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.

We are looking for x1 Full Time - 37 hours per week (including evenings and weekends) and x1 Full Time – 37 hours per week specifically working nights in Edinburgh.

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 housing support and care at home service currently supports one young person to continue to live in their own home in their community. We provide full-time care and support on a 2:1 basis for a young lady with learning disabilities who at times can present behaviours that challenge.

We do this by supporting her in her daily routines, assisting her with personal care and medication. The young lady we support has an absolute zest for life and likes to be as busy as possible. We always have a plan and are off out on adventures, walks, swimming, surfing and out and about to local parks and trying new things.

As a Housing Support Practitioner you'll be part of a dedicated team who work together to develop and deliver person-centred care plans. You'll have the exciting opportunity to join the young person on her journey to lead a more independent life by supporting her in achieving outcomes, making informed choices, and promoting participation in her community. We strongly believe that behaviour is communication and work to identify what the young people are trying to tell us through their behaviour and support them to communicate that in a positive way.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Working in this environment can be so rewarding when you see the difference you're truly making. Our aim is to give every young person we work with the support and guidance to reach their potential and support their aspirations for a positive future, and this is a vital part of our work.

Some key responsibilities of a Housing Support Practitioner are;

• Helping young people in all aspects of their daily lives.
• Maintaining effective working relationships and communication with colleagues, young people and families.
• Being alert to child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Helping young people transition in to happy and healthy adults.
• Being solution focused and building on strengths.
• Achieving the highest standards of safeguarding, whether through direct care provision or support activities to the children and young people who come into contact with our services, or by appropriately reporting concerns.

Let's talk about you

You don't need a lot of previous experience or qualifications for this role – we're looking for someone with a positive attitude, and the desire and commitment to giving the best care to children and young people.

• A positive approach, providing a fun environment for the young people in our care.
• Ideally, a HNC and SVQ 3 in a social care discipline (or a qualification which would meet the registration requirements) or a commitment to working towards these.
• Experience of working with children and young people with disabilities.
• A commitment to working on rota pattern, which includes midweek, weekends and some bank holidays.

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 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 of a Team Leader Residential role 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.

2 full time posts and 1 part time post available

This is an exciting opportunity to join an innovative partnership between Children 1st and East Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership.

Over the past number years, in partnership with East Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership, we have developed a variety of responsive and dynamic support offers which align to the needs of families.

We adopt a relational and restorative approach which helps families to strengthen relationships and reduce emotional distress. Placing the voice of children, young people and their families at the centre of the support, the team provide intensive and collaborative whole family support; focusing on highlighting the resilience of families and responding to their individual needs.

We invest in reflective and trauma-sensitive practice which guides workers to develop a relationship with family members characterised by trust, respect, honesty, compassion and an open communication where families can then be linked with community-based networks of support.

The East Renfrewshire Service offers support to help improve the emotional wellbeing of children and young people aged 8-18, and their families.

We are currently looking for 3 new colleagues to join the team in temporary roles. In the role of Project Worker, you will connect with children and their families who are looking for help and support; offering them space and time to begin to share their story and thinking with them about what they might need to help things feel better.

We offer a range of different supports for children and families, including individual and family support; facilitated and peer led group supports and befriending relationships. This is an exciting yet demanding role which will require you to get alongside children and their families where, when and how best suits them. We want to be able to offer children and families the right support at the right time.

What kind of people are we looking for?

• Experience of keeping children safe in their own families
• Extensive experience of working alongside and together with children and families impacted by trauma and adversity, with a lens on the promotion of long-term recovery
• Experience of providing support to children and families, with confidence, in a trauma sensitive and systemic way
• Experience and understanding of relational and restorative approaches to practice
• Curious, responsive, flexible and courageous in your relationships with children and families, and colleagues in other services
• Fiercely passionate about Children’s Human Rights
• Shares our belief that it’s a privilege to get alongside children and families to help life feel better for them
• Confident and competent communicators who can work autonomously in a fast paced, demanding role

What kind of Children 1st team member will you be?

Knowing our ambition for children, you will be someone who is:

• Resilient, skilled and knowledgeable, who wants to transform children’s lives
• Determined to support children to stay safely with their own family
• Big hearted and courageous
• Able to build strong relationships and to manage difficult conversations
• Calm and clear minded during times of challenge or distress
• Kind and compassionate

If you have a professional qualification in a relevant area such as Social Work, Health, 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. In particular, we are seeking to further enhance our diversity from the perspective of ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender and disability.

Base

Your base will be in Giffnock alongside time spent meeting young people and their families in their local community; with the option for occasional home working.

Salary, Conditions, Pension

We will offer you a competitive salary, generous annual leave entitlement (40 days inclusive of 7 public holidays), flexible working opportunities and a contributory pension scheme. We also have a cash healthcare plan, cycle to work scheme and access to a credit union.

Further Information

1 fixed term, full time post of 35 hours per week funded until 30 November 2025

1 fixed term, full time post of 35 hours per week funded until 31 December 2025

1 fixed term, part time post of 21 hours per week funded until 31 August 2025

Hours to be worked flexibly across the week to meet the needs of families and the service. The 21-hour post is anticipated to be delivered across 3 days, although this is negotiable and equally flexible to meet the needs of families. Furthermore, all of these roles are expected to work Wednesdays which is seen as our ‘core day’ when essential service activities take place such as team meetings.