Circle is a registered charity working at the heart of communities across central Scotland. We work with families facing multiple disadvantages because of structural inequality, poverty, drug and alcohol use, imprisonment, physical or mental health, trauma, abuse and loss. We believe that every child, no matter their background or circumstances, should have the support they need to live a happy and healthy life.

Circle is seeking a Family Outreach Worker- Fathers ( 18 hours / week) to join our project in Edinburgh. Funded by City of Edinburgh Council/Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership, this post aims to provide support to children and families affected by parental drug and/or alcohol use, reducing risks and minimising the impact on children. The post holder will work directly with fathers, male carers, and children to strengthen family relationships, improve parenting capacity, and promote safer, healthier lifestyles.

We are looking for a skilled and empathetic professional qualified in social work, social care, education, health or early years/childcare.

The successful candidate will have strong communication, teamwork and organisational skills, a good understanding of rights-based approaches and the challenges facing vulnerable families, and a commitment to equality, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice. This is a meaningful opportunity to be part of a supportive organisation dedicated to improving outcomes for children, fathers and their families.

We offer excellent staff benefits including a competitive salary, generous pension contribution, flexible working, an employee assistance programme and generous annual leave.

The postholder will be expected to operate in line with our values which are:

Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion.

Overview:

All roles at OPFS contribute to our mission of working with and for single parent families, providing support that enables them to achieve their potential and help create lasting solutions to the poverty and barriers facing many single parents and their children. Our core values of Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion are at the heart of everything we do and underpin all aspects of our work.

The Childcare Connector will contribute to the organisation’s vision of a Scotland in which single parents and their children are valued and treated equally and fairly, by supporting the delivery of various components which contribute to the Edinburgh service, including proactively supporting single parents to find, secure and access flexible childcare that meets their needs, allowing single parents to progress within their current employment, enter employment or enrol in education or training.

The role will include direct work with single parents to understand their needs, their current childcare limitations, and their current barriers to work, education or training. Liaising with childcare providers within Edinburgh, helping single parents access flexible childcare options and know and understand flexible payment options at local and national level is a key element of this role. This role will include networking and events to promote the Childcare Connector service and will include outreach work with single parents, stakeholders, and partners in and around Edinburgh.

Equal opportunities and family friendly employment

OPFS aims to be an equal opportunity and family friendly employer. OPFS has Investors In People Gold status.

Key tasks and responsibilities

• Support Single Parents: support single parents to understand the different forms of early years childcare, education and wrap around care that they can access and inform and empower single parents on the best form or combination of childcare for their needs and how it can be funded. Liaise with different providers of childcare in communities across Edinburgh to support effective transitions for parents going into employment, education, or training. Promote the services available through OPFS by developing trusting relationships with single parents through the provision of 1:1 support and providing information, advice and guidance.
• Family Support Work: Identify community resources and local services and assist single parents to engage with other agencies. To facilitate the delivery of groups and events. Support single parents to develop their confidence, practical skills, self-esteem and to feel empowered and informed. Work with parents to identify wider support needs and refer to other support services where appropriate. Support families using the OPFS My Life and Me framework to ensure a holistic offering of support for single parents.
• Record Keeping and Reporting: Maintain confidential information, complete all appropriate client paperwork as per our Family Support process. Record and document meetings and support provided to single parents. Use appropriate databases as required by OPFS and the post funder, complete quarterly reports, case studies and maintain a high level of data recording to record, monitor and evaluate targets as set by the funder.
• Any other relevant duties as requested by the Regional Co-ordinator.

WE ARE SEEKING TO RECRUIT AN ENTHUSIASTIC AND COMMITTED SENIOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECT WORKER 3 TO JOIN OURCAERN SHORT BREAKS RESIDENTIAL SERVICE.

Barnardo's Caern Disability Services consists of three unique Projects who deliver a variety of quality services for young people with learning disabilities and/or autism. We have done this for over 40 years.

At the Caern Short Breaks Service, we support up to 5 children and young people aged 5-18 by offering respite and short break packages to them and their families.

Working primarily in the residential setting you will promote the happiness, safety and welfare of the young people. You will play an active role in supporting the children and young people and their families/carers to achieve positive outcomes, as identified in the Young People's Individual Support Plans.

ABOUT YOU

Ideally you will have experience in working directly with children and young people in a residential setting. Experience in supporting children and young people with a learning disability and/or Autism is required.

You will work directly with the children and young people on shift, as part of the staff team on rota. In addition to this your main role will include

• Responsibility for the day to day running of the house
• Leading the staff on shift including rota management, leading practice and ensuring staff are working to high levels of performance in the best interests of the C&YP in our care.
• Supervision of staff including Residential Project Workers and As & When staff
• Supporting the Team Manager and Children's Service Manager with the ongoing development of the Service

The staff team across Caern Services must be fully accepting of our children and be prepared to offer them a professional relationship based on acceptance and informed by our understanding of their individual needs, wishes and experiences. We are passionate about the children and young people that we care for, showing understanding, empathy and consistency in our approach.

You will currently hold or be working towards a SVQ3 (Children and Young People) and also be willing to work towards a recognised SSSC qualification/s relevant to this role (Residential Worker with Supervisory Responsibilities).

This is a full-time position (37 hours). Working on a dayshift rota basis, you will typically work a rota of 5 out of 7 days, including weekends. You will require to be flexible for the needs of the Young People and the Service.

For an informal chat about this role – please call Aileen Gallagher on 0131 339 8840.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible

Pay & Reward Framework

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment toBarnardo's values.We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.

Benefits

Workplace Offer: What it means for you

Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.

Barnardo's require colleagues to be UK residents, based in the UK and to complete their roles from within the UK (with the exception of colleagues providing Barnardo's services in Jersey and colleagues who live in the Republic of Ireland providing services in Northern Ireland)

• Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
• Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
• The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our Buy Your Leave scheme
• A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
• Service related sick pay from day 1
• Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
• Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
• Cycle2work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
• 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
• Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
• Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
• Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer

*T&C's apply based on contract

About Barnardo's

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Our basis and values

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 service

Dundee Youth Housing Service is spread across two residential sites in the city of Dundee. We can accommodate 25 young people at one time through a mixture of housing support and care at home intervention.

The Dundee Youth Housing Service, in collaboration with the Dundee City Council, fulfils its statutory duty by supporting homeless/care experienced young people aged 16 and above. The aim of the service is to engage with young people and families at the earliest opportunity. To be responsive, to prevent situations escalating, and take the pressure off the local authority front line services.

As the initial point of contact for any young person facing homelessness in the city, our service plays a crucial role. Within the strategic housing partnership, Action for Children stands as the sole organisation dedicated to preventing young individuals from becoming homeless. Our service operates 24/7.

Our primary focus is to provide temporary accommodation for young people who have been assessed as homeless. We extend our support to young individuals who are homeless and have care experience.

A bit about the role

As a Team Leader within Housing Support, you will provide operational leadership to practitioners and support workers delivering support to young people, ensuring high‑quality, consistent and person‑centred services. You will oversee the delivery of structured support pathways, including referral, assessment, support planning and regular review, ensuring interventions are effective and outcomes‑focused.

You will work closely with Social Work, DCC Housing Teams and the AFC Prevention Team to ensure robust baseline assessments are completed prior to accommodation placements. Through supervision, guidance and quality assurance, you will support your team to empower young people to develop independent living skills and progress confidently towards sustainable, permanent accommodation.

You will manage and coordinate staffing arrangements for a continuous 24‑hour, year‑round service to ensure staffing levels consistently meet service demands, responding quickly to unplanned absences and allocating resources effectively to maintain performance and service continuity.

You will also be part of a Team Leader rota, providing on‑call cover as required. This includes responding to incidents, offering guidance to staff, supporting decision‑making out with normal working hours and escalating concerns appropriately in line with policy. This role includes an additional payment for participation in the on‑call rota

The role involves leading partnership working with internal and external agencies to develop and deliver holistic, tailored support packages that respond to individual needs. You will promote best practice, encourage reflective working, and ensure safeguarding, risk management, and equality principles are consistently applied.

Ultimately, you will support your team to help young people live independently, engage positively with their communities, and achieve long‑term, positive outcomes—while maintaining service standards, compliance, and a focus on continuous improvement.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

As a Team Leader within Housing Support, you will lead and support staff to deliver effective, person‑centred support to young people. While maintaining an understanding of frontline practice, your role will focus on overseeing the delivery of general support and guidance, including independent living skills, tenancy sustainment, housing applications and access to appropriate services.

You will ensure your team has a strong awareness of local services available across Dundee and that young people are effectively signposted to relevant support based on assessed need. Through supervision, guidance, and role‑modelling best practice, you will support staff to deliver consistent, high‑quality interventions that promote independence and wellbeing.

You will also be responsible for:

• Promoting and maintaining effective working relationships with colleagues, partner agencies, young people and families to support positive outcomes
• Ensuring safeguarding and child protection responsibilities are fully understood, embedded in practice and escalated appropriately in line with policy
• Providing regular supervision and facilitating practice meetings, ensuring reflective practice and a cohesive, consistent approach across the team
• Monitoring compliance with policies, procedures, and professional standards, addressing issues through support and performance management where required
• Leading and embedding practice aligned with GIRFEC, The Promise, the Health and Social Care Standards, and the SSSC Code of Conduct

Through strong leadership, oversight, and support, you will ensure services are delivered safely, consistently and in line with statutory and organisational expectations, contributing to positive long‑term outcomes for young people.

Let's talk about you

• Essential - SVQ 3 in Social Services and Healthcare, or HNC Social Services plus management award (PDA)
• Desirable - SVQ4 in Social Services and Healthcare or willing to work towards
• SSSC registered.
• Previous experience of supervising staff.
• Significant experience of working with children and young people with complex trauma
• Confident in all aspects of MS Office.
• Experience of coaching and supporting staff to reach a competent standard.
• Ability to work under pressure while maintaining drive and enthusiasm and to be able to deal with children and young people effectively and safely with challenging behaviour.

Good to know

Application Process

Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

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: Jessica Jarvis at recruitmentservice@actionforchildren.org.uk quoting reference 13366

Diversity, equality and inclusion

At Action for Children, we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace.

Weactivelyencourageapplications 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.