Family Support Worker

Permanent – Full time

Location: Station Road, Barkingside

The Family Help Teams have successfully embedded the new Family Help model ensuring that children and families in Redbridge receive a seamless service from the very start of the child’s journey. Through our new Family Help Team, we’ve integrated services to provide better support for children at risk of harm by combining the expertise of our Early Help, Community Social Work and Child Protection Assessment Teams, to create a unified approach that offers early help, CIN, and child protection support—all delivered through a joined-up, multi-agency framework. There will no longer be any step ups or step downs, and the focus will be around building trusting relationships and offering families bespoke support at the earliest opportunity.

Purpose of Job

• To provide targeted early help and child in need support to children and families. This will entail completing CAF’s, Early Help Assessment and Child In Need Support.
• Supporting meaningful care plans to prevent escalation to statutory services.
• Working collaboratively with social workers and the multi-agency network.
• Delivering bespoke support to children and families.
• To contribute to service development through the application of specialist knowledge, good practice, and effective partnership working.

Key Responsibilities

1. Service Delivery

• Support delivery of a range of family-focused interventions within the Early Intervention & Family Support Service.
• Hold and manage an individual caseload, providing direct work with families and ensuring appropriate plans are in place.
• Offer advice, input and guidance to parents and carers to promote positive family relationships and improved outcomes.
• Provide cover for colleagues to ensure continuity of support to families when required.

2. Work with Children and Families

• Contribute to care plans and interventions designed to meet identified needs.
• Maintain high standards of childcare and safeguarding practice.
• Identify and make appropriate referrals to the Child Protection Team in accordance with safeguarding protocols.
• Prepare and present written reports to a range of audiences including core groups, case conferences, courts and other professional meetings.
• Attend and participate in professional meetings (e.g. referral meetings, reviews, case discussions, court proceedings) and take a lead role where appropriate (including chairing and minute-taking).
• Maintain up-to-date and accurate case records and ensure family files comply with departmental procedures.
• Support information-sharing in line with data protection and information governance guidelines.

3. Partnership Working

• Build positive working relationships with other professionals and partner agencies.
• Promote collaborative multi-agency working to support holistic outcomes for children and families.
• Model a strengths-based approach in interactions with families and colleagues.

Person Specification (Summary)

• Experience of working with vulnerable families, children and young people- alternative qualifications welcome.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, child development and relevant legislation.
• Strong communication and report-writing skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage a caseload.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and reflective practice.

Please note this is an office-based role, based at our Barkingside offices.

To apply for this post please visit www.redbridge.gov.uk/jobs or copy the following link into your browser:

https://ce0320li.webitrent.com/ce0320li_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107…

All short-listed applicants will need to demonstrate proof of right to work in the UK.

We are committed to employment practices that promote diversity and inclusion in employment and welcome applications from qualified applicants regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sex, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, colour, race, religion, or belief.