Birth Links Support Worker

MindVault Inc.; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A Regional Adoption Agency is looking for a part-time Support Worker in Gloucester to provide independent support to birth relatives and adopted adults. The ideal candidate should have excellent communication skills, experience with negotiation, and the ability to engage with service users facing complex situations. This role includes home visits and group work. Flexible working, supervision, and training will be provided.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Local Government Pension Scheme

Access to Child Care vouchers scheme

Qualifications

• Strong communication and negotiation skills, especially with upset service users.
• Self-sufficient in planning and organizing own work.
• Awareness of Government initiatives in relation to Adoption best practices.

Responsibilities

• Visit birth relatives in their own home to provide emotional support.
• Support birth parents to write later life letters for their children.
• Liaise with social workers and support workers regarding contact plans.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Proven negotiation skills

Ability to prioritise tasks

Good I.T. skills

Fluent in English

Education

A levels / National Diploma or equivalent experience

Job description

Overview

Adoption West is a Regional Adoption Agency and Registered Voluntary Adoption Agency commissioned by Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Councils. Adoption West provides a range of adoption services including:

• The recruitment and assessment of prospective adopters
• Family finding services for children requiring permanency via adoption
• Post adoption support services
• Services to birth family and adopted adults

This is an exciting time to join Adoption West as we build on the solid foundations already in place and our Good rating from Ofsted. We have a vacancy for a part time Support Worker in the Birth Links team, and this post will have a caseload of service users who live in the Gloucestershire area.

Main Duties

Birth Links is the team within Adoption West, which provides independent 1:1 support and group work to birth relatives and adopted adults. The tasks the Support Worker will undertake are visiting birth relatives in their own home and providing emotional support and giving and clarifying information about the adoption process; supporting birth parents to write a later life letter for their child, supporting birth parents to meet with the adopters of their child, liaising with childrens social workers and with letterbox support workers regarding contact plans, running birth parent groups and signposting to a range of other services.

You Will Need

• A levels / National Diploma or equivalent experience/skills.
• Ability to prioritise tasks and work on own initiative against deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven negotiation skills especially when working with service users who may be upset and stressed.
• Ability to engage service users with complex needs who may struggle to attend planned appointments.
• Self-sufficient in planning and organising own work, including recording, storing and retrieving required data and information.
• An awareness of Government initiatives in relation to Adoption best practice and procedures.
• To be an active team player by contributing to the development of the service, ensuring the customer is always at the centre of such developments.
• Good I.T. skills.
• Fluent in English.
• A driving licence and use of a vehicle as travelling around the region is required.

Adoption West

• is an organisation with a wealth of experience and has a learning culture, committed to enabling the post holder to grow and develop in their role.
• provides support through supervision and training.
• offers flexible working arrangements, including job shares.
• provides a Local Government Pension Scheme and access to the Child Care vouchers scheme

If you have the experience, skills, knowledge and enthusiasm we are seeking and are looking for a new challenge then we look forward to hearing from you.

Additional information

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and will require an Enhanced DBS check before appointment can be confirmed.

Confidentiality: Employees are expected to maintain the required level of confidentiality at all times in relation to their work.

To apply, please click the apply button and continue to our careers website to complete our online application form.