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.

About this role

The Family Support Worker will play a key role in delivering the OPFS Support for Families Service, providing high-quality, person-centred, strengths-based and trauma-informed support to single parents and their children.

Working within the OPFS My Life and Me framework, the postholder will provide one-to-one and group support, undertake family assessments and case management, develop support plans and work alongside families to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes.

The role will involve working with families with a range of needs and barriers, including poverty, social isolation, wellbeing, parenting, housing, financial difficulties, employment and access to services. The Family Support Worker will work collaboratively with families and partner agencies to identify strengths, address barriers and improve outcomes for parents and children.

The postholder will work closely with the Service Manager and wider team to support effective service delivery, provide guidance to Family Support Assistants and contribute

to the ongoing development and improvement of the service.

Our Support for Families Service delivers holistic support for single parents and their children, guided by the six OPFS My Life and Me priority areas: Money, Health & Wellbeing, Home, Work, Education & Training, Children, and Relationships.

Dr Bell’s Family Centre has been supporting families in Leith since 2006 to thrive and feel safe, supported, and healthy. We offer a welcoming, safe place where families with young children can get support, advice, and encouragement. We offera unique, holistic model that brings early years childcare, therapeutic services, family learning and community support together under one roof.

Dr Bell’s Family Centre is seeking an experienced project worker to contribute towards the delivery of our family and community support programmes.

Benefits: Dr Bell’s is a people-led organisation where staff are valued, supported, and encouraged to thrive. We offer a Living Wage salary, generous annual leave (including Christmas closure, a birthday day off and personal day), flexible working options, enhanced family-friendly policies, a strong pension, and 24/7 wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our Edinburgh Family Wellbeing Service, to positively impact on the lives of children, young people and their families. This innovative service works alongside children and their families across Edinburgh from our office in Whitehouse Loan, where this role would be based.

Children First along with our 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.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• will possess excellent administrative, IT and financial skills to support the work of Children First

• provide a first point of contact to telephone enquiries about support, answering questions and responding to queries using own initiative as appropriate to ensure a relational and responsive service is provided

• ability to maintain diaries, schedule and coordinate meetings and appointments

• a cool head and clear minded at times of pressure

• thinks it’s a privilege to work for and on behalf of children and families and

• is kind and will bring their whole selves to the job: heart and mind

Above all else, the most important thing to us is that you are someone that will support the teams who are doing the right thing for children and their families at every turn.

What we offer:

• A workplace with values of with love, with purpose and with strength

• 40 days annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays

• Pension scheme and wellbeing support

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements

• Access to Westfield Health, giving colleagues and their families confidential counselling support, wellbeing resources, and access to health and lifestyle benefits to support physical and mental wellbeing.

• Blue Light card discount

• A Fair Work accredited workplace

Base

You will be based in our Edinburgh office in Whitehouse Loan. Due to the needs of the service, this is an office-based role.

Our Values

Living our values, you will help create a workplace where our people can thrive, ensuring we deliver the best possible support to children and families.

With love, we put children first.

With purpose, we transform lives together.

With strength, we do whatever it takes to protect Scotland’s children.

Help shape brighter futures for children and families across Scotland

At Children First, we believe every child should be safe, loved and able to enjoy a happy childhood. As Scotland's national children's charity, we work alongside children, families and communities to protect children from harm, support recovery from trauma and abuse and create lasting change.

We are looking for a compassionate, skilled and motivated Community Partnership & Participation Worker to join our team and help strengthen the support available to children and families across Scotland.

In this exciting role, you will build trusted relationships with communities, services and partner organisations, helping families access the support they need while ensuring children's and families' voices influence how services are developed and improved.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference by connecting people, strengthening local networks and helping shape services that respond to what matters most to children and families.

What you'll do

Working as part of our Support Line service, you will:

• Develop strong partnerships with community organisations, schools, health services, local authorities and third sector partners.
• Improve access to support for families experiencing poverty, inequality, kinship care challenges or concerns about a child's safety.
• Increase awareness of Children First Support Line and the range of help available to families across Scotland.
• Ensure children, young people and families have meaningful opportunities to share their experiences and help shape service development.
• Support participation, engagement and co-production activities, including events, consultations and focus groups.
• Build local knowledge of community resources and identify gaps, barriers and opportunities for support.
• Gather learning and insights that help us improve services and influence positive change for children and families.

What we're looking for

• You'll bring experience of community engagement, partnership working or participation practice, along with a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children and families.

You'll also have:

• Experience working with children, young people, families or communities.
• Strong relationship-building and partnership skills.
• Excellent communication and facilitation abilities.
• An understanding of poverty, inequality and the barriers families can face when seeking support.
• Knowledge of children's rights and participation approaches.
• Experience of trauma-informed, strengths-based and relationship-based practice.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and maintain accurate records.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office and digital communication tools.

Who you are

We're looking for someone who:

• Believes in the power of children's voices.
• Values inclusion, participation and co-production.
• Builds trust quickly and works collaboratively with others.
• Is passionate about reducing inequality and improving children's lives.
• Brings warmth, curiosity and compassion to their work.
• Shares our commitment to safeguarding and promoting children's rights.

Why join Children First?

At Children First, our values guide everything we do:

With Love

We put children first, listening with compassion and kindness and standing alongside families when they need support most.

With Purpose

We work together with families, communities and partners to create lasting change and better outcomes for children.

With Strength

We do whatever it takes to protect Scotland's children and champion their rights.

You'll join a supportive organisation that values learning, innovation and collaboration, where your work will directly contribute to helping children and families thrive.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and anti-racist organisation where everyone experiences a sense of belonging. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences and particularly encourage applications from groups currently under-represented within our workforce.

Join us

If you're passionate about building stronger communities, amplifying children's voices and helping families access the support they need, we'd love to hear from you.

Together, with love, purpose and strength, we can help Scotland's children and families thrive.