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Job description

The Employer is: ARDMONAGH FAMILY & COMMUNITY GROUP. As a Family Time Support Worker, you will play a crucial role in assisting and advising families facing short- or long-term challenges. Your focus will be on supporting service users and empowering them to overcome difficulties within their family dynamics. You’ll work closely with families, assess their needs, and provide support where required. To supervise / monitor the contact between children and their parents and/or other relatives where court orders or other circumstances make this necessary To carry out individual work with children and/or their parents as agreed with the Manager. Family Time Workers will work in a variety of settings, including inhouse, in the community and occasionally within family and foster carer homes. This post requires the successful candidate to work flexibly and to undertake some work outside of normal office hours and/or at weekends. .

Responsibilities

• To work in conjunction with the Manager and Team Leaders to facilitate Family Time and identify areas where support is required to improve family time for the children and families involved.
• To provide transport for children and on occasion other family members, to and from the contact venue.
• Work closely with commissioning Children and Families Social Workers as part of agreed plans for children.
• To report to the Manager or other Designated Officer any circumstances giving rise to concern relating to the safety of children (including accidents to staff and or service users).
• Liaise with colleagues within Social Care Services (Adults/Childrens Services) and professionals within external agencies, as agreed within plans for children as and when required.
• Keep written records and produce reports, as requested, in accordance with policies and procedures.
• To assist and participate in Child Protection Conference, Planning and Review meetings, as required.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times
• Promote an atmosphere in which parents/carers are encouraged to take responsibility for meeting needs of their children.
• Attend Court as a witness if required, in court proceedings, involving children and families.
• To remain abreast and informed of current thinking in relation to professional conduct and practice.
• To assist in compiling reports for court if required.
• Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff in their development and training.
• Undertake such other duties, training and/or hours of work as may be reasonably required, and which are consistent with the general level of responsibility of this job.
• Must have a Clean Drivers license and access to a car and Business insurance.
• Liaise with relevant statutory, voluntary, and independent sector organisations as required to ensure the smooth running of service.
• Maintain clear records of work undertaken and ensure paperwork management is efficient and completed to a high standard.
• Participate and support the supervision process.
• Contribute to the needs assessment and service development.
• Ensure all documents required for staff files are updated where necessary, for example business insurance, health declarations, criminal disclosure forms and anything else deemed necessary by management.
• Stay informed and updated on all legislation and law in regards to the provision of care and safeguarding of children.
• Ensure the policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through his/her own actions and those of any staff for whom he/she has responsibility.
• Co-operate fully with the implementation of the Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment damages to his/her manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for children and staff.
• Adhere at all times to all policies/codes of conduct, including for example: Smoke Free policy. IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct. Standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour.
• Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.
• Co-operate fully with regard to policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.
• All employees are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their role, whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails.
• Employees are required to be familiar with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Confidentiality requirements. All employees should seek management advice if in doubt.
• Take responsibility for his/her own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise his/her potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.
• This job description is not intended to be a complete list of duties and responsibilities, but indicates some of the main areas attached to the post.
• If there is any part of the above job description which the post holder is unsure of, they must discuss this with their Line Manager at the earliest opportunity.
• It is a condition of your employment that you are registered and adhere to the code of conduct of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC).
• Your employment is also conditional upon a satisfactory AccessNI check which is renewable every 2 years.

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Minimum Level 2 in an of the below areas; (with a willingness to progress to level 3/5).Youth and Community Work, Childcare, Health & Social Care.
• NISCC registration or be eligible for registration (must be registered on appointment).
• Experience in working with children and young people. Hold a current full driving license valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment.
• Where disability prohibits driving, this criteria will be waived if the applicant is able to organise suitable alternative arrangements.
• Experience in the use of IT including at least one of the core packages i.e. Outlook, Work, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Communication Skills - ability to listen actively, communicate effectively, and build trust with families, through the use of good communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to prepare written records/reports to a high standard.
• Be confident in dealing with difficult or urgent situations.
• Be confident to gain skills for court appearance.
• Problem solving - creative thinking to address the dynamic needs of families with good standards and management throughout.
• Organisational skills - manage caseload effectively, ensuring schedules are followed and documentation completed efficiently.
• Empathy and Compassion - a genuine desire to help families navigate challenges and improve their wellbeing
• Good interpersonal skills with children and parents
• Be responsive to familys needs while retaining objectivity.
• Understanding and commitment to the importance of quality contact for families.
• Knowledge of legal and ethical standards - familiarity with confidentiality, equality, and diversity requirements.
• Ability to work as part of a team. Be available for regular staff supervision, team meetings and training sessions.
• Working hours. Flexibility and commitment to accommodate the service users commitments, such as school and work.
• Good organisation skills.
• Ability to motivate and influence others.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Capacity for Independent Travel.
• Accountability; to be responsible for the work undertaken.
• Motivated to undertake and promote daily activities with children and their families that benefits the daily interactions and makes it an enjoyable/fun experience.

Further Information

The Employer is: ARDMONAGH FAMILY & COMMUNITY GROUP. Although this is a part-time temporary opportunity, hours may be extended, and it could lead to a permanent position. The job advert may end before the closing date if requested by the employer.

Application Information

JOBSTART IS OPEN TO 16-24 YEAR OLDS. If you are on UC contact your Work Coach via your Journal. If you are in receipt of JSA, IS or ESA phone a Work Coach on 0300 200 7807. If you are 16-24 years old, unemployed, not in education or training and not in receipt of benefits phone 028 90726788.