Family Support Worker - Special Guardianship Support Service

Job Introduction

Family Support Worker (Special Guardianship Support Service)

Grade 6 - Children’s Services - Dudley Council

Making a difference where it matters most.

Are you passionate about improving the lives of children and supporting families to thrive? We are looking for a dedicated and compassionate Family Support Worker to join our Special Guardianship Support Service.

This is an exciting opportunity to work directly with children living under Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs) and their carers, helping to promote stability, resilience and positive outcomes. You will provide practical and emotional support to children and families, ensuring they have access to the services, guidance and interventions they need to succeed.

About the Role

As a Family Support Worker, you will work alongside Special Guardians, children, birth family members and a range of professionals to deliver targeted support that promotes safe, stable and nurturing family placements.

The role is highly varied and includes:

• Providing direct support and intervention to children and Special Guardians.
• Updating annual financial assessments and Special Guardianship Support Plans.
• Delivering wraparound support to families experiencing challenges.
• Undertaking direct work with children to promote wellbeing, resilience and positive identity.
• Supporting Special Guardians to understand and respond to trauma, attachment difficulties and challenging behaviour.
• Leading and facilitating support groups and training sessions.
• Working closely with Social Workers, schools, health professionals and partner agencies.
• Advocating for children and ensuring their wishes and feelings are heard.
• Undertaking community-based visits and lone working in accordance with service requirements.
• Contributing to assessments, reviews and multi-agency planning.

About You

We are seeking an enthusiastic and resilient individual who:

• Has experience of working with children, young people and families.
• Understands safeguarding and child protection responsibilities.
• Can build positive and trusting relationships with children and carers.
• Has excellent communication, recording and organisational skills.
• Is able to work independently whilst contributing positively to a wider team.
• Can effectively engage with a range of professionals and partner agencies.
• Is committed to improving outcomes for children and supporting family permanence.

Knowledge of Special Guardianship, kinship care, attachment and trauma-informed practice would be advantageous, as would experience of supporting carers and vulnerable children.

What We Offer

In return, we offer:

• A supportive and experienced team environment.
• Regular supervision and professional development opportunities.
• Access to a wide range of training and learning opportunities.
• Flexible and agile working arrangements.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Enhanced family-friendly and occupational sick pay schemes.
• Employee wellbeing support and counselling services.
• Local government pension scheme and a range of employee benefits and discounts.

Join Us

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of children and families, helping Special Guardianship placements remain safe, stable and successful.

If you are committed to supporting children to achieve their full potential and want to be part of a service that values relationship-based practice, we would love to hear from you.

Dudley Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

Workplace Attendance: Working in the office 3+ days a week (pro-rata) or Onsite full time

So that we can demonstrate Dudley’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and to improve bias in the recruitment process that could create barriers for candidates. Your personal data will be anonymised when you apply, to ensure that you comply with our anonymisation process, please ensure you have removed your name and date of birth from any attachments prior to uploading them to your application.

Online application forms will only be accepted for this vacancy, online facilities for jobs are available at public libraries within the Dudley Borough.

All applicants must be able to provide documentation to prove their right to work in the UK.

Please note: Dudley MBC does not currently offer sponsorship for candidates without the Right to Work in the UK.

If you require support completing an online or paper application form and or interview techniques, please contact Dudley Adult and Community Learning on 01384 818 143 or acl@dudley.gov.uk who can support with Digital Skills and Job Applications.

If you have a disability and require assistance in making an application please contact the HR Resourcing Team via HR.Resourcing@dudley.gov.uk

If you are experiencing a problem whilst applying for a position, please follow the link below to the WM Jobs Help Page in the first instance https://help.wmjobs.co.uk/

If the WM Jobs Help Page does not resolve your issue then please contact the HR Resourcing Team via HR.Resourcing@dudley.gov.uk

Dudley Council will check the information that you have provided against any details already held for accuracy and completeness. The Council will check, share and cross match your information both internally within the council and with external organisations to protect public funds and prevent or detect crime, only where the law allows us to do so.

The Council’s full Privacy and Disclaimer Statement can be accessed on the website at https://www.dudley.gov.uk/privacy-disclaimer-statement/

N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the advertised date should we receive a large number of applications

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