Jobs in South Ayrshire

Vulnerable children in the UK need your help

Wherever you work in the Action for Children family, you'll be helping to change the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK.

Last year, we helped more than 687,000 children and families across the UK. From direct work in communities to national campaigning, we are focused on making sure every child has a safe and happy childhood, and the foundations they need to thrive.

Why Action for Children?

Working here is more than a job. Everyone in the Action for Children family is passionate about protecting and supporting children. It's the sense of purpose that drives us every single day. Because we know that, when we work together, we can make a huge difference to bring lasting improvements to vulnerable children's lives.

A bit about the role

Keeping families who are experiencing difficulties safely together is a vital part of our work. As a Functional Family Therapist, you'll be working in our Functional Family Therapy Team covering the South Ayrshire area. The Functional Family Therapy Team will provide weekly, home-based family therapy, utilising the Functional Family Therapy model with families with young people at risk of care or custody between the ages of 8 and 18.

Therapists will be required to carry a caseload of around 10 families, providing therapeutic support anywhere from 3 to 5 months in accordance with the Functional Family Therapy model. This position requires flexibility in hours to meet families the needs of the families we support, working Monday to Friday with some twilight hours required.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities for the role are;

• Learning and adhering to the FFT model to ensure a consistently high-quality service is offered.
• Meeting families where they are and working with them to achieve positive change.
• Being flexible and innovative in your approach, some twilight working required.
• Developing strong relationships with other agencies to ensure families get the best chance of success.
• Participating in weekly group supervision in a supportive environment.
• Providing a responsive and flexible service for families and having autonomy over your diary to schedule this.
• Being part of a team culture where staff are encouraged and supported to work within their hours and to use TOIL and leave to support personal wellbeing.
• Genuinely working with families from a strength and respect-based approach.
• Receive fully funded training in Functional Family Therapy.

Let's talk about you

• A degree or relevant professional qualification in Family Therapy, Social Work, Counselling, Psychology, Mental Health Nursing or equivalent qualification is required.
• Appropriate registration where relevant.
• A proven track record of working effectively and flexibly with families.
• An ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Willingness and enthusiasm to learn.
• Delivery in line with a proven evidence-based model.
• Full driving license and access to a car.

Benefits:

• 29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays, with up to 5 additional days for continuous service and option to buy or sell leave
• Gain professional qualifications and excellent training/development opportunities
• Flexible maternity, adoption, and paternity packages
• Pension with up to 7% employer contribution with included life assurance cover
• Staff discount portal and Blue Light Card eligibility with 15,000 national retailers discounts.

The Adult Counsellor will provide compassionate, person‑led emotional support to patients, families and carers affected by life‑shortening illness, grief and bereavement. Working within the Ayrshire Hospice Counselling and Bereavement Support Service, the post holder will assess individual needs, offer therapeutic counselling before and after bereavement, and support people as they navigate the emotional impact of illness, dying and loss.

As part of the multidisciplinary team, the post-holder will deliver high‑quality one‑to‑one, family and group support throughout all stages of the bereavement journey. They will contribute to the development of resources and programmes that enhance emotional wellbeing across the community, while working closely with the Spiritual Care Team and other hospice professionals to ensure holistic and integrated care.

By creating a safe, supportive and inclusive therapeutic space, the Counsellor will help individuals express their feelings, build coping strategies and move forward in a way that feels right for them.

Do you have relevant experience of working with children and young people with a disability/and or autism or relevant experience in a similar sector or work environment?

About Options Ayrshire

Our Service is a busy respite care unit for children and young people with additional support needs, including complex learning and physical disabilities. As well as providing short residential breaks the service offers outreach to families and is also involved in the managing and running of an after school club as well as a busy Easter and Summer play scheme.

Based in a quiet, residential street in Prestwick, our disability support service offers a safe, homely environment for a child to come and stay for a short break that gives their families a rest from their caring role. During that break, children enjoy a range of fun activities and experiences with our staff who specialise in taking care of children with disabilities. Our service is very much a ‘home from home’ for the children who stay with us there.

What we are looking for...

As a Young People’s Worker you will play a fundamental role in ensuring that the young people you work with have the best possible experience in working towards their objectives, in line with their care plan, supporting children to progress within their individual outcomes. Whilst not without its challenges and demands, this is a highly rewarding role, where the work we do has a demonstrable impact on each young person's progress. Using a person-centred approach, you will provide enabling support ensuring the highest level of physical, personal and emotional care. We support young people who have Epilepsy, need personal care and need gastrostomy feeding. Aberlour, in conjunction with NHS, provide all staff with training.

If you have an interest in working with young people, we would like to hear from you. We are looking for a Young People’s Worker to work Wakened Night Shifts on a part time basis (averaging 30 hours per week). These hours will be worked as part of a two week rolling rota whereby you will work three shifts one week and two shifts the following. Shifts are 11 or 12 hours each.

Ideally, candidates will have social care experience, an understanding of autism, complex needs and disability. You will hold, or be willing to work towards, a relevant professional qualification at SCQF level 7 or above (for example: SVQ 3 in Care plus an HNC) together with relevant experience of working with children or young people. You must also be able to demonstrate awareness of the key elements of working with people affected by disability as well as an understanding of, and commitment to, young people’s rights.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. Aberlour’s values are critical and drive everything we do. We will be looking for someone who can demonstrate how Aberlour’s values of Respect, Innovation, Integrity and Challenge will be visible in their practice.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.

Aberlour is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our service users and uses a thorough and rigorous recruitment and selection process including PVG Scheme checks to ensure this commitment is not compromised.

Are you committed to delivering best practice to support children and young people with complex needs?

Are you ready to use your experience and skill to shape practice in delivering quality services to children and young people?

Do you feel excited about the opportunity to take your first step towards a management position?

If so, this is a great opportunity for you.

About Options Ayrshire

In addition to us having a short residential breaks service, our Out of School Club is based within 3 bases throughout South Ayrshire, however your main base will be Mosshill Industrial Estate.

We offer a safe, nurturing and explorative environment for young people to come and play either after school or on a Saturday morning that gives their families and/or carers a rest from their caring role. During that break, children enjoy a range of fun activities and experiences with our staff who specialise in taking care of children with additional support needs. In addition to this, we run a busy Easter and summer Holiday Activity Club.

What we are looking for...

As someone who has built up experience working in community or residential childcare, you will have the confidence to guide and direct the provision of care to the children and young people in the service. You will play a pivotal role, working in partnership with parents and families to meet the emotional and physical needs of children and young people with complex disabilities.

When on shift, you will play a lead role, mentoring and supporting staff and being a role model, delivering excellence in the services we provide. You will assist in assessing, planning and delivering services, taking responsibility for ensuring that assessment and interventions are prepared, monitored and evaluated.

Engaging positively with children, young people and families you will plan and implement appropriate support for the children and young people. Sensitive and accurate reporting is a key responsibility and so you will have good written communication skills and the ability to learn how to use effectively, Aberlour’s recording system: Dynamics.

This role offers the opportunity to consolidate and build on your experience combined with the ability to enhance your skills and knowledge through training, for example, in Dyadic Developmental Practice.

As part of the management team you will play an active role in ensuring that shift duties are delegated and completed in accordance with service guidance.

Senior Young People’s Workers will work 20 hours of their role on shift and the remaining 5 hours of their time working alongside the Assistant Service Manager on operational tasks and standardising practice.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. Aberlour’s values are critical and drive everything we do. We will be looking for someone who can demonstrate how Aberlour’s values of Respect, Innovation, Integrity and Challenge will be visible in their practice. You must be comfortable working in an environment where Aberlour’s values are lived in practice.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.

People are at the heart of what we do at River Garden, helping people take their next step toward a positive future. We’re looking for people who share our values and want to bring the best of themselves to support people to become the best of themselves. The Family Support Worker role is a vital part of the support team at River Garden, where you will help build and nurture a therapeutic community of recovery. Your primary goal is to support families throughout their entire journey, from pre-assessment to returning to their home and community.

Core Purpose: To provide a dedicated, compassionate, and professional link between residents and their families. This role ensures that families are not just "visitors" but are an empowered and supported part of the long-term recovery process.

Full job description can be found below.