The postholder will be expected to operate in line with our values which are: Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion.

Overview:

All roles at OPFS contribute to our mission of working with and for single parent families, providing support that enables them to achieve their potential and help create lasting solutions to the poverty and barriers facing many single parents and their children. Our core values of Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion are at the heart of everything we do and underpin all aspects of our work.

The Childcare Connector will contribute to the organisation’s vision of a Scotland in which single parents and their children are valued and treated equally and fairly, by supporting the delivery of various components which contribute to the Edinburgh service, including proactively supporting single parents to find, secure and access flexible childcare that meets their needs, allowing single parents to progress within their current employment, enter employment or enrol in education or training.

The role will include direct work with single parents to understand their needs, their current childcare limitations, and their current barriers to work, education or training. Liaising with childcare providers within Edinburgh, helping single parents access flexible childcare options and know and understand flexible payment options at local and national level is a key element of this role.

This role will include networking and events to promote the Childcare Connector service and will include outreach work with single parents, stakeholders, and partners in and around Edinburgh.

All roles at OPFS contribute to our mission of working with and for single parent families, providing support that enables them to achieve their potential and help create lasting solutions to the poverty and barriers facing many single parents and their children. Our core values of Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion are at the heart of everything we do and underpin all aspects of our work.

Overview:

The Advice and Information Service is a national support service for single-parent families and professionals across Scotland. It provides multi-channel advice on a wide range of topics, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity. The service operates Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, excluding Christmas and Easter holidays.

The Project Lead for Advice and Information Service will play a key role in supporting the A&I Service Manager with the day-to-day management, operations and delivery of the OPFS Advice and Information Service. They will help ensure the service is delivered effectively, supporting staff, maintaining high-quality service provision and contributing to the ongoing development and continuous improvement of the service.

Working within the OPFS "My Life and Me" framework, the postholder will provide operational leadership, support and supervision to staff, ensure high-quality service delivery and undertake quality assurance activities. The Project Lead will be expected to deputise for the A&I Service Manager when required.

The Advice & Information Service is part of OPFS Support for Families Services, which provides holistic support to single parents and their children.

Our work is guided by the six My Life and Me priority areas: Money, Health & Wellbeing, Home, Work, Education & Training, Children, and Relationships.

Through a person-centred, strengths-based approach and guided by our organisational values and our strategic pillars, we work alongside families to:

• Involve them in shaping the support they receive.
• Strengthen their skills, confidence and resilience.
• Support them to achieve their goals and aspirations.
• Influence positive change in their lives and communities.
• Challenge the barriers and inequalities that impact them.

The support we offer includes:

Money

• Support to maximise income, improve financial wellbeing, access benefits and grants, manage debt and respond to financial crises.

Health & Wellbeing

• Emotional and practical support to improve mental health and wellbeing, including counselling, therapeutic interventions, wellbeing programmes and support to reduce isolation and build resilience.

Home

• Support with housing-related issues, advocacy and access to specialist services to help families maintain safe and secure housing.

Work, Education & Training

• Pre-employability and progression support, including confidence building, skills development, volunteering opportunities, training pathways and tailored support to overcome barriers to employment and learning.

Children

• Family support and group programmes that promote positive outcomes for children, strengthen parenting capacity, support child development and provide opportunities for children to participate in activities that enhance wellbeing.

Relationships

• One-to-one and group support that helps parents build positive relationships, strengthen family connections, develop peer support networks and reduce social isolation.

Overview

The Advice and Information Service is a national support service for single-parent families and professionals across Scotland. It provides multi-channel advice on a wide range of topics, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.

The Advice & Engagement Worker plays a key role in increasing awareness, accessibility and engagement with the OPFS Advice and Information Service. Working collaboratively with colleagues, partner organisations and professionals across Scotland, the postholder will promote the service, build effective partnerships and improve access to high-quality advice and information for single-parent families.

Working within the OPFS My Life and Me framework, the postholder will provide high-quality advice and information through a range of channels, deliver outreach activities, facilitate online practitioner webinars and advice clinics and build the confidence and knowledge of professionals supporting single-parent families. The role will also identify emerging issues affecting families and contribute to service development, policy and campaigning by highlighting trends and barriers experienced by those accessing the service.

The Advice & Information Service is part of OPFS Support for Families Services, providing holistic support to single parents and their children across Scotland. Our work is guided by the six My Life and Me priority areas

• Money
• Health & Wellbeing
• Home
• Work, Education & Training
• Children
• Relationships

Through a person-centred, strengths-based approach, guided by our organisational values of Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion, we work alongside families to:

• Involve them in shaping the support they receive.
• Strengthen their skills, confidence and resilience.
• Support them to achieve their goals and aspirations.
• Influence positive change in their lives and communities.
• Challenge the barriers and inequalities that impact them.

The Advice & Engagement Worker will contribute to these outcomes by increasing awareness of OPFS services, ensuring families can access the right support at the right time, strengthening partnership working across Scotland and empowering both parents and professionals with the knowledge and confidence to navigate services and improve outcomes for single-parent families.