This is an exciting opportunity to join our team of dedicated staff supporting children and families to maintain or rebuild relationships with missing family members after parental separation or relationship breakdown. The role provides an interesting variety of family support interventions including working in our child contact centres as the Family Connection Lead worker (we refer to child contact as our Family Connections service); one-to-one work with children in our All About Me Voice of the Child service; and developing focussed project and group work.

Our Family Connections service supports families through a child’s rights lens to support families move towards independent co-parenting solutions with the child’s needs at the heart of decision making. You will work as part of a staff team, on shift, with families referred via the family court system, or via self-referrals, to ensure safe supervised and supported child contact can be facilitated. You will have excellent relational skills and experience of working with both children and parents/carers. As Lead Worker you will have responsibility for families matched to you through our referrals and allocations process and ensure each family member is fully prepared for support, nurtured throughout their Family Connections journey, ensure reviews are timely, and that all work supports steps towards positive outcomes for children.

Currently the project part of this role is funded to develop our commitment to care experienced children and young people through The Promise. We seek someone with experience in participation and engagement practice and skills to organise small connection events. You should have experience of developing projects, collecting accurate data, and contributing to the impact assessment and reporting of the project. You should also have experience of working with external stakeholders, ideally social workers, solicitors and other third sector partners. Please note the funding through The Promise ends in Jan 2025 hence the temporary nature of this role. It is anticipated further project funding will be available after this time.

The role will also involve nurturing one-to-one support through our All About Me Voice of the Child service which adopts a therapeutic approach to support the child understand more about their family story, safely explore their feelings and opinions, and explore options for next steps. Sometimes our children voice they are not ready to see family members due to previous trauma, it is our duty to ensure this voice is heard by decision makers, including parents and family court Sheriffs.

The Organisation:

Family Journeys are a forward-thinking organisation who work with and alongside children and families as they navigate changes to their family because of separation and relationship breakdown. Often our families have experienced high levels of conflict and children and parent relationships have become negatively impacted by adversity and change. We start our engagement with every family believing in success and achieving positive outcomes for children. Family Journeys provide professional Family Mediation services, Family Connections services, All About Me Voice of the Child services, individual parent support, and group or project work provision to support families find solutions. We proudly adapt our services to meet the needs of our children and families in response to lived experience feedback.

Family Journeys are a small organisation doing big things across Edinburgh and The Lothians. We belief the biggest difference comes from attention to the smallest details. We always think ‘child first’. So, if you are kind and compassionate, skilled in building relationships and see the person not the problem, if you share our commitment to involving children as active decision makers in their own care arrangements that will forever impact on their family relationships – then we want to hear from you.

The Opportunity:

We are looking to employ at 6-18 hours per week however we would be willing to discuss hours at interview. The role is fully funded until January 2025 with continued funding anticipated.

This role will be over 1-3 days per week and will be on shift in our Family Connections service which operate Thursday – Sunday. One weekend day will be required. We work with staff to ensure best fit with your circumstances and the needs of the organisation to set an agreed working pattern to a fixed rota across the staff team. Project and Development hours will be worked flexibly to meet the needs of our children and families. This may include outreach family support and group work. You will have flexibility to manage these hours across the rest of your week with compressed hours an option.

Family Journeys offer you a competitive salary with annual incremental growth, generous annual leave entitlement (35 days pro rata inclusive of 9 public holidays and 1 annual wellbeing day) and a contributory pension scheme.

Scottish Adoption and Fostering provides sector leading services to children and young people. We are looking for a passionate, committed, and experienced Children’s Worker and Participation Officer to join our Support Services.

The postholder will work alongside our children and young people to devise and implement planned programmes of work which support their understanding of their life experiences; enhance their identity and self-esteem and promote healthy emotional development.

The postholder will work with the Practice Manager for Adoption and Fostering Support to ensure the voice of lived experience shapes service design and delivery and to embed children’s rights at the heart of all we do.

This is an exciting time to be joining the Agency as we develop our mainstream fostering service building on our existing knowledge and expertise in the area of adoption

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

Bilston Residential Service is dedicated to providing a nurturing environment for a young girl with a learning disability and ASD. Our newly renovated house is designed to support her in having a fulfilling and active life, both within her home and in the wider community. We understand and appreciate her unique personality and strive to create a space where she can thrive and be supported with her individual needs.

Our young person loves the outdoors and especially enjoys local walks in the woods, regardless of the weather! In the house a range of activities will be planned to provide engagement, physical activity and to meet sensory needs. She loves regular visits from her mother and father that may include going for walks and eating out.

Our staff are expected to be creative and innovative in their approach to supporting our young people in making positive choices and achieving their personal goals. We value patience and resilience, especially when dealing with challenging behaviours, and strive to create a nurturing environment that promotes independence and fosters positive experiences and skill developments.

At Bilston, we believe allowing staff to choose between single or double shifts allows more flexibility and a better work/life balance. A suggested shift pattern of working 2 long days one week and 3 long days the next week provides a good work-life balance while on FT contracts. This, alongside the opportunity to support a wonderful YP with lots of potential makes Bilson a very desirable place to work.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities for the role are;

• Help young people in all aspects of their daily lives.
• Have good communication skills and the ability to engage well with both young people, colleagues and other professionals.
• Be a creative thinker and having a solution focused approach.
• Use your skills, knowledge and experience to meet the needs of young people.

Let's talk about you

• A positive approach, providing a fun environment for all the children 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, or vulnerable adults
• Safeguarding knowledge.

Good to know

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

Benefits:29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays, Blue Light card, excellent training and developments opportunities, professional qualifications, excellent training and development opportunities, flexible maternity, adoption and paternity packages, up to 7% employer contribution pension, discount portal with your favourite brands.

At Children 1st our ambition is for every child in Scotland to be safe, loved and well with their family. As a charity we offer emotional, practical, and financial support to help families to put children first and campaign to uphold the rights of every child.

An opportunity has arisen for a Finance Business Partner to join our Finance Team within our Corporate Services Directorate.

This role is integral to the running of the organisation, working with the Head of Finance across the organisation supporting managers in their business planning, budget setting and providing management information to allow our managers to make the best possible decisions. The role will also be responsible for producing management accounts.

Based in Edinburgh, with some home working and visits to sites across Scotland, the successful candidate will bring significant experience business partnering. The role will involve collaborating with colleagues across the organisation, taking the time to build relationships and understand the needs of the organisation.

You join us at an exciting time as we continue to play our part in helping Scotland's children and families as we enter the post-covid world and navigate a cost of living crisis. We are a dynamic charity focussed on leading transformational change for children so that they stay safe, happy and well in their own families and communities.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a busy finance team which is going through a period of change and development.

The main duties and responsibilities include:

• To act as a key interface between Finance and Children 1st’s business units based across Scotland.
• Develop and maintain accurate knowledge and understanding of cost centre environment.
• Sign off and supply correct information for internal and external publication, for which accuracy and auditability are key.
• Operate a Finance onboarding process for new delivery partners to ensure that adequate data provision is in place and operational records are kept.

To be considered for this opportunity you must be/have:

• Fully Qualified Accountant (ICAS, ACA, ACCA, CIMA etc.)
• Month-end and management accounts experience
• Have a strong aptitude for analysing financial data
• Budgeting and performance management experience
• Strong excel skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Package Includes:

• Full Time, 35-hour week
• Hybrid working
• Other flexible working arrangements
• 40 days leave entitlement
• Company pension

If you have previous experience of working in a senior accountancy role, are enthusiastic and motivated we’d love to hear from you.