We are looking for a highly motivated and supportive Family Support Worker for the Early Years Scotland Family

Visitor Centre at HMP Low Moss.

Families who are affected by imprisonment face emotional, financial and practical difficulties as a result of their family member’s imprisonment and they can find it difficult to access the information and support they need to overcome these difficulties.

The EYS Family Visitor Centre improves the visits experience for families and friends. Provides independent and impartial advice, information and support to prisoners’ families, which meets their needs.

This in turn creates less stress, builds confidence and improve emotional, financial and practical support for families.

The service aims to achieve positive outcomes for imprisoned family members, children and families by fulfilling three core functions:

• improving the experience of visiting a family member or loved one in prison
• allowing families to access independent and impartial advice, information and support which meets their needs
• championing families’ needs towards the prison system

The Family Support Worker will connect positively with visitors offering information and advice and one to one support and collaborate effectively with community- based services to develop the service. They will work alongside the Centre Co- Ordinator and a Family Engagement Practitioner in order to provide a support and positive environment.

Post Details

29 hours per week over 52 weeks per annum following a 3 week rolling rota (to include weekends and evenings) as follows:

Week 1:

Mon – 11.30am – 7.30pm

Tues – 9am – 5pm

Wed – 9am – 5pm

Thurs – 4.30pm – 7.30pm

Fri & Sat & Sun – off

Sat & Sun – 1pm – 4.30pm

Week 2:

Mon – off

Tues – 11.30am – 7.30pm

Wed – 9am – 5pm

Thurs – off

Fri – 4pm – 7.30pm

Sat & Sun - off

Week 3:

Mon - off

Tues – 9am – 5pm

Wed – 11.30am – 7.30pm

Thurs – 9am – 5pm

Fri – 4,30pm – 7.30pm

• £24,937 per annum (FTE)
• (Point 24 on scale 24-26)
• 25 days Annual Leave in the first year rising to 30 days thereafter
• 12 public holidays per annum
• PVG Scheme membership will be required
• Salary, allowances and entitlements are pro-rata to hours worked

This post is partially funded by the Scottish Government until 31 March 2025; (subject to continued funding thereafter).

Who are we and what do we do?

Early Years Scotland is Scotland’s leading national Third Sector specialist organisation that supports our youngest children from birth to 5 years of age.

Our fully qualified early years staff work directly with children and their families to deliver our unique Stay Play and Learn sessions in a variety of settings including nurseries, community halls, schools and prisons. We work increasingly in prisons, and areas where there are children and families who have the greatest need, and will benefit most from our services.

We have been established for over 50 years, and we are very proud of our long and ever-growing track record in supporting Scotland’s youngest children to have the very best start in life.

We are currently looking for an enthusiastic and capable Office Administrator to join our fabulous team based at our main office in Glasgow. You will have a wide experience of general office administration duties, be competent with Microsoft Office software and have an excellent telephone manner as you will be the main point of contact at the office. You will enjoy providing a high standard of support to colleagues including - reception duties, photocopying, filing, purchasing and a wide variety of other administrative tasks.

Please apply if you are:

• helpful, enthusiastic, adaptable and self-motivated with a ‘can do’ approach
• an excellent communicator
• keen to grasp new challenges and opportunities
• willing to learn, develop and improve your expertise, skills and knowledge
• adept at multi-tasking with high standards and an eye for detail
• competent in MS Office, electronic filing and e-mail
• comfortable working as a team player as well as under your own initiative

An absolute necessity for this post is an excellent level of competence, confidence and accuracy in written and verbal communication. We will assess your suitability through your application form and at interview.

Family Engagement Practitioners (FEPs) with Early Years Scotland (EYS) have a unique, exciting role within the early years sector. The Family Engagement Practitioner has responsibility for providing support and promoting parental engagement and a whole family wellbeing service through the adoption of a multi-agency collaborative approach.

Our EYS staff team work together with children and families on a continual basis, across a variety of settings within communities with a focus on enriching and enhancing parental skills and capacity to improve, strengthen and maximise:

• positive attachments and relationships between parents/carers and children

• early literacy and communication skills

• shared interactions and approaches to learning

• cost-free and enriching and nurturing home learning environments

• healthy living approaches

• support for entitlements.

• meaningful transitions

You will be fully involved in shaping, developing, and evaluating the early years health programmes and innovative shared play and learning sessions you deliver.

A typical week’s activity could consist of:

· delivering a health programme to parents

· delivering Stay Play and Learn sessions incorporating health-based learning experiences.

EYS will likewise invest in you, providing regular and supported professional learning and experience opportunities that will enhance your career profile, develop your skills and knowledge in creative and unique ways and inspire your practice in new and exciting ways!

Post details:

(all pay, and allowances are pro-rata and subject to continued funding)

· Part time / Full time posts available, 52 weeks per annum

· Salary starting at £24,448 per annum FTE. (Point 24 on scale 24-26).

· 35 hours per week (9 - 4.30pm working hours)

· Fixed Term for 2 years until 31st March 2025, subject to continuing funding.

· Hybrid working opportunities.

· Based at Early Years Scotland Office, 23 Granville Street, Glasgow G3 7EE.

· Free parking at Glasgow office (Car Park Club)

· Accessible premises

· Generous annual leave entitlement - 25 days annual leave in the first year rising to 30 days after the completion of a successful six months probationary period review

· 12 public holidays per annum

· Family friendly policies

· Supported training and development.

· 5% employer pension contribution from 3 months’ service

· BUPA Employee Assistance Programme.

· Paid sick leave entitlement on a service-related increasing scale.

· Support for professional learning qualifications.

· Staff Consultation Committee/Social events committee

· Winter wellbeing day allocated in addition to annual leave entitlement.

Qualifications:

Applicants’ qualifications must be consistent with those required to register as a Practitioner with

SSSC, e.g:

· HNC Childhood Practice at SCQF Level 7

· SVQ Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF Level 7

Additional ELC qualifications welcomed.