This vacancy has now closed

Community Short Breaks Practitioner (8365)

  • Full time
  • Circa £22,000
  • Blantyre, South Lanarkshire
  • Closing 21st November 2022


  • Advertised from 8th November 2022
  • Permanent / 37 hours per week – hours will be 5 days over 7 days (may include evenings and weekends). Part-time hours will also be considered.
  • 29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays, professional qualifications, excellent training & development opportunities, flexible maternity, adoption & paternity packages, up to 7% employer contribution pension, discount portal with your favourite brands.

Role

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 670,000 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

The aim of our Silverton Hub, which has bases in Hamilton and Blantyre, is to support children with disabilities. We ensure the child feels involved in their community and enjoys their childhood experience and builds their confidence whilst developing the family's resilience to deal with the day-to-day challenges of their care giving duties.

You'll provide support to a range of young people from the ages of 5 to 23. The support is personalized to each child's specific needs, likes, character and their personality. This is directed through an extensive and well researched care plan which is strongly led by the child's voice.

More specifically your role will involve going out and about in the community with young people introducing them to mainstream activities and supporting them to enjoy new experiences and to follow their own interests. This could include trips to parks, swimming, bowling, and the cinema. It may involve shopping trips, outings on buses and trains, visits to cafes, clubs, and museums.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

You'll work as part of a well supported and trained team who work extremely hard to achieve positive outcomes for our young people. Some of the children's behaviour will present, at times, as challenging so you'll need to be understanding, compassionate, patient, and tolerant whilst also being a strong consistent adult role model.

As a Community Short Breaks Practitioner you'll be;

  • Managing cases, completing assessments, planning and reviews to ensure positive outcomes.
  • Working within a multi-agency social care multi-agencies, early years or health environments.
  • Helping young people with a learning disability have a presence in the community.
  • Supporting young people by providing emotional support and keep the child and or young people as the focus and ensure their feelings and wishes are represented in meeting

Let's talk about you

Would you be confident delivering specialist interventions within young people and their families on a 1:1 basis, group or community setting? Could you easily establish and develop relationships with those young people and their families? If so, we would love to hear from you!

Some other requirements we have for the role are;

  • Experience working within a care environment - preferably working with children and young people with learning disabilities, their families, and carers.
  • A HNC/ SVQ Social Care preferred – but candidates without this may have an opportunity to work towards a qualification.
  • To register with the SSSC (Scottish Social Services Council) within 6 months of starting in post.
  • A driving licence would be desirable. We have the option of paying mileage if you use your own vehicle or we also have service vehicles that can be utilised for transporting our Children and Young people to community venues.

Application notes

To find out more about the role and to apply, please visit our website.