Children and Young Persons Support Services Worker

St David's Hospice Care; Newport; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A community healthcare service in Newport seeks a Children and Young Persons Support Services Worker. This role involves providing bereavement support for children affected by life-threatening illnesses, working collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team, and assessing the emotional and practical needs of children and families. Ideal candidates will possess qualifications in social work or counselling and have experience working in child and family settings.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years post-qualifying experience in a child and family setting.
• Experience working directly with children and families.
• Understanding of the holistic aims and principles underpinning palliative care.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high quality pre and post bereavement care for children affected by illness.
• Support multi-disciplinary team in child development and welfare.
• Develop a framework for assessment of needs for children in families.

Skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Flexibility

Education

Qualification in Social Work/Counselling

Post graduate qualification in Childhood Bereavement

Job description

Children and Young Persons Support Services Worker

As a member of amulti-professional team, the post holder will be responsible for theprovision of aquality, community-based pre and/or post bereavement service for children

and young people throughoutthe areas St David's Hospice Care provide support, underthe supervision ofthe Family Support Team Manager.

The post holder willwork in partnership with the multi-professional team providing child-focusedadvice, information, education, and training.

Main duties of the job

Thedevelopment and delivery of high quality pre and post bereavement care forchildren and young people affected by life threatening illness of patients ofSt. David's Hospice Care and those referred to the service for this support byexternal agencies.

Contributingto and supporting the multi-disciplinary team on issues related to childdevelopment and welfare through working closely with other members of St David's Hospice Care to ensure consistency of bereavement care andintervention.

To develop a framework for referral and assessmentof need for children and young people in the families of people being supportedby St David's Hospice Care. Which will aim to ensure that children and young persons emotional social and practical needs are met that they areadequately prepared for anticipated death of a parent or carer that healthygrieving is promoted & that risk factors are minimised & future problemsprevented;

To assess the needs of children and young peoplepre and post bereavement.

To hold a caseload that supports children and youngpeople identified as being most at risk.

To provide support for parents and carers tofacilitate their understanding and ability to help children through bereavement.

To work closely with others involved in the care ofthe family and provide support and guidance for those working with complex orhigh- risk situations e.g. Social Worker or Clinical Nurse Specialist.

About us

Thedevelopment and delivery of high quality pre- and post-bereavement care forchildren and young people affected by life threatening illness of patients ofSt David's Hospice Care and those referred to the service for this support byexternal agencies.

Contributingto and supporting the multi-disciplinary team on issues related to childdevelopment and welfare through working closely with other members of St David's Hospice Care to ensure consistency of bereavement care andintervention.

To develop a framework for referral and assessmentof need for children and young people in the families of people being supportedby St David's Hospice Care. A framework which will aim to ensure that childrenand young persons emotional, social and practical needs are met, that they areadequately prepared for anticipated death of a parent/carer, that healthygrieving is promoted and that risk factors are minimised and future problemsprevented;

To assess the needs of children and young peoplepre and post bereavement.

To hold a caseload that supports children and youngpeople identified as being most at risk.

To provide support for parents and carers tofacilitate their understanding and ability to help children through bereavement.

Job responsibilities

Thedevelopment and delivery of high quality pre and post bereavement care forchildren and young people affected by life threatening illness of patients ofSt David's Hospice Care, and those referred to the service for this support byexternal agencies.

Contributingto and supporting the multi-disciplinary team on issues related to childdevelopment and welfare through working closely with other members of St David's Hospice Care to ensure consistency of bereavement care andintervention.

To develop a framework for referral and assessmentof need for children and young people in the families of people being supportedby St David's Hospice Care. A framework which will aim to ensure that childrenand young persons emotional social and practical needs are met that they areadequately prepared for anticipated death of a parent and carer that healthygrieving is promoted and that risk factors are minimised and future problemsprevented.

To assess the needs of children and young peoplepre and post bereavement.

To hold a caseload that supports children and youngpeople identified as being most at risk.

To provide support for parents and carers tofacilitate their understanding and ability to help children through bereavement.

To research and write policies which ensure bestpractice is upheld and the well being and safety of children and young peopleare actively promoted.

To work closely with others involved in the care ofthe family and provide support and guidance for those working with complex orhigh risk situations e.g. Social Worker Clinical Nurse Specialist.

To liaise with the multi-professional team onmatters related to child development emotional social practical andbereavement care.

To facilitate and further develop services and informationfor children, young people and their parents/carers.

To maintain up-to-date knowledge of the legislationcovering the range of duties and services provided by statutory departments andlegal frameworks around Safeguarding Children and Young People in order to giveappropriate advice to other members of the team as well as patients and theirfamilies.

To ensure that satisfactory records are maintained,in accordance with SDF policies and procedures which will facilitate internaland external professional communication and maintain relevant statistics.

To participate in the multi-professional auditprogramme and audit the Children and Young Persons service.

To participate in in-house staff support meetingsand systems.

To participate in Light Up A Life and Remembranceevents.

To accept and participate in regular clinicalsupervision sessions and training to facilitate on-going professionaldevelopment.

To provide reports, as requested, to the FSTManager and Director of Nursing.

To contribute to the further development of theFamily Support Team.

To promote the work of the service and theOrganisation at all times.

Person Specification

Additional Knowledge

• Ability to ensure that children, young people and their families are at the centre of service delivery and planning
• Ability to plan, develop and evaluate a service in line with requirements of need and policy
• Ability to provide guidance and consultation to other key team members
• Good organisational and time management skills and capabilities to carry the post with confidence and credibility
• Excellent verbal and written communication and representational skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
• Able to work closely with colleagues whilst also being able to function independently
• Commitment and ability to practice in a way that is non-discriminatory and non-judgemental
• Ability to reflect on practice
• An understanding of, and commitment to, the holistic aims and principles underpinning palliative care
• An understanding of the ethnic, cultural and religious influences on patients and their families, and how these affect (or are affected by) life-threatening illness or bereavement
• A capacity to be flexible and to innovate
• Able to carry a high level of stress
• Experience of working in a medical/palliative care setting
• A committed, creative and enthusiastic approach to the post

Qualities & Attributes

• Flexible
• Highly motivated

Qualifications

• Qualification in Social Work /Counselling/Post graduate qualification in Childhood Bereavement or other relevant Health and Social Care discipline
• Additional relevant qualification, e.g. Counselling, Family Therapy, Psychology, Childhood Bereavement, Play/Art Therapy
• Registration with the Care Council of Wales or other appropriate professional body

Experience

• At least three years post-qualifying experience in a child and family setting.
• Experience of working directly with children and families.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation (including Childrens Act 1989)
• Knowledge and experience of conducting assessments.
• Experience of working as part of a multi-professional team.
• Experience of working with bereavement, loss and change
• Experience of working as part of a multi-professional team
• Experience/involvement in providing professional education/training courses, with the ability to design and develop training programmes for professionals with social care and/or healthcare backgrounds

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.