Family Support and Outreach worker (12 month fixed term contract)

This role provides high quality hands-on support for children and their families, through a mix of individual case work, facilitation of learning through targeted play sessions, parenting courses and effective outreach in the community.
The Coin Street Family and Children’s Centre works with families across Lambeth and North Southwark with a range of provision on offer including training and employment support, post and antenatal classes, accessible childcare, learning through play, specialist support including counselling and group work, case work and peer support, and targeted programmes such as parenting courses. Working with Lambeth and Southwark Councils and key partners including 1st Place Nursery, the team get alongside parents and equip them to give their children the best possible start up to and in the first 5 years of life.
This role forms part of a busy and effective team working with multiple families in a range of settings. An ability to quickly build and foster rapport with parents, understand child development (including those with complex needs) and support parents to take control of the challenges they face in giving their children a better start in life is essential. We’re focused on helping people to change their own lives using an energetic and empathetic approach and the post holder will embody these qualities.
This role is initially funded for a 12-month period with the possibility of an extension based on further funding being available.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• In liaison with the Family Support Manager, engage with local parents/carers and families within the Coin Street catchment area in order to identify their concerns and needs and to stimulate their effective participation in the development of current and future parent support activities.

• To act as lead professional working in partnership with the whole family to assess needs and develop an action plan, liaising with and coordinating the involvement of other agencies and professionals as required to achieve sustained improvements in child and family outcomes

• Plan and run both informal (drop-in) and formal (targeted) family support sessions, ensuring the sessions are fully accessible to parents/carers and children within the local community
• To work in partnership with parents and carers to strengthen their parenting capacity to improve their child’s life chances using evidence based parenting programmes and group work interventions
• Undertake casework, act as an advocate for families and attend Multi-Agency Teams, TAC/TAF, Core Group meetings and Case Conferences, where appropriate.
• To work with colleagues across Family Support to monitor and analyse case load, identify unmet needs and regularly review case allocation, progress and closure as necessary.
• To use reflective supervision in casework attending regular clinical, group and individual supervision sessions
• To track progress and maintain accurate records on the relevant tracking systems and to provide case studies which demonstrate outcomes as required by the service
• To provide feedback and escalate concerns where necessary and to understand and comply with safeguarding procedures and to take immediate and prompt action to safeguard children, understanding their role and responsibilities
• To maintain a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the catchment area and of the resources and services available to children and families, and to support families to access this as appropriate
• To provide a home visiting service to families targeted to those who may find it most difficult to access the family and children’s centre
• To work with early years educational settings to support children and their families to access their free early learning entitlement, including funded places for two, three and four years olds and make successful transitions into early years education
• To ensure information displays are up to date and relevant and that service user environments (both at the neighbourhood centre and other activity sites) are welcoming
• To contribute to the aims and objectives of the wider locality children’s centre programme for example by participating in centre, cluster or borough wide meetings, sharing information and expertise to improve outcomes for children
• To ensure all work with families is delivered to a high and consistent standard and to support and supervise volunteers and those undertaking placements (including student social workers)
• To be flexible in approach and undertake additional duties as may be appropriate.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

• To comply with the Group’s Equal Opportunities policies.

• To comply with the Group’s Health & Safety policies.

• To comply with the Group’s Safeguarding policies.

• To comply with the Group’s ICT policies and procedures.

• To promote an organisational culture that reflects the Group’s values:

o Creative: By looking for solutions rather than problems I will find better ways of doing things
o Collaborative: By respecting the views of others we will learn, grow, and achieve more together
o Committed: I do what I say I am going to do, and do the best job I can.

There is an expectation that the post holder will undertake some evening and weekend working where necessary. Staff are expected to provide support for each other, to cover for each other’s work during absences, to share information and to contribute generally to the smooth running of the office.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• Education to NVQ Level 3 or equivalent

• Minimum of two years’ experience of working with children under five and their families to provide early help and support

• Proven ability to undertake individual and family assessments, develop action plans and assess needs and risk

• Experience of recording casework using data management systems

• Knowledge of group work and family support methods and techniques to enable services users to articulate their needs and feel supported

• Knowledge and understanding of children’s development needs and issues surrounding the positive management of children’s behaviour in a family setting

• Experience and understanding of how to effectively outreach to parents and families and knowledge of the challenges faced by families living in poverty and in challenging circumstances

• Sound knowledge and understanding of:
o Child development & parenting strategies
o Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and case work best practice
o Early Years Foundation Stage practice and guidance
o Special Educational Needs /DDA practice and guidance
o Child protection & Safeguarding practice and guidance
o The impact of child poverty & social care thresholds
o Health & Wellbeing – adults and children
o Current government policy, regarding children’s services and early years education / play

SKILLS AND PERSONAL QUALITIES

• An ability to work with parents individually and in groups, encourage their participation and promote active involvement

• An ability to plan and deliver services which give regard to gender, ability and to the racial, cultural, religious and linguistic needs of the families served.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, and an ability to relate to a range of stakeholders

• Ability to build and maintain excellent relationships both internally and externally

• Good level of IT and administration skills, able to produce good quality reports and information

• Excellent organisation skills and the ability to effectively manage and prioritise a variety of competing priorities

• Ability and willingness to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends

Coin Street Community Builders is part of a central London community creating an inspirational neighbourhood. We have been doing that since 1984. We have transformed a largely derelict area into a thriving place for people to live, work and visit by creating co-operative homes, public realm shops, restaurants and meeting spaces.

We are a social enterprise. That means income we generate stays in the neighbourhood. It’s used to improve and maintain our neighbourhood including managing and maintaining Bernie Spain Gardens and the riverside walkway and providing a range of programmes and activities for families, children, young people, adults and older people in Waterloo and North Southwark.

Coin Street Community Builders strives to be an equal opportunities organisation and all staff are expected to share this commitment.

Our values are:
•Creative: By looking for solutions rather than problems I will find better ways of doing things
•Collaborative: By respecting the views of others we will learn, grow and achieve more together
•Committed: I do what I say I am going to do and do the best job I can.

The 3 Cs are lived by all staff at CSCB. You will be expected to demonstrate your understanding of the behaviours associated with these values during the recruitment process