This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our Family Wellbeing Service in North Ayrshire. Children 1st alongside children, families, and partners provide early help which is easily accessible and non-stigmatising. The team and model of support play a pivotal role in supporting children and families impacted by adversity, ensuring high quality relationships with children and families remain front and centre.

Children 1st along with partners share a determination to act upon the recommendations from The Independent Care Review and deliver The Promise to children and young people. We are also determined that the full incorporation of the UNCRC means that children will have their rights respected in all areas of their lives and will have a real say in the way they are supported. If you share this determination, we would love to hear from you.

Our project builds on the voices of the recovery community, our extensive experience in supporting children and families impacted by substance use in North Ayrshire and enables us to increase our reach to more families who need us. We will do this through providing community-based whole family support that families can access easily in a non-stigmatised way, and at an early stage. This aligns closely with the Promise’s priority areas to provide a good childhood and to provide whole family support to those who need it, when the time is right.

We are looking for a Team Leader to join our leadership team within North Ayrshire. In this position you will play a crucial role in the on-going learning and development of the service and contribute to how we continue to best meet the needs of families across the area. Building relationships and the ability to communicate effectively internally as well as with external partners and agencies is at the heart of everything you will do.

You should have experience of working in a leadership capacity; of offering reflective support and/or supervision to a team of staff/students/volunteers and able to confidently respond to and manage risk.

Families are facing increasing challenges which makes this is a demanding role requiring tenacity, commitment and flexibility. No two days are the same!

If you have a passion for working alongside families, have experience of keeping children safe, are committed to restorative approaches, and have a professional qualification in a relevant area such as Social Work, Teaching or equivalent in Child Care/Social Care or related area, accredited counselling qualification, or other relevant qualification at SCQF level 9 or higher, then we want to hear from you.

Base

You will be based in our North Ayrshire Family Wellbeing Service, Bourtreehill, Irvine.

Wellbeing

Your wellbeing is important to us, we will support you to work in a way that gets the job done but maintains a healthy work life balance. We will provide connection with the rest of the organisation including regular support from the local Service Manager and Assistant Director.

Salary, Conditions, Pension & Benefits

We will offer you a competitive salary, generous annual leave entitlement (40 days inclusive of 7 days public holidays), flexible working opportunities and a contributory pension scheme and a place where you will be supported and valued and work with excellent and kind colleagues.

Additionally, Children 1st offers further staff benefits including a cash-back healthcare plan, membership of a Credit Union and access to a cycle to work scheme.

Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a pioneering project led by a partnership of third sector organisations and supported by the Highland Community Planning Partnership’s Whole Family Wellbeing Programme.

Working alongside schools and other statutory and third sector providers, the new team of Whole Family Support Workers will deliver tailored preventative and early intervention support to families in the Inverness High School Associated Schools Group area.

One worker will be employed by each of the three delivery partners – the Care and Learning Alliance, Homestart East Highland and Thriving Families – and selection by each delivery partner will be based on specific skills and experience required for key aspects of project delivery under the leadership of each partner. The team of Whole Family Support Workers will work together as a team within this alliance.

Role description

Purpose of role

Whole family support workers will be a bridge between home and school, supporting families to overcome challenges to both wellbeing and learning and enabling children and young people to flourish in school and beyond.

It is recognised that there is a range of potentially beneficial outcomes for children and young people from building closer partnerships between schools and families and supporting all family members to address both practical and emotional issues.

These whole family support workers will work alongside families in the Inverness High School catchment area which have been identified by the schools (both primary and secondary) as being most in need.

Support provided to families will be flexible and responsive to the needs of families and individual family members. It will be available to families for as long as they need it.

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.
• 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 Residential Support Workers create a safe and supportive environment for children and young people to grow and develop. You will ensure their wellbeing is prioritised by delivering personalised care, guidance and advocacy. It is key that they stay safe and healthy and can reach their full potential.

In return we offer an in-depth induction and amazing opportunities for career progression. We'll enrol you on necessary industry qualifications along with regular supervision and team meetings to ensure you feel part of our team.

Once you have gained the relevant experience and qualifications you will be ready to progress to the next step in your career with us.

About the service

Castlelaw Cottage is dedicated to providing a nurturing environment for a young girl with a learning disability and ASD. Our newly renovated house is designed to support her in having a fulfilling and active life, both within her home and in the wider community. We understand and appreciate her unique personality and strive to create a space where she can thrive and be supported with her individual needs.

Our young person loves the outdoors and especially enjoys local walks in the woods, regardless of the weather! In the house a range of activities will be planned to provide engagement, physical activity and to meet sensory needs. She loves regular visits from her mother and father that may include going for walks and eating out.

We believe by allowing staff to choose between single or double shifts allows more flexibility and we have a variation of shift patterns on offer to provide you with a great work-life balance!

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Our Residential Support Worker's are creative and innovative in their approach to support in making positive choices and achieving personal goals. Some other key responsibilities are;

• Providing lead case/care planning management, including assessing, reviewing and managing risk.
• Co-ordinating responsibilities within the service, with multi agency and producing family information, including analysis and written reports.
• Attending professional meetings including reviews, court work etc.
• Helping young people in all aspects of their daily lives.
• Having good communication skills and the ability to engage well with both young people, colleagues and other professionals.

Let's talk about you

Are you resilient and have a positive approach to change and challenge? We're looking for someone with a ‘can do' attitude to join our team. Ideally you'll have:

• Demonstrable experience of working in a care setting and developing positive relationships through trust.
• Application of a range of techniques to co-ordinate and communicate with service users and their families.
• Demonstrate a solution focused approach to address problems, individually and in a team setting.
• Demonstrate emotional resilience to respond to the challenging nature of the role.
• Possess a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or recognised equivalent) or if you do not possess this you must be prepared to complete this within 2 years of commencing employment with us, full support will be provided.

Good to know

Application Process

There are five sections to complete: Personal Details, CV, Supporting Statement & Information, Equality & Diversity, Submission & Declaration.

Talent Pool

We know talent when we see it. But sometimes we find the right person but not for the right job. We'd love to keep your details for when the right job comes up. Let us know if you'd rather we didn't.

Contact: If, for any reason, you need support with your application, please contact Laura McCarthy at Laura.McCarthy2@actionforchildren.org.uk. We'll be happy to give you any support you require.

Diversity, equality and inclusion

At Action for Children, we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic and disabled candidates as they are under-represented within Action for Children. We want to take deliberate and purposeful action to ensure equal opportunity to all groups in society and for Action for Children.

Male staff are under-represented within our Children Service roles. We would like to encourage more male applicants for our Children Service roles.

Don't meet every single requirement?

If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with the job description, we'd love you to apply anyway. You might just be the perfect person for this role, or another role within the Action for Children family.

Barnardo's is working in partnership with North Ayrshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) and North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership to deliver a service to children and families affected by alcohol and/or drugs. We aim to deliver a service that is rooted in the Whole Family approach and underpinned by Rights Respect and Recovery, Getting Our Priorities Right and Getting it Right for Every child (GIRFEC).

The project is an early intervention approach designed to work collaboratively with families, as most families already have the resilience strength and capabilities they need to recover. The Project Worker will support and nurture these to ensure both children and adults can overcome any difficulties that get in the way.

The successful candidate will be part of the innovative development and delivery of this exciting initiative and therefore is required to demonstrate a level of experience, skills, and knowledge as highlighted below to carry out key aspects of the role. We particularly welcome applications from candidates with lived experience.

The post holder will work in partnership with the North Ayrshire Service Access Team and North Ayrshire Drug & Alcohol Recovery Service (NADARS).

We are particularly interested in hearing from people with personal lived experience of drugs and or alcohol, either their own or a family members.