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 Yard is an award-winning charity that runs adventure play services for disabled children, young people and their families in Scotland. We offer disabled children and their siblings the chance to experience creative, adventurous indoor and outdoor play in a well-supported environment. Our services are known for their innovative and inclusive approaches, and our facilities are unique in Scotland.

Due to increasing numbers attending our services, we are looking to increase our team of Playworkers at The Yard Edinburgh.

Job details

Do you get a buzz from helping children and young people, creating laughter, mess and happy memories? If so, we think we have the ideal role for you.

We are looking for individuals who can initiate and support innovative and engaging play for disabled children and young people, focusing on their interests and needs.

If successful you will join our team of passionate and committed playworkers, delivering child-led, family sessions at our purpose-built site in Edinburgh. You’ll plan and deliver a range of play activities such as arts and crafts, loose parts play, den-building, sensory and water play. You’ll be an integral part of our team, with the opportunity for training and development. We are an accredited living wage employer and offer a wide range of benefits.

The successful candidate may have experience working in childcare, early years, nursery, play, youth work or the care sector.

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.

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