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

“Supporting mental health and wellbeing is a big part of what we do. We help young people talk about how they're feeling, and make sure they don't feel alone.”

An exciting opportunity to join an existing team through additional funding from Glasgow. This new position will sit alongside a team of established counsellors and is a fantastic opportunity to become part of an existing team and continue your journey in school counselling.

As part of the Glasgow Secondary Schools Counselling and Blues Service, you'll play a crucial role in delivering high-quality, school-based professional counselling and effective intervention, management of cases and assessment of needs you will ensure safe care and agreed positive outcomes to secondary school children aged 12-18 years who are negatively affected or are at risk of being affected by poor mental health.

The Blues Programme is an internationally acclaimed wellbeing programme for young people. Over six weeks, it teaches emotional resilience, and reduces low mood and anxious thoughts. Crucially, it gets teenagers talking.

As a Counsellor, you'll be able to effectively engage with young people to deliver counselling support, predominantly within a school setting but there may also be a requirement in a local community or home setting.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities for the Counsellor role are;

• Providing a high-quality service to young people, that is outcomes-driven and based on an assessment of need.
• Delivering complex and specialist interventions with young people on a 1:1 basis, group or community setting.
• Implement lead case/care planning management, including undertaking assessing, reviewing and managing risks.
• Attending and participating at relevant multi agency meetings, providing a lead role ensuring reflective and analytical practice review.

Let's talk about you

• A recognised counselling qualification (e.g., diploma counselling, COSCA counselling modules), with relevant experience and be registered/ accredited with COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) or BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) or equivalent.
• Experience of working within a multi-agency social care, schools, early years or health environment and applying safeguarding best practice.
• Experience of managing cases, in accordance with agreed procedures and completing assessments, planning and reviews to ensure positive outcomes.
• Capacity to train in relevant Evidence Based Programmes including the Blues programme or Decider.

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

The successful post-holder will be expected to operate in line with our values which are: Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion.

Overview

OPFS was founded in 1944 and since then we have been at the forefront of shaping policy and services that support the 144,000 single parent families in Scotland. OPFS HQ is in central Edinburgh, there are local services in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Falkirk, Edinburgh and Dundee with National digital and helpline services.

This post is office based to ensure collaboration with stakeholders and a consistent presence in the organisation.

The post holder is responsible for the administrative functions of OPFS as a Registered Charity, HQ functions and wider support to staff across the organisation. They will manage a small administration team and will work closely with other Corporate Services managers to ensure the efficiency and cohesiveness of all central functions. They will be required to operate in line with OPFS values which are Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion.

Key Tasks

• Administration: Managing the administration staff and functions of the OPFS central operations ensuring effective and efficient administration for OPFS HQ including adequate reception functions for visitors, deliveries and staff. Liaising with service administrators and managers to ensure consistency and best practice across the organisation. Maintain document storage in line with OPFS data retention policy and procedures, utilising SharePoint effectively for electronic storage, arranging confidential destruction and archiving as appropriate. Working with IT and Digital Services to ensure effective use of SharePoint across all OPFS administration functions. Regularly reviewing systems and processes, revising as required, to ensure efficiency and accuracy. Planning and coordinating activities and support required across OPFS for new developments.
• Salesforce: Work closely with IT and Digital Services to support new developments for administration and HR functions across OPFS. Ensure all OPFS salesforce records are secure, accurate, up to date, and regularly monitored with reports being supplied for
• board and senior management meetings. Work with the Digital and IT Services Lead to identify areas for improvement and support the ongoing development of the system.
• Recruitment: Manage all centralised recruitment for OPFS staff in consultation with the appropriate service manager including collation of all relevant information on the role, advertising appropriately, including OPFS website, presenting applications for shortlisting, responding to candidates and organising interviews. Produce documents as required by the interview panel, set up of interview space, including and IT equipment required, for interviews in Edinburgh. Checking right to work information, ID and registrations for selected candidates. Co-ordinating induction programmes for new staff as appropriate to their role.
• Human Resources: Create and maintain accurate and secure records for all staff employed by OPFS ensuring that a complete and current record is kept for all staff and recorded in Salesforce. Issuing staff letters for appointment, details of terms and conditions and any changes thereafter. Undertake staff meetings including all exit interviews highlighting any issues to the Director of HR and Corporate Services. Work with managers handling employee relations matters including investigations, disciplinary or grievance issues, providing appropriate and timely support and maintaining appropriate records. Liaise with external HR Support staff.
• PVGs and Disclosures: Advising new applicants and existing employees on PVG and Disclosure applications for OPFS, ensuring that the correct processes and procedures are followed, with respective managers informed of the outcomes. Acting as counter signatory for OPFS for applications. Ensuring security and confidentiality of all relevant information.
• Training Administration: maintaining the OPFS training calendar and records, arranging training courses as requested, attendees and premises.
• Board, Directorate, meeting and event functions: Ensuring provision for meetings including invitations, room booking, creating reports where required for information including HR and Health and Safety functions, collating and circulating papers, room and technical preparation, minute taking as required. Coordinate meetings and events as required including refreshments and technical support.
• GDPR: Ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act (2018) acting as Data Protection Officer for OPFS, liaising with ICO as required, updating the policy and procedures to reflect change and provide information to management staff and data controllers.
• Properties: Liaise with HQ landlord ensuring the smooth operation of the office in terms of repairs and maintenance. Manage all office moves across OPFS liaising with the local administrator and manager as appropriate. Responsibility for arranging any reorganisation of office space, including any necessary wiring, IT requirements, heating, lighting, redecoration and required flooring, and any furniture needs.
• Procurement: Ensuring best value for all OPFS resources and services by actively benchmarking and negotiating with suppliers, reviewing contracts regularly, and identifying areas of potential savings.
• Health and Safety: Ensuring OPFS is compliant with all aspects of Health and Safety legislation by ongoing monitoring, safety checks, arranging repairs or replacements and escalating issues if required. Liaising with OPFS services to gather and collate information, share updates, and advise if required. Provide quarterly Health and Safety reports for the Board and Directorate, including absence statistics. First Aid and Fire Warden support for HQ.

The job description is a broad picture of the post at the time of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties. It is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time.

Personal Specifications

Essential

• Relevant qualification to HNC level or equivalent relevant experience.
• Significant experience of leading in a busy office.
• Excellent IT skills, good working knowledge of Microsoft systems, Salesforce and meeting technology.
• Experience of HR administration and recruitment.
• Ability to prioritise workloads.
• Ability to take responsibility to proactively resolve issues and provide support in challenging situations.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Commitment to continuous professional development.
• Proven ability to plan for and deliver short term and longer-term events and projects.
• Ability to build relationships at all levels across the organisation and with external stakeholders.

Desirable

• Chartered member of CIPD, or working towards
• Experience of working in the Third Sector
• Understanding of single parent challenges

Terms & Conditions

• Confirmation of Appointment: This is a permanent appointment. Confirmation of appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a 3-month probationary period ending when a probationary review has been completed.
• Salary: OPFS Scale Points 25 – 29, £37,879 - £46,297
• Hours of work: 35 per week worked flexibly to meet the demands of the job
• Holidays: Annual leave entitlement is 25 days and 12 Public holidays.
• Pension: You will be auto enrolled in our pension scheme with a 3% contribution from you and 7% from OPFS.
• Training and support and supervision: You will receive induction training and frequent support in the first three months. Thereafter you will receive monthly individual support and supervision and annual appraisals. Regular team meetings will be held, and staff have access to internal and external training.
• Equal Opportunities and Family Friendly Employment: OPFS aims to be an equal opportunity and family friendly employer. OPFS has Investors In People status

Do you want to make a difference to our children and young people?

Do you believe that every one of Scotland’s children and young people deserve the chance to flourish?

If so, this is the post for YOU!

About Aberlour Glasgow Intensive Family Support Service (IFSS)(City Wide)…

Aberlour will be working in partnership with the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership and other Third Sector providers to promote the wellbeing of children and young people by offering caring and responsive support, something which is now needed more than ever as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Aberlour Glasgow Intensive Family Support will deliver the support families need, when they need it. The aim of the service is to ensure that children and young people can continue to flourish at home, at school and in their local community.

What we are looking for....

We are looking to recruit a Family Support Worker, working 26.25 hours per week, you will work directly with families to nurture relationships, build on existing strengths and interests, help children and families build skills and confidence and strengthen community connections. You will be part of a multi-disciplinary team that works for a period of up to 12 months with families to support and enable positive change and improve outcomes. Our ambition is to help children, young people and families feel safe, confident, capable, and included, offering support when it is needed, including evenings and weekends. We believe in working alongside families, empowering them to lead positive change in their own lives.

We are looking for candidates who are experienced in working alongside vulnerable families to assess strengths and needs as well as plan, deliver and evaluate interventions and strategies which enable families to thrive. You will have experience of child and adult protection issues. Experience of working within other childcare settings such as Residential Child Care will be considered.

You must share our vision that collaborative working and relationship based early intervention is the best option for children and families who are feeling overwhelmed or excluded. Ideally you will hold a relevant professional qualification at SCQF level 7 or above, together with relevant experience of working directly with children or young people and their families. Not afraid to test new ways of working, you will bring a fresh, caring, and collaborative approach which recognises strengths and responds empathically to the needs of children, young people, and their families – this will include early mornings, evenings, and weekends.

To succeed in this role, you will need to work flexibly within a variety of locations across Glasgow City, including family homes, schools, and community settings.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. Have a look at our values to understand more about what we are looking for from our employees.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers. Find out more about our Employee Benefits and our commitment to Equality and Diversity

Do you want to make a difference to our children and young people?

Do you believe that every one of Scotland’s children and young people deserve the chance to flourish?

If so, this is the post for YOU!

About Aberlour Early Intervention Family Support Service Glasgow…

Our Aberlour Early Intervention Family Support Service, based in Glasgow will work in partnership with children and young people (aged 12 years and under) and their families to develop relationship-based, strengths-focused whole family support.

What we are looking for....

We are looking to recruit Family Support Workers, working 21 hours per week. As a Family Support Worker you will develop a person-centred working relationship with your families, based on a model of ‘VOICE, VALIDATION and HOPE’. As a Family Support Worker, you will work directly with families to build on their existing strengths and interests, help children and families build skills and confidence and strengthen community connections. Our ambition is to help children, young people and families feel safe, confident, capable, and included, offering support when it is needed, including evenings and weekends. We believe in working alongside families, empowering them to lead positive change in their own lives in a variety of settings including family homes, schools, and within the community.

We are looking for candidates who are experienced in working alongside vulnerable families to assess strengths and needs as well as plan, deliver and evaluate interventions and strategies which enable families to thrive. You will have experience of child and adult protection issues and of working with children, young people and parents/carers affected by domestic abuse, mental health and/or substance misuse. You must share our vision that collaborative working and relationship based early intervention is the best option for children and families who are feeling overwhelmed or excluded.

Ideally you will hold a relevant professional qualification at SCQF level 7 or above, together with relevant experience of working directly with children or young people and their families.

Not afraid to test new ways of working, you will bring a fresh, caring, and collaborative approach which recognises strengths and responds empathically to the needs of children, young people, and their families – this will include early mornings, evenings, and weekend work.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. Have a look at our values to understand more about what we are looking for from our employees.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers. Find out more about our Employee Benefits and our commitment to Equality and Diversity