Family Advisor

DGWGO Limited; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Mileage allowance

Confidential counselling service

Toil policy

Flexible working

Probation period

Job summary

Mindroom is recruiting a Mindroom Direct Support Practitioner in Glasgow for a fixed-term one-year role within the Whole Family Support Fund programme. You will manage a personal caseload and provide high-quality, person-centred information, advice and practical support to families raising neurodivergent children and young people.

Working with the Senior Family Advisor and wider team, you will deliver 1:1 and group sessions, contribute to resource development and ensure safeguarding,

Qualifications

• Experience providing information, advice and support to families.
• Trauma-informed approach in engaging with neurodivergent children and young people.
• Ability to advocate for families and represent them in meetings.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a personal caseload providing high-quality, person-centred support to families.
• Deliver 1:1 and group support sessions, online and in person.
• Develop resources and contribute to service development and funder reporting.
• Build relationships with local services, schools and partner agencies across the hub area.
• Represent Mindroom at local meetings and community events.
• Ensure confidentiality, data protection and accurate casework records.
• Support safeguarding and child protection policies across all work.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Advocacy

Group facilitation

Communication

Casework documentation

Safeguarding

Partnership development

Job description

As part of our place-based Whole Family Support Fund programme, we will establish seven Mindroom hubs in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, East and Midlothian, West Lothian, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, and the Highlands and Islands.

The postholder will work across one of these local hubs, manage a personal caseload, and provide high-quality, person-centred information, advice and support to families raising neurodivergent children and young people. This is a practitioner role within Mindroom’s Direct Support Services team.

With support from the Senior Family Advisor, the Service Manager, and the wider Direct Support Services team, the postholder will work directly with families to understand their views and experiences, contribute to resource development, and help ensure the service continues to reflect and respond to what families tell us they need.

The postholder will provide advice, information, and emotional and practical support to families across a personal caseload, drawing on a non-judgemental, trauma-informed approach. They will also work alongside professionals and partner agencies, facilitate access to group-based support, and help ensure families get the right support at the right time.

Direct Support Duties

The postholder will maintain a personal caseload, providing:

• High-quality, person-centred advice, information, emotional and practical support to families.
• 1:1 support using a variety of approaches, helping families to identify goals, build confidence and develop skills to navigate services and communicate with professionals independently.
• Direct support to neurodivergent children and young people, alongside their parents and carers.
• Support and information to professionals working with neurodivergent children and young people and their families.
• Advocacy and representation at meetings on behalf of families, where required.
• Accurate and timely casework records, maintained in accordance with Mindroom’s policies and procedures, including confidentiality and data protection.
• Accurate and timely monitoring and evaluation, including using existing tools and creating case studies.
• Implementation of Mindroom’s Safeguarding and Child Protection policies across all areas of work.

Groups, Resources and Service Development

Working with the Senior Family Advisor and the wider hub team, the postholder will:

• Work with the group facilitator to provide group-based and peer support sessions, both online and in person, across the hub area.
• Support the planning and design of group activities, reflecting what families in the area have asked for.
• Work directly with families to gather their views and experiences, ensuring these inform the ongoing development of Mindroom’s services.
• Contribute to the development and production of resources and materials appropriate to families, children and young people.
• Contribute to tracking activity and outcomes for the hub, providing information for funder reporting.
• Build and maintain working relationships with local services, schools, community organisations and partner agencies across the hub area.
• Represent Mindroom at relevant local meetings and community events in the hub area.
• Support and work alongside volunteers and students on placement, as required.

Wider Organisational Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Senior Family Advisor and team members to ensure enquiries are responded to appropriately, and the service remains efficient and responsive to families’ needs.
• Collaborate with partner agencies and charities to explore and develop working partnerships.
• Contribute to the production of evidence-based resources appropriate to our audiences.
• Contribute to consultations that may influence statutory organisations as they formulate policy and practice.
• Participate in Continuous Personal Development in relevant areas to promote growth and confidence within the role.
• Bring flexibility and adaptability to a developing team, embracing evolving processes and ways of working to deliver the best possible service to families.
• Work independently and on own initiative, while knowing when to seek support from a line manager or colleagues.
• Carry out other appropriate duties as required.

Additional Information

The salary range for this post is £25,290 to £33,767. Applicants will usually be appointed at the first point of the salary scale. We offer 27 days annual leave, plus 8 days public holidays. This role is offered as a fixed-term 1-year contract, with extension subject to further funding. The role is full-time, 35 hours per week.

The charity operates a contributory pension scheme, with an employer contribution currently at 5%. There is a mileage allowance for own car use. We have a confidential conversations service in place for all staff, currently provided by Crossreach. A TOIL policy covers out-of-hours work. As a new employee, you will need to successfully complete a 3-month probationary period. Flexible working is available.

PVG registration is required for this role, and the successful applicant will be expected to comply with Mindroom’s policies and procedures, including confidentiality and data protection.

This post involves hybrid working, with a combination of home-based working, attendance at the Edinburgh office when required, and frequent travel across your hub area to support children, young people, parents and carers in person, attend partnership meetings and facilitate group sessions. Occasional weekend and/or evening work may be required.