Family Support Worker

About Us

West Sussex County Council is a diverse organisation that provides services to more than 850,000 residents' every day. Through our Early Help Service, we will work with children, families, and young people to help ensure that every person is supported to achieve his or her potential. The foundations for mental health, emotional control, doing well in education and parenting ability are all set in place in the early years; the home surroundings, family life and parenting are all important factors in determining positive outcomes for children as they grow and develop.

For more information, please visit our WSCC Health and Social Care section of our website.

About The Job

Salary: £25,409 - £27,852 per annum

Working Pattern: 37 hours
Contract: Permanent
Location: Mid Sussex

As a Family Support Worker, you will be assessing the needs of children, young people and families in order to access, coordinate and deliver the support they need to improve their outcomes and lived experience and prevent their difficulties becoming irreversible.

You'll deliver direct work and interventions through whole family working around a range of issues to children, young people and their families that helps to keep children safe and supports and sustains positive change for them and their families.

You will need strong skills in partnership working, developing and maintaining effective partnerships with parents, families and partners such as education, health, Police and Children's Social Care, to achieve positive outcomes for children.

You must be able to travel throughout the county occasionally, and throughout Mid Sussex including locations that are not always accessible by public transport, so a driving licence and access to a car is essential.

Experience and Skills

Key Skills:

• Works effectively with families in crisis, managing own and others anxieties and working within the boundaries of the role.
• Manage casework effectively with children/young people and their families, establishing needs, setting objectives and reviewing progress.
• Engage and work creatively in partnership with children/young people and their families, in order to effect positive and lasting change.
• Work in an empowering way with families, focusing on their collective strengths and resources; e.g. using a Solution focused approach.
• Reflect on own practice and to learn from experience. To take responsibility for own performance and to be proactive in relation to own work and professional development.
• Analyse and interpret complex information and prioritise needs in order to make recommendations/decisions which will have a positive outcome.

Qualifications and/or experience:

• NVQ level 3 Health and Social Care or equivalent qualification, demonstrating that level of ability in working with children/young people and families or relevant experience. Relevant organisational knowledge of systems, procedures and policies associated with operating a client focused service.
• Significant experience of working with children/young people and their families in a crisis situation and using a range of direct work interventions.
• Experience of working in a multi-agency context, demonstrating an awareness of differing roles and responsibilities and effective methods of collaboration.
• Knowledge of child and adolescent development and age appropriate behaviour relevant to the Early Help service.
• Understanding of current childcare legislation and policy.
• Knowledge of Safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Valid and full driving licence.

Rewards and Benefits

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.

In addition to working within a great team and a brilliant opportunity you will receive:

• A competitive salary
• A generous pension scheme
• Training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
• Flexible working
• A range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers with the opportunity to save over £1,000 (Including: Argos, Samsung, Asos, B&Q and many more)
• Free access to employee assistance programmes
• Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres
• A range of commuting and business travel discounts and initiatives

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role is CAFHE03414 .

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Heidi Wyatt at for issues or queries regarding your application please contact .