The Children’s Society is leading the development of Exmouth and Honiton Children’s Centres in East Devon on behalf of Devon County Council. Each Centre brings together education, care, family support, health and employment services for children aged 0-5 years and their families.

By providing these services, working with parents, carers and partner agencies, we aim to give access to high-quality, inclusive support, so reducing inequality and making a difference to those at greatest risk of poor outcomes. Central to our approach is listening to and involving children and parents in decision making so if you share our values, the following roles offer you the chance to give young children the best possible start in life as part of a safe and strong community.


We are looking for a Family Link Worker to provide parents with opportunities to receive training and support to enable them and other carers to better meet their children’s needs. You will deliver this support through providing workshops, training and other group sessions for parents and carers and through some individual family work to enable parents to access services to meet their children’s needs.

You should bring a relevant professional qualification and/or substantial practical experience.

Hours of work will be 16 per week.

This role is funded to 31st March 2009.

Family Link Worker

16 hours per week

Location

Exmouth Children’s Centre

Reward Band

Project staff I (SA)

£14790 – 19143 pro rata

Job Purpose

• To implement groups, workshops and training with parents and carers which will enable them to better meet their children’s needs and to support individual families at times of transition and to offer support to access core offer services
• To ensure that a high standard of child centred, quality practice is achieved in all family work.

Reporting to Children’s Centre Manager

Key activities

Relating to Job purpose 1

• To work with the Outreach / Participation Worker to jointly develop Working with families by:
• Encouraging the parents to become involved in centre activities;
• Setting up and running groups, workshops and training to enhance parents understanding of their role with regard to their children’s health, development, education and wellbeing;
• Identifying gaps in service and ensuring that all groups and events are accessible to families from a range of experiences, backgrounds and lifestyles;
• Working with parents, carers and children individually;
• Ensuring that the Children’s Centre is welcoming and supportive to parents and children;
• Working in partnership with agencies such as Health, Social Care, Job Centre Plus, Learning Community to deliver quality services to children and families.

Relating to Job Purpose 2.

• To develop a range of resources promoting good practice which meet the targets of The Children's Society Programmes which reflects the Society’s requirement that work be child centred and of high quality by:
• Leading and participating in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of each activity to ensure that the overall direction remains relevant to the needs of the service users;
• Keeping accurate and up to date records of work for the monitoring and development of the work;
• Promoting and providing a collaborative approach to the work;
• Meeting regularly with the Centre Manager engaging in supervision;
• Participating in team and project meetings;
• Pursuing training and ensuring that current issues and social policy are taken into account in the development of the work;
• Adhering to The Children's Society policies;
• Having full regard for child protection and safe practice issues and adhering to TCS policies relating to this;
• Working within local and national policies relating to confidentiality;
• Operating within good equal opportunities and anti oppressive practice by having due regard for and giving respect to each child’s and family’s racial or ethnic origin, ability, gender, sexual orientation or material advantage;
• Working as part of the team, including close and co-operative working with colleagues and providing absence cover when necessary;
• Carrying out duties as requested by the line manager.

Attainments

Qualifications and Skills

• The post holder should ideally possess a relevant professional qualification, which may be in Social Work, Community Work or other relevant discipline;
• In the absence of such a qualification, the post holder should be able to demonstrate competence derived from substantial practical experience;
• Experience in direct work with children and adults context and confidence in using a child centred approach to work;
• Have a working knowledge of computer systems.

Core competencies

In order to be successful in this role you will be able to demonstrate that you have ability to:

Continuously improve:

• Take part in the planning, monitoring and development of the work with team colleagues and based upon the evaluation of the work with children and families;
• Be committed to the development of the work and prepared to try different approaches where this is necessary.

Agree and meet targets:

• Commit to the quality standards required for the work and demonstrate the practice based upon that commitment;
• Work with the Centre Manager to achieve the outcomes, asking for guidance and support when required.

Manage self and Lead others:

• Use agreed practice guidelines to take initiative and develop the needs led work with children and families;
• Have the ability to prioritise work and make effective use of time;
• Seek and agree personal development;
• When necessary and appropriate to take the lead in a piece of work.

Build and maintain relationships/ Communicate with others:

• Show competence in liaising, consulting and negotiating with other agencies, professional colleagues and members of the community;
• Demonstrate a high standard of written and oral communication.

Provide a service to others:

• Be a good representative of The Children's Society by promoting the Society’s standards and approach in all that they do, from dealing with a query to taking part in planning and strategy group meetings.

Manage resources:

• Being careful in the use of resources to both conserve the resources of the project and to model good practice to children and adults who work with the project.

Special Job Circumstances

• Occasional evening and or weekend work will be required;
• Time off in lieu for additional hours worked with advance agreement with Centre Manager;
• Occasional Own Vehicle User rate will be paid for work related mileage;
• An enhanced CRB check will be required for this post.

(Please note: If you have difficulty meeting these conditions because of disability or family circumstances, the appointing manager will discuss it with you in order to consider reasonable adjustments to the job or working conditions)

Relevant Personal Characteristics

So that you personally can succeed in this role and in The Children's Society you will require an understanding and acceptance of the principals and values of the organisation (as described in the literature provided in the recruitment pack).

Files/File/EXMOUTH & HONITON Supporting Info april 08.doc