Our team is expanding and we are looking for an additional part time Dads Worker to Support Dads, children and families across North Ayrshire. This role involves engaging with Dads and families to offer bespoke support and signposting in both one to one and small group settings.

Working alongside our existing Dads worker and health and social care professionals in the universal early years team, you will help provide Dads and other male carers with the tools they need to become more confident and resilient and ensure the best start in life for their children.

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

“Supporting mental health and wellbeing is a big part of what we do. We help young people talk about how they're feeling, and make sure they don't feel alone.”

An exciting opportunity to join an existing team through additional funding from Glasgow. This new position will sit alongside a team of established counsellors and is a fantastic opportunity to become part of an existing team and continue your journey in school counselling.

As part of the Glasgow Secondary Schools Counselling and Blues Service, you'll play a crucial role in delivering high-quality, school-based professional counselling and effective intervention, management of cases and assessment of needs you will ensure safe care and agreed positive outcomes to secondary school children aged 12-18 years who are negatively affected or are at risk of being affected by poor mental health.

The Blues Programme is an internationally acclaimed wellbeing programme for young people. Over six weeks, it teaches emotional resilience, and reduces low mood and anxious thoughts. Crucially, it gets teenagers talking.

As a Counsellor, you'll be able to effectively engage with young people to deliver counselling support, predominantly within a school setting but there may also be a requirement in a local community or home setting.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities for the Counsellor role are;

• Providing a high-quality service to young people, that is outcomes-driven and based on an assessment of need.
• Delivering complex and specialist interventions with young people on a 1:1 basis, group or community setting.
• Implement lead case/care planning management, including undertaking assessing, reviewing and managing risks.
• Attending and participating at relevant multi agency meetings, providing a lead role ensuring reflective and analytical practice review.

Let's talk about you

• A recognised counselling qualification (e.g., diploma counselling, COSCA counselling modules), with relevant experience and be registered/ accredited with COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) or BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) or equivalent.
• Experience of working within a multi-agency social care, schools, early years or health environment and applying safeguarding best practice.
• Experience of managing cases, in accordance with agreed procedures and completing assessments, planning and reviews to ensure positive outcomes.
• Capacity to train in relevant Evidence Based Programmes including the Blues programme or Decider.

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

“Aberlour has helped me to “learn how to be a Mum again, how to listen and regulate my emotions and support my children to do the same.” - Parent

About Aberlour Family Matters South Ayrshire

Aberlour Family Matters works in partnership with South Ayrshire Council and offers support to mums and dads who have had children permanently removed from their care. You will offer individual and group support alongside relationship based and strengths focused whole family support where appropriate. You will also work with South Ayrshire Council partners to ensure the voices and experiences of parents, carers and practitioners can help support the ongoing improvement of the permanence process. The project has been funded by Scottish Government since April 2022.

You will build up relationships with families facing disadvantage and work together with them to assess their strengths and needs and deliver an agreed family plan, offering emotional and practical support. You will work individually and in groups to strengthen health and wellbeing, building esteem, skills and confidence.

What we are looking for....

We are looking for a kind, committed and experienced individual to join our team.

You will have experience in working alongside partner services and families who have often experienced the impact of trauma, poverty, and social exclusion. You will have good listening skills and be able to plan, deliver and evaluate a range of family and wellbeing support strategies which help families to their own solutions. You will have experience of child and adult protection issues. Your values should be aligned with The Promise, GIRFEC and UNCRC as well as Aberlour values. You must share our vision that collaborative working, relationship based, strengths focussed early intervention is the best option for children and families who are feeling overwhelmed or excluded.

You will work 22.5 hours per week, these hours will be planned and worked flexibly Monday - Sunday 7am-10pm to meet the needs of families we support. This post is currently funded until 31st March 2024, however we will be actively seeking funding to extend this further.

It would be helpful if candidates hold a valid driver’s licence and have use of a car for working hours, the role will cover the whole of South Ayrshire.

Find out more information on what we are looking for in candidates here.

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. To have a look at our values to understand more about what we are looking for from our employeesclick here

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 here.

Circle is a children and families charity working at the heart of communities across central Scotland. Our purpose is to improve the lives of children by strengthening families.

Circle’s approach builds on strengths, is solution focussed and uses a whole family approach to create a family environment that promotes healthy development in children.

In partnership with Shine Women’s Mentoring Service, we have an exciting opportunity for a committed and enthusiastic individual to join our team.

Delivering mentoring and outreach family support services for women and their families affected by imprisonment.

The service is available to all adult females who are:

• currently serving a custodial sentence in Scotland of less than four years and not subject to a statutory order; or
• on remand; or
• subject to a Community Payback Order and/or Drug Treatment and Testing Order

Applicants should possess a qualification in social work, social care, education or health, and have relevant experience.