We’re one of Scotland’s fastest growing charities, improving outcomes for children by supporting their Dads and families. We are currently looking for two trustees to join our dynamic voluntary Board team at an exciting time.

Our aim is to improve outcomes for children to ensure the best start in life by providing support to Dads and families. Our hope is through achieving this, there will be a larger shift in society toward accepting the vital role Dads play.

We currently have a vacancy for a Board member to join our Board of Trustees. As a Trustee Board Member, your responsibilities will include:

1. Setting and maintaining the strategic direction of the organisation
2. Sharing responsibility for Board decisions
3. Maintaining an overview of the organisations financial performance
4. Ensuring appropriate governance is in place
5. Attend quarterly Board Meetings.

We're particularly looking for applicants with employment law experience, or applicants who have used Dads Rock services in the past.

Remuneration/Expenses

This is an unpaid role however reasonable expenses associated with the role can be reimbursed.

Time commitment:

• You will be expected to commit to serving on the Board for a minimum of three years.
• Board Meetings take place approximately every quarter and are usually on Zoom. Dates for the following calendar year are circulated prior to, and agreed at, the last meeting of the year.
• To represent Dads Rock at other internal and external events depending on your availability.
• To participate in appropriate sub-committee groups – depending on your area of expertise and availability.
• To attend any other meetings and events by agreement of the Board, as well as our Annual General Meeting.

Main duties:

To ensure that Dads Rock:

• Complies with its governing documents, such as our Constitution and Policies
• Pursues its charitable objects as defined in its Constitution
• Applies its resources exclusively in furtherance of its objects, i.e. Dads Rock must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objects, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are
• Has an effective and efficient administration
• Is financially stable.

Contribute actively to the role of Trustee by:

• Attending Board meetings and other meetings and events
• Offer support and challenge to board colleagues and staff, adhering to collective responsibility once decisions are made
• Setting and reviewing operational policy and practice
• Defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets
• Safeguard the good name and values of DR
• Protect and manage the tangible assets (property etc.) of the organisation and to ensure the proper investment of all funds
• Promote and represent DR externally as required.

In addition to the above duties of all Trustees, each Trustee should use any specific knowledge or experience they may have to help the Board reach sound decisions. This will involve scrutinising Board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, and providing advice and guidance requested by the Board on new initiatives or other issues relevant to the area of work in which the Trustee has special expertise.

Person Specification:

Essential attributes

• An interest in the ethos and aims of Dads Rock.
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship.
• Commitment to preparing for and attending board meetings and other meetings and events.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality on personal and sensitive information.
• The ability to work as part of the team of Trustees in order to reach sound and fair decisions.
• Ability to understand and analyse complex information, often presented in report form.
• Ability to contribute to Dads Rock strategic planning process.
• To be able to represent at least one key skill/knowledge area on the Board.
• To ensure that you are not disqualified from being a trustee for any reason.

Desirable attributes

• Given the aims of the charity, trustees with experience of one or more of the following areas is beneficial:
  • Third Sector
  • Finance
  • Fundraising
  • Fatherhood
  • Marketing and Communications (including digital)
  • Legal
  • Early Years
  • Healthcare (NHS)
  • Local Authority (i.e. Education and/or Social Work)
  • Social Enterprise
  • Human Resources

Trustee Induction includes:

An induction meeting with the Chair and if desired to be peer supported by an existing Trustee.

Benefits of becoming a Trustee:

The knowledge that you are playing a vital role in the running and development of Dads Rock; enabling the organisation to continue its work and make a difference to Scottish society.

The opportunity to enhance your existing skills and knowledge relating to the development of an innovative and dynamic voluntary organisation.

The ability to enhance your network and broaden your experience of the third sector.

Read about our other Board Members

We are looking for foster carers who live within 60 miles of Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Elgin. They will be matched with one of our Foster Care Social Workers in our Edinburgh and Aberdeen offices.

Job purpose

To provide a family home and care to children and young people who cannot be cared for by their birth parents.

Main duties

• The key tasks for a foster carer are wide ranging — they cover the health, educational, cultural and religious needs of the child or young person you care for.
• Also, children and young people usually have a need to maintain contact with members of their family or other significant people and your support for this is very important.
• Often they will have difficult and challenging behaviour and you will be helped to find ways of both managing these challenges and of helping them learn new ways of coping and interacting with adults and their peers.
• You will be asked to prepare reports and attend meetings; and you will need to record a range of information about each child in placement and you will need to know how to keep this information safely and protect the confidentiality of the children and their families.
• You are a vital member of a team and we will offer you support and training to help you fulfil your role and to develop new skills.

Additional considerations

• The information contained in the Placement Agreement form, and other information in relation to the child and his or her family is shared in confidence. Families may have shared private, and at times painful, details of their lives and it is necessary that they feel trust in you. Information must only be shared with relevant parties. You should ensure written information is locked in a secure place.
• Decisions will be made with your foster care social worker and the child’s social worker about what to tell your family, friends and neighbours. Details about the child’s health and family relationships must be handled discreetly.
• Information about parents cannot be shared with the child without the parent’s consent.
• A child or a child’s parents may entrust you with information. You may have to explain that some information is important and must be shared with the child’s social worker. In other words, you must make it clear that you cannot hold all information in confidence.

Teamwork

You will be a key participant in the development of the plan for a child in your care. You are part of the Team that will work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for the child.

The Team can include:

• You – the carer
• The child
• The child’s parents
• Other family members/friends who are important to the child
• The child’s social worker
• Your foster care social worker and other staff of St. Andrew’s Children’s Society
• Other professionals involved in the care and education of the child e.g. Health Visitor, Teacher, GP, School Doctor and Psychologist.

Supervision and support

• Professional consultation and supervision to promote professional growth in your role as a foster carer will be provided by your Foster Care Social Worker and their Manager. You will also be given access to the support of other foster carers who understand the challenges of the fostering task.
• You will also receive free membership to The Fostering Network.

Terms and conditions

You will receive a Foster Carer Handbook that details all your conditions of service and the expectations of you in the foster carer role. You are considered as self-employed for HMRC purposes.

Fostering allowances and fees

Details of the rates paid are issued in April each year to all carers. Payments are made four weekly in advance directly into bank accounts, and carers receive a statement giving details of the payment made.

Carers must ensure that St. Andrew’s Children’s Society is supplied with their full name, address and relevant bank account details to ensure payments are made efficiently.

St. Andrew’s Children’s Society reserves the right to vary or amend the duties and responsibilities of the post holder at any time according to the needs of the Company’s business.

At Children 1st our ambition is for every child in Scotland to be safe, loved and well with their family. As a charity we offer emotional, practical, and financial support to help families to put children first and campaign to uphold the rights of every child.

An opportunity has arisen for a Finance Business Partner to join our Finance Team within our Corporate Services Directorate.

This role is integral to the running of the organisation, working with the Head of Finance across the organisation supporting managers in their business planning, budget setting and providing management information to allow our managers to make the best possible decisions. The role will also be responsible for producing management accounts.

Based in Edinburgh, with some home working and visits to sites across Scotland, the successful candidate will bring significant experience business partnering. The role will involve collaborating with colleagues across the organisation, taking the time to build relationships and understand the needs of the organisation.

You join us at an exciting time as we continue to play our part in helping Scotland's children and families as we enter the post-covid world and navigate a cost of living crisis. We are a dynamic charity focussed on leading transformational change for children so that they stay safe, happy and well in their own families and communities.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a busy finance team which is going through a period of change and development.

The main duties and responsibilities include:

• To act as a key interface between Finance and Children 1st’s business units based across Scotland.
• Develop and maintain accurate knowledge and understanding of cost centre environment.
• Sign off and supply correct information for internal and external publication, for which accuracy and auditability are key.
• Operate a Finance onboarding process for new delivery partners to ensure that adequate data provision is in place and operational records are kept.

To be considered for this opportunity you must be/have:

• Fully Qualified Accountant (ICAS, ACA, ACCA, CIMA etc.)
• Month-end and management accounts experience
• Have a strong aptitude for analysing financial data
• Budgeting and performance management experience
• Strong excel skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Package Includes:

• Full Time, 35-hour week
• Hybrid working
• Other flexible working arrangements
• 40 days leave entitlement
• Company pension

If you have previous experience of working in a senior accountancy role, are enthusiastic and motivated we’d love to hear from you.

Smart Play Network is a dynamic, forward thinking play organisation and charity supporting and delivering a range of play services in Scotland.

PlayTalkRead is a Scottish Government Early Years campaign aimed at promoting positive parenting in order to give children the best start in life and a strong platform for healthy growth, development and attainment.

Are you a fun and enthusiastic individual who enjoys working as part of a high energy team? Do you like to travel? Are you passionate about making a positive impact on families and understand the importance of parent and child relationships? Then this may be the job for you.

Our PlayTalkRead Roadshow travels across all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities to inspire and support parents and carers to interact with their babies and little ones through fun, simple and inexpensive activities.

As a key member of the play worker team you will also be responsible for driving our converted vehicles to and from locations across Scotland (full training will be given). Working away from home is an integral part of the role and offers a great opportunity to see Scotland while making a difference!

Having the right mind-set, attitude and approach is as important for us as having the right experience and skills.

We appreciate that the best person might not have all the criteria we have listed, so if you feel your experience and skills will help you to make a great contribution in this role and you have the right mind-set, we would welcome an application from you.

Candidates must be over 25 years old, have held a Category B UK driving licence for a minimum of 2 years and have their own car.

When applying, please refer to the job details attachment for full list of essential criteria.