Families Outside is the only national charity in Scotland that works solely to support families affected by imprisonment. Imprisonment can often have a huge impact on the things that matter most to families: money and secure housing, safe and connected relationships at home and in the community, and the emotional health and wellbeing of families. Family members who are not in prison must be understood in relation to – but distinct and different from - those in prison, and therefore Families Outside is dedicated to providing a range of practical, social and emotional support to people with someone in prison that are relationship-based, prison-aware, and family-focused.
As part of an exciting new partnership project with our colleagues in Barnardo’s Scotland, the Families Outside Family Support Worker will work to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people and their families in Edinburgh. We will address the social and family adversities that children and young people who have a family member in prison face to ensure they are safe, healthy, included, and achieving at home, school, and in the community.
Our Family Support Worker will:
· Support children, young people, and families at home and in their community via 1:1, family, and group work.
· Work closely with key professionals including prison staff and prison visitor centre staff to provide advice, information, and guidance to families and professionals on a range of issues.
· Raise awareness with local and national stakeholders including schools, social workers, and health professionals to understand the impact of imprisonment on children, young people, and their family.
· Contribute to local multi-agency development work including the family strategy groups at HMP Edinburgh and local decision-making fora.
We are looking for a Family Support Worker who is:
· Experienced in working with and alongside children, young people, and families in creative and flexible ways
· Confident in managing risk and ensuring children and young people are safe at home and in the community
· Focused on the rights of children and young people in their work and all they do
· Trauma-informed and understands the impact of imprisonment upon children, young people, and families
· Confident in working within GIRFEC approaches and is an effective contributor to multi-agency work with other professionals to meet the needs of children, young people, and families.
If you are an experienced professional with social work, community work, family support, or other appropriate experience and are passionate about making a difference for children, young people, and families impacted by imprisonment, then we want to hear from you.
Closing date for applications: 12.00 on Monday 10 January 2022
Interviews: Wednesday 19 January 2022
(interviews, if possible, to be held in person at Edinburgh Prison Visitors’ Centre, Stenhouse Road, Edinburgh EH11 3LN)
For more information on the post, please email: admin@familiesoutside.org.uk or visit our website familiesoutside.org.uk/about-us/recruitment/fsw-edin