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 687,000 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

Keeping families who are experiencing difficulties safely together is a vital part of our work. As a Functional Family Therapist, you'll be working in our Functional Family Therapy Team covering the South Ayrshire area. The Functional Family Therapy Team will provide weekly, home-based family therapy, utilising the Functional Family Therapy model with families with young people at risk of care or custody between the ages of 8 and 18.

Therapists will be required to carry a caseload of around 10 families, providing therapeutic support anywhere from 3 to 5 months in accordance with the Functional Family Therapy model. This position requires flexibility in hours to meet families the needs of the families we support, working Monday to Friday with some twilight hours required.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities for the role are;

• Learning and adhering to the FFT model to ensure a consistently high-quality service is offered.
• Meeting families where they are and working with them to achieve positive change.
• Being flexible and innovative in your approach, some twilight working required.
• Developing strong relationships with other agencies to ensure families get the best chance of success.
• Participating in weekly group supervision in a supportive environment.
• Providing a responsive and flexible service for families and having autonomy over your diary to schedule this.
• Being part of a team culture where staff are encouraged and supported to work within their hours and to use TOIL and leave to support personal wellbeing.
• Genuinely working with families from a strength and respect-based approach.
• Receive fully funded training in Functional Family Therapy.

Let's talk about you

• A degree or relevant professional qualification in Family Therapy, Social Work, Counselling, Psychology, Mental Health Nursing or equivalent qualification is required.
• Appropriate registration where relevant.
• A proven track record of working effectively and flexibly with families.
• An ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Willingness and enthusiasm to learn.
• Delivery in line with a proven evidence-based model.
• Full driving license and access to a car.

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.

About Aberlour Youthpoint Moray

Our Youthpoint Moray service provides help to children and young people in Moray who may be struggling with their emotions and behaviour, prompting concerns about their well-being. Our young people’s workers provide one-to-one and group work support for our children and young people, in a safe and relaxed setting. They help them to understand the issues that are affecting them, that can sometimes be the cause of their behaviour. They help them take steps to overcoming their difficulties at home, school and in the community. The team also work with other family members, parents and carers to improve relationships at home.

Aberlour Youthpoint Moray provides three distinct services to young people in Moray; Intensive Community Support (ICS), Early Help and Mentoring and YP Zone.

The intensive community support service funded by The Moray Council works with young people and families to help them achieve their full potential and develop important life skills through non-formal educational activities. ICS also supports young people and families to gain a better understanding of themselves, others and society by providing a safe, non-judgemental and nurturing environment. This is delivered via 1 to 1’s, group work, and family support.

Early Help and Mentoring service provides support to disadvantaged, excluded and vulnerable young people and their families to enable them to gain and retain control of their own lives and remain safely in their own homes and communities. Early Help and Mentoring supports young people to improve their health and wellbeing, make positive and informed choices and develop young people’s self-awareness and confidence. Early Help is delivered by Young People’s Worker’s through 1 to 1 and group work and family support. Mentoring and befriending delivered by volunteers on a 1 to 1.

YP Zone uses a harm reduction approach with young people to reduce their alcohol and substance use, this is delivered through 1 to 1 support, group work sessions as well as detached and outreach community work. YP zone supports young people to develop their knowledge and confidence on alcohol and substances, provides opportunities and experiences for young people to consider risk, take ownership and make positive informed choices.

What we are looking for....

You will work 22.5 hours per week across our YP Zone service, and your main role will be to provide one to one and group work support to young people as identified through appropriate referrals. You will plan and deliver activities and groups in partnership with young people in relation to their needs. You will work within a variety of locations in the Moray area. You will need to be able to drive and have access to a vehicle to be able to take young people out and about. The role will also involve liaising with partner agencies and entering data into Aberlour’s case recording information system.

The team will provide support during normal office hours and include regular evening and weekend working. All staff are expected to take a full role in the delivery of the service.

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.

Please note, a driving licence and access to a car is essential for this role.

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

We also follow Data Protection Guidelines - Here is our privacy policy.

“I lost my kids a few times they went to foster care and I would have gone to a place like this if I had the chance. This is badly needed. I hid my drug use and people only found out about it when I had my baby and she was in withdrawal. I loved my daughter and would have welcomed something like this.”

A mother who has been supported by Aberlour

About Aberlour’s Mother and Child Recovery House

Aberlour is proud to be working with the Scottish Government for our dedicated Mother and Child Residential Recovery House based in Falkirk. Our service is designed to enable children of women with problematic substance use to stay with mothers during their recovery. Aberlour’s approach to rehabilitation aims to deliver positive outcomes for women and their children.

We are supporting families using the Parents Under Pressure (PuP) program which combines psychological principles relating to parenting, child behaviour and parental emotion regulation within a case management model. The program is highly individualized to suit each family. Parents are given their own Parent Workbook. For many parents, this becomes a personal journal of their treatment experience. The overarching aim of the PuP program is to help parents facing adversity develop positive and secure relationships with their children. Within this strength-based approach, the family environment becomes more nurturing and less conflictual.

What we are looking for....

Our relief workers play a crucial role in supporting our team. This work is offered on a casual, hourly paid basis to provide cover during staff absence and/or particularly busy periods. This is a 24 hour service. This is a variable shift pattern, 8am - 6pm, 12.30pm - 10pm, 2.30pm- 10.30pm & Sleepover. This includes weekends.

Ideally you will have experience of direct work with vulnerable families to support improved capacity for women and children and of working collaboratively with other professional agencies and a working knowledge of drug/alcohol use and its effects on women and children.

Applicants should hold a relevant professional qualification at least SCQF level 7, or equivalent knowledge acquired by other means, with a willingness to obtain the required qualifications for SSSC Registration.

Individuals with Lived Experience of alcohol or drug use are strongly encouraged to apply for these positions where they will gain experience and training to enhance their knowledge and skills. People with lived experience are vital members of the team delivering this service to the women and children.

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.

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.

If you have any queries please e-mail: jobs@aberlour.org.uk.

Aberlour is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our service users and uses a thorough and rigorous recruitment and selection process including PVG Scheme checks to ensure this commitment is not compromised.

Are you committed to delivering best practice to support children and young people with complex needs?

Are you ready to use your experience and skill to shape practice in delivering quality services to children and young people?

Do you feel excited about the opportunity to take your first step towards a management position?

If so, this is a great opportunity for you.

About Aberlour Options Fife – Glenrothes Continuing Care

At Aberlour we listen to understand what our young people want and need within our local area. As such, our Options Fife Continuing Care services in Glenrothes support young people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live and thrive within the local community.

What we are looking for....

As someone who has built up experience working in residential childcare, you will have the confidence to guide and direct the provision of care to the children and young people in the service. You will play a pivotal role, working in partnership with parents and families to meet the emotional and physical needs of children and young people with complex disabilities.

When on shift, you will play a lead role, mentoring and supporting staff and being a role model, delivering excellence in the services we provide. You will assist in assessing, planning and delivering services, taking responsibility for ensuring that assessment and interventions are prepared, monitored and evaluated.

Engaging positively with children, young people and families you will plan and implement appropriate support for the children and young people. Sensitive and accurate reporting is a key responsibility and so you will have good written communication skills and the ability to learn how to use effectively, Aberlour’s recording system: Dynamics.

This role offers the opportunity to consolidate and build on your experience combined with the ability to enhance your skills and knowledge through training, for example, in Dyadic Developmental Practice.

As part of the management team you will play an active role in ensuring that shift duties are delegated and completed in accordance with service guidance.

Senior Young People’s Workers will work a Residential Rota 2.5 x 12.5 hours shift direct care of their role on shift and 0.5 x 12.5 hours of their time working alongside the Service Manager on operational tasks and standardising practice. Overnight sleep ins are part of the role, alongside an awake member of night staff.

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. Aberlour’s values are critical and drive everything we do. We will be looking for someone who can demonstrate how Aberlour’s values of Respect, Innovation, Integrity and Challenge will be visible in their practice. You must be comfortable working in an environment where Aberlour’s values are lived in practice.

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.