The role can be based in Edinburgh, Glasgow or undertaken remotely.

To help govern and lead us we are recruiting a trustee who will succeed the position of honorary treasurer. Working alongside the current trustee before their planned departure there will a period of crossover to ensure a smooth transition. Our volunteer trustees must share our values, believe in our purpose and be passionate about putting children first.

You must be able to demonstrate sound, independent judgement and have an ability to be strategic, open minded and to work collaboratively and collectively. You should have great interpersonal skills, have an ability to challenge constructively where required and be able to critically assess and analyse complex issues. Good listening and communication skills are essential.

The specific skills required for this role are accountancy, and specifically experience in any or all of financial reporting, management accounting delivery or oversight, auditing or general financial management. Fulfilling an existing role or a recent past role in any of these domains will be required, and any experience of non-executive roles using your financial specialism in the charity sector would be a bonus.

We are especially keen to attract trustees with experience in digital technologies and specific knowledge of professional practice in health, social work, justice with experience of strategic service delivery for children in need of care and protection.

We are proud of the way we do things at Children 1st, we put relationships, rights, respect and compassion at the heart of everything we do, and we believe that with the best people delivering the best quality support, amazing transformation can take place. With this in mind we are actively recruiting those who have been historically excluded from governance roles and want to broaden our representation, inclusion and diversity so that we truly represent all of Scotland’s children. If you think you don’t fit the traditional profile of a board member but believe in our purpose and want to make a contribution to our work, please do get in touch. We will offer support and flexibility to ensure any barriers to your involvement are removed.

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

Our Gilmerton Road Short Breaks service offers care and support to children, young people, and their families, aged 5-18. Our children and young people have intellectual disabilities and behaviours that may cause distress. Our mission is to provide essential support and guidance, empowering each young person to achieve their potential and pursue positive outcomes. This commitment lies at the heart of our work.

In your role as Team Leader Residential, you'll lead, inspire and motivate the team to deliver meaningful support that changes children's lives. The Team Leader Residential is a dual role that is split between offering direct support to the young people while undertaking administrative and organisational tasks. You'll have responsibility for rota management, lead on shifts, support staff in their personal development and assist the Registered Manager with the day to day running of the service. Through the direct support, you'll be part of an exceptional team who work together to develop and deliver person-centred care and support plans.

Collaborating with the Registered Manager and fellow Team Leaders, your role involves fostering a supportive culture within our service to ensure staff deliver high-quality care during short breaks.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities for the role of Team Leader Residential are;

• Providing direct line management to a team of residential staff to deliver high standards of care.
• Support staff team development through training opportunities, staff supervision, and multidisciplinary working.
• Leading shifts and working with the Registered Manager to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and organisational policy and procedure.
• Work to achieve positive outcomes for individual children and young people and contributing to the achievement of an outstanding, good or equivalent rating in external inspection including deputising in the absence of the Registered Manager.

Let's talk about you

• To be SSSC registered, HNC Social care & SVQ Children and young people (or equivalent) and SVQ4 in leadership and management or (willing to work towards).
• Previous experience of supervising staff and coaching and supporting staff to reach a competent standard.
• Significant experience of working with children and young people with Learning Disabilities.
• To be able to effectively and safely deal with children and young people with behaviours of concern.
• Good knowledge of Safeguarding, and keeping young people safe.

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.

We are seeking a playful, adaptable, and confident individuals for play worker posts at Play Midlothian, to deliver high quality services, enabling children to thrive through play.

Community Play Worker (CPW)

• First Aid: Desirable – can be attained whilst employed by the company. PM can support sourcing and funding courses.
• Child Protection Training: Essential – PM can support sourcing and funding courses.
• PVG Membership – Essential – PM can facilitate.
• Responsibility / duties – facilitating adventurous and creative play under the supervision of the Play Team Lead. The Community Play Worker may be asked to ‘lead’ a session alongside another CPW or APW once an agreed induction period has been fulfilled.

About Play Midlothian

Play Midlothian is a registered charity (no. SC025474) working to support children to thrive through play. We focus on play because we know how much this benefits children’s health, wellbeing and development. It is important for their lives in the here and now as well as for their future life chances.

We strive to remove barriers to play where they exist, to ensure all children have access to play that meets their needs. We provide services for children and families and build the capacity of communities to support play. This includes training and development opportunities for other settings, including schools. We are also a partner in the Midlothian Play Strategy, which takes a strategic approach in planning for and promoting play in Midlothian.

We have an office base in Dalkeith but deliver services throughout Midlothian, and if commissioned, beyond.

About the role

Our Playworkers support session planning and the day-to-day practicalities of our play services, carry out play work, and support services users. It is essential that the successful applicant enjoys all types of play and can respond flexibly to the needs of participants.

We are looking for someone who enjoys working as part of a team and can build productive relationships with our participants, colleagues and other stakeholders, while demonstrating an enthusiasm for Play Midlothian’s aims and values.

The postholder will be directed day to day by a Team Leader, and work as part of a team of Community Playworkers and at times volunteers.

It is important the postholder can be flexible about their hours, which will be worked over four or five days on a rota pattern over a 7-day week. Out 2 Play shifts may finish approx. 6.00/6.30pm. We value employees having work/life balance and aim to establish a pattern that shares out any evening and weekend working, so each employee has regular weekends off.

Play Midlothian’s services take place in a variety of community settings. Some are indoors, though a high proportion of our current services are exclusively outdoors (all year round), therefore the role will particularly suit applicants with a fondness for the outdoors.

We work with children and young people aged 0-13 (and at times older), with their parents/carers at some of our services, and at times with specific needs (including disability and emerging mental health challenges). We work with a variety of service models, though with the focus firmly on self-directed play. The goal is always to ensure that children have access to play opportunities that enable them to thrive.

Information on our current services can be found on our website.

For the right candidate, this will be a highly rewarding and stimulating role, offering plenty of variety in their work – all the while enabling their passion for children’s play to shine though.

The Relationships Scotland Network is the largest provider of family and relationship support in the country. We offer relationship counselling, family mediation and child contact centres through a network of 21 member services across Scotland, which provide face-to-face support to around 18,000 people each year.

We are looking for two new Trustees to help build upon the strong existing skills within our current Board. In particular we are looking for people with the following:

To help build upon the strong existing skills within our current board. In particular we are looking for people with the following:

• Knowledge of the challenges facing children and families today

• Scottish Government, Local Authority or other public sector experience

• Traditional and Social Media/IT skills

The trustee role would include four board meetings a year (currently two in person, and two online), along with the potential to take on some additional responsibilities as required.

We want our Board to reflect the diversity of the modern communities we work with, and value the benefits of having different experience and points of view on our Board. We particularly welcome applications from people living with a disability or long-term health condition, LGBTQ+ people, younger people and those from ethnic minority communities