Children First Support Line

Could you play a vital role within our national Support Line, helping deliver Scotland's mission to eradicate child poverty?

Join Children First and be part of a once in a generation transformation in how families access help to alleviate crisis, prevent harm and build long-term stability to break the cycle of child poverty. Funded by the Scottish Government, we are doubling the size of our Support Line with the aim of supporting 7,500 more families across Scotland in the first year.

We've been preventing harm, supporting recovery and driving change since 1884 and our ambitious plans for the Support Line build on our experience of delivering cash-first, short, medium and long-term holistic support to families living in, or at risk of, poverty.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our growing multidisciplinary team and help ensure every family in Scotland has somewhere to turn when they need help.

About the Role

You will play a vital role in the expansion and delivery of our national support line service, which offers practical, financial and emotional support to families through phone calls, webchats, advice and information on our website and in their homes and communities across Scotland.

This role plays a key role in supporting the effective day-to-day running of Children First services. The postholder provides operational, administrative and systems support to ensure services run safely, efficiently and in line with organisational requirements.

This role is central to enabling high-quality support for children, young people and families. The postholder will support the effective operation of the national Support Line by coordinating service administration across telephone, webchat and digital channels, ensuring accurate records, efficient service access and high-quality information to support performance monitoring and reporting.

By coordinating key processes such as data management, finance administration, service access and local operations, the Service Operations Administrator allows Support Line Coordinators, volunteers team leaders and managers to focus on delivering impactful support.

The role operates with a high level of autonomy and responsibility, often acting as the first point of contact for operational matters within a service. It requires strong organisational skills, initiative, and the ability to respond flexibly to changing service needs.

What You'll Be Doing

1. Service Operations and Coordination

Services are well-organised, responsive and able to operate effectively, with administrative and operational processes running smoothly and consistently.

2. Systems and Data Management

Accurate and timely data is maintained across systems (including Dynamics, Advice Pro and our Call Handling System), supporting service delivery, reporting and organisational insight.

3. Finance and Resource Management

Service-level financial processes are managed accurately and in line with organisational procedures.

4. Facilities, Health & Safety and Local Operations

Service environments are safe, compliant and well-maintained, with appropriate coordination of property, facilities and health & safety activities.

5. Team and Service Support

Practitioners and managers are effectively supported through coordination of meetings, diaries, resources and operational requirements.

Core Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and operational support to ensure effective service delivery
• Maintain accurate records and data within organisational systems (including Dynamics)
• Support financial processes including invoices, purchasing and petty cash
• Act as a key point of contact for enquiries, supporting service access and communication
• Coordinate meetings, diaries, resources and general service organisation
• Support compliance with organisational policies and procedures
• Support the administration of Support Line activity including contact volumes, service schedules and rotas, referrals, practitioner workflows and performance reporting
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative team environment

Service-Specific Responsibilities

· Health & Safety coordination and local compliance tasks

· Property and facilities management

· Reception / front of house responsibilities

· Supporting local funding, resources or community activity

· Event coordination or service-specific administration

· Additional systems or reporting requirements

· Support the administration of telephone, webchat and digital support channels.

· Assist with service performance reporting, data quality checks, case closures and monitoring against contract requirements.

· Support referral pathways, financial support administration and onward connections to local and national services.

· Coordinate practitioner rotas, meetings, training records and operational communications.

· Contribute to the oversight of the budget

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who is passionate about supporting children and families and who can build trust quickly through empathy, compassion and kindness.

· Strong organisational and coordination skills

· Ability to manage competing priorities and work independently

· Confidence using systems and managing data accurately

· Strong communication and interpersonal skills

· A proactive and flexible approach

· Alignment with Children First values

Our Values

Everything we do is guided by our values:

With Love

We put children first with compassion and kindness.

With Purpose

We work alongside families and partners to transform children's lives together.

With Strength

We do whatever it takes to protect Scotland's children.

What You'll Get From Us

At Children First, you'll be part of a values-led organisation committed to developing and supporting our people.

We offer:

• 40 days annual leave including public holidays.

• Contributory pension scheme.

• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities.

• Wellbeing support and health benefits.

• Blue Light Card discounts.

• Learning, training and career development opportunities.

• The opportunity to help shape an ambitious national service supporting thousands of families across Scotland.

Are you passionate about helping vulnerable children and young people to have the best opportunities to fulfil their potential? Do you believe that children have the right to live within a safe family environment where they get the care, support and encouragement they need to flourish?

If so, the role of Independent Form F Assessor may give you a perfect chance to fulfil these aims.

About Aberlour Fostering

Our Fostering Team is home based, with access to offices for team meetings. We are a National Fostering Service, so this role requires travel to be able to meet with foster carers and other agencies.

What we are looking for....

With trauma informed practice at the heart of our work, Aberlour has a strong reputation, built over 20 years, for providing fostering services for vulnerable children and young people in Scotland. As an independent Form F Assessor, you will undertake comprehensive Form F assessments of prospective Foster Carers in accordance with fostering legislation and guidance, and Aberlour Fostering’s policies and procedures, ensuring that high-quality, evidence-based reports are presented to the fostering panel within required timeframes. If you apply for a Form F Assessor role, you’ll be self-employed, which gives you the flexibility to balance working with other commitments you may have.

“Aberlour Fostering is 5 Star. As we have taken a child under our wing, Aberlour has taken us under theirs. We feel part of a team, one big family with the same common goals and values. Working together with amazing people, we feel supported and valued” - one of our current foster carers.

We are looking for people who:

• Have a recognised social work qualification.
• Register and maintain an appropriate professional registration with the SSSC as a social worker.
• Have experience of working within Children's services.
• Have an understanding of fostering and the current legislation framework.
• Hold a full UK driving licence and access to a car.
• Have experience of Fostering Network Transfer Protocol.

What we offer...

£2000 per completed assessment.

Supervision and support at varying points throughout the assessment i.e. start, mid-point and towards the end.

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.