Funded until 31st March 2011

The Children’s Society is a leading children’s charity committed to making childhood better. We work with children across the country, providing the right support at the right time. We commissioned The Good Childhood® Inquiry; the UK’s first independent national inquiry into childhood. Its aims were to renew society’s understanding of modern childhood and to inform, improve and inspire all our relationships with children.

The Children’s Society manages 5 Children’s Centres across Oldham providing high quality services for families of children under 5. We are seeking a Bilingual Support Worker for Werneth Children’s Centre, with knowledge of EYFS and NVQ Level 2 minimum recognized professional qualification in one of the following areas: Childcare, Social work, Health, Education, Early years.

For this position you will need the ability to speak Urdu, Punjabi and Bangla and have the experience of working with families, and/or children in early years and an ability to work under your own initiative within a small and busy team.

Based at Werneth Children’s Centre, Oldham, 20 hours per week.

Bilingual Support Worker

Location:

Oldham

Reward Band:

Ancillary Staff SAXN

CRB Level Required:

Enhanced

Reporting to:

Children’s Centre Leader

Job Purpose:

• To support the Children’s Centre workers to assist families to in developing their parenting skills and to meet the Children’s Centre core offer, by translating in group sessions and one-to-one settings.
• To actively support the work of the Children’s Centre Team and ensure all services are planned and delivered improving outcomes for children through Children Centres and community venues in the reach areas.
• To assist the Children’s Centre crèche workers to run crèches at the Children’s Centres.
• To work as an integrated member of the Children’s Centre working across agency boundaries and with colleagues to ensure long-term sustainability and integration of Children Centre initiatives.

Key Activities:

• To work with children and your people to enable them to have a voice and influence in our work.
• Interpreting for Children’s Centre Workers, Crèche Workers, Volunteers and anyone else on the Children’s Centres staff team (across the 5 Oldham Children’s Centres) as required.
• Supporting the Children’s Centre Workers, Crèche Workers and other staff to run group sessions by translating for families and helping to set up and facilitate the sessions.
• Supporting staff with session planning and evaluation.
• To provide targeted family outreach via groups, individual contact, parenting sessions/courses and identify families and children experiencing difficulties at an early stage.
• To undertake other duties as appropriate to the post as requested by the organisation.
• To work in partnership with voluntary, statutory and community organisations.
• To participate in and contribute to recording, monitoring and evaluation practices and processes and the administration tasks of the Children’s Centre including the Delivery Plan.
• To work with the Children’s Centre staff to support parents to become actively involved on the Advisory Board.
• To abide by and keep updated of the policies and procedures of The Children’s Society with particular regard to including all children and keeping children safe from harm.
• To prepare for and participate in regular supervision and annual performance management reviews in relation to professional practice and development.
• To develop and implement new initiatives that adds value to the Children’s Centre services.

Attainments:

In order to be considered for this post you will have to demonstrate that you already have:

Experience

• Experience of direct work with children and families from a range of background in a variety of settings, involving interpreting for these families. Previous experience includes work with a range of agencies and would include for example the voluntary and statutory sectors.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 2 minimum recognised professional qualification in one of the following areas: Childcare, Social work, Health, Education, Early years.

Work-Based Knowledge

• To have a knowledge of safeguarding procedures and ensure the implementation of safeguarding across the service.

Skills

• A good standard of numeracy and literacy.
• Ability to manage self and prioritise workload.
• Strong communication skills with service users, public, staff and other professionals.
• The ability to speak Urdu, Punjabi and Bangla.

Core Competencies:

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

Leading others (Managing People)

• Participates fully as a member of a team.

Innovation (Managing People)

• Improve work methods to achieve higher levels of efficiency.
• Learn from experience.

Manage resources (Managing Continuity)

• Supports the efficient use and takes responsibility for sustaining of resources.
• Shares relevant information with others.

Providing a service to others (Managing Continuity)

• Provide services to others, internal and external.
• Treats others with respect and dignity.
• Complies with safeguarding requirements.
• Works in partnership with children and young people.

Communicate with others (Leading Change)

• Communicate effectively with others in own area on day-to-day matters.

Build and maintain partnerships (Leading Change)

• Maintain friendly, helpful and supportive relationships with immediate colleagues.
• Participates fully in team activities.

Manage Yourself (Producing Results)

• Take steps to improve performance.
• Takes initiative and is aware of own learning needs.

Agree and meet targets (Producing Results)

• Focus on what needs to be done.
• Meet service and quality standards.
• Act in line with specific directions.

Safeguarding children and young people

• Identifies safeguarding issues.
• Reports and describes safeguarding concerns to a line-manager.

Special Job Circumstances:

This post has the following special circumstances:

• Occasional travel within the region may be required.
• Willingness to undergo training, which may involve overnight stays.
• The post holder will be expected to be available to work evenings and at the weekends, and compensated for by time off in lieu.
• The post holder must comply with the Society’s policies and procedures at all times and attend training updates as required.

[Please note: if you have difficulty meeting these conditions because of a 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 The Society you will require:

• An understanding and acceptance of the principles and values of the organisation.
• At all times to carry out your responsibilities with due regard to the Children’s Society’s commitment to keeping children and young people safe.
• A commitment to personal and professional integrity.
• Ability to put holistic principles of positive health and social well being for children and families into practice.
• A commitment to diversity and inclusion in working relationships and practice.
• To be flexible, adaptable and able to cope with changing priorities and demands.
• Self-motivation, determination to succeed and the ability to inspire and manage those around you.
• To maintain confidentiality in all aspects of The Children's Society’s work.
• A commitment to safe practice.