To work flexibly across the Borough.
13. Ensure that the Family First Service information systems are maintained and updated as policy and procedure dictate.
14. Promote a Think Family approach in work with clients and colleagues to ensure family needs are not overlooked and family strengths are enhanced to provide effective responses to identified need.
15. Engage young people and their families in constructive, positive activities and learning/developmental opportunities
16. To undertake personal learning and development to address identified learning and development needs of the post holder and the service
17. To carry out all responsibilities with due regard for Knowsley Councils equality and diversity policies and procedures.
18. Actively contribute to the gathering of information from service users and partner agencies to evaluate service delivery and provide evidence of performance against service objectives and inform future service delivery.
19. To undertake any other duties commensurate with the grading of this post, as required by the Executive Director for Children or their delegated Officer

Health and Safety

• To use equipment as instructed and trained

• To inform management of any health and safety issues which could place individuals in danger

Data Protection and Information Security

• Implement and act in accordance with the Information Security Acceptable Use policy and Data Protection Policy,

• Protect the councils information assets from unauthorised access, disclosure, modification, destruction or interference,

• Report actual or potential security incidents.

Knowsley Better Together Staff Qualities

The following qualities have been adopted by the Council and apply to all employees. You are expected to embrace and display these qualities. Your line manager will discuss your behaviour with you, during your My Time and My Time Extra meetings.

• Integrity. You are required to be open and honest, maintain high standards of personal behaviour and display strong moral principles.
• Accountability. You must take personal responsibility for your actions and decisions and understand the consequences of your behaviour.
• Communication. You must listen and talk to others, taking account of other peoples points of view. You should share information and strive to work together.
• Respect. You must treat people with care and dignity, observing the rights of other people, and helping and supporting others where you can.

Skills, knowledge, experience 

• Ability to embrace the values of KMBC.
• Minimum of 2 years, recent experience of working directly with families with multiple needs with children aged 0-18.
• Ability to work in partnership with partner agencies, families and communities.
• Effective verbal and written communications skills with service users, professionals and other colleagues.
• Ability to keep appropriate records and produce reports.
• Experience of engaging and maintaining open constructive relationships with service users.
• Experience of engaging hard to reach families using persistence and creativity.
• To have an assertive and pro-active approach to partnership working including the ability to identify and overcome barriers.
• Demonstrate an understanding of, acceptance and commitment to the principles underlying equal opportunities.
• Demonstrable commitment to safeguarding the welfare and safety of children and young people at all times.
• Ability to prioritise work under pressure and to be self-motivating.
• Understanding and knowledge of child development and family functioning.

Personal attributes and circumstances

• Integrity - ability to be open and honest, to maintain high standards of personal behaviour and display strong moral principles
• Accountability - willingness to take personal responsibility for your actions and decisions, and to understand the consequences of your behaviour
• A demonstrable willingness to share information and work with other people.
• Respect - a strong desire to treat people with care and dignity, observing the rights of other people, and helping and supporting others where you can

Communication

A demonstrable willingness to share information and work with other people, including the ability to listen, communicate with and understand others, taking account of other peoples points of view.

Qualifications 

• Minimum NVQ level 2 or equivalent in a related field (e.g. Health and Social Care) or equivalent experience
• A commitment to ongoing professional development

Health and Safety

• Ability to use equipment as instructed and trained
• Ability to inform management of any health and safety issues which could place individuals in danger