Family Support Practitioner

Islington Council; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Islington Council seeks a Family Support Practitioner to provide essential support to families facing challenges. The role involves engaging with families, conducting assessments, and collaborating with community partners to foster resilience and improve family outcomes. Ideal candidates will have relevant qualifications and a commitment to creating a more equal community.

Benefits

Up to 31 days leave per year

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Competitive pay at London Living Wage minimum

Excellent local government pension scheme

Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships

Qualifications

• Experience in providing family support services.
• Ability to work collaboratively with families and community partners.
• Skilled in conducting family assessments and developing support plans.

Responsibilities

• Provide family support through various means including home visits and community engagement.
• Manage a caseload of families with diverse needs.
• Facilitate parenting programs and advice sessions.

Skills

Collaboration

Empathy

Flexibility

Resilience

Education

Relevant degree or qualification in social work or related field

Job description

About The Role

Job overview

Family Support Practitioners provide timely and flexible early help and family support to children, young people and parents/carers. They workin partnership with families and engage informal and formal support networks in their communities to ensure lasting positive outcomes. Theyencourage resilience to enable families to build strong relationships and strategies to deal confidently with the ups and downs of parenting andfamily life.

Main duties of the job

Day to day, you will provide direct family support through a range of means including face to face in the family home, in community venues andonline. You will be responsible for a caseload of families with a range of needs from the practical to the complex.You’ll collaborate with families and partners to agree on where they need help, completing family friendly assessments and plans that lookholistically at family needs and aims. Your support will strengthen family resilience, reduce family stressors and improve family outcomes.You will also use your skills to facilitate parenting programmes and advice sessions. You will proactively engage and work collaboratively withschools and other community partners to validate and enhance the support they provide to families and share information, advice and guidance.

Working for us

Bright Futures is part of Islington's Ofsted rated 'Outstanding' Safeguarding and Family Support Service. We work withfamilies who have children aged five to nineteen years old, delivering flexible help,advice or support. The servicealso offer longer term support when needed toassist families with multiple complex needs to cope with stress and build resilience. The aim is to enable children and families to reach their fullpotential and to support our local communities.We particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates to ensure we have a diverse workforce which isrepresentative of the local community.

Working for the team, service and our organisation

Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn’t beclearer: we serve. It’s in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the boroughand as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, wehave to look after our people.Together we can change the future.

We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive.

To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about.

Our offer to you

We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Our staff benefits include:

• Up to 31 days leave per year, increasing to 36 days after five years of local government service
• A range of flexible working arrangements to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as well as a 35-hour working week
• Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential
• Competitive pay and a commitment to paying all staff the London Living Wage at minimum
• Excellent local government pension scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships
• Local discounts from restaurants, shops, health and beauty therapists, and more!

Please note:Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Islington Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.

Workforce Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable workforce, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Our workforce strategy places equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do, reaffirming our commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel they belong and can safely express their thoughts, ideas, and challenges, without fear of judgement or discrimination.

We maintain a zero-tolerance approach to any unlawful discrimination, harassment, or victimisation on the grounds of any protected characteristics under the 2010 Equality Act, including but not limited to race, disability, sexual orientation, sex, religion and belief, age, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity. Any incidents of discrimination will be promptly investigated and addressed in line with our HR policies to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all colleagues.

We use data to identify and address disparities, ensuring that our policies and practices are transparent and impactful in promoting a diverse representation of backgrounds and perspectives at all levels of the organisation. We look at inequality through an intersectional lens, recognising that different aspects of someone’s identity can combine to create unique experiences of discrimination and disadvantage.

We know that advancing diversity and inclusion is a continuous journey, and we must listen to our colleagues and learn where we can further improve. We work closely with our Colleague Forums and Trade Unions, supported by active allies from our Corporate Management Team, to monitor and evaluate our practices, identify barriers, and empower colleagues to promote equality and inclusion in the workplace.

Every one of us has a role to play in making Islington Council a truly inclusive workplace. By living out our CARE (collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering) values every day and embedding the principles of equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work, we can all actively contribute to empowering people and creating a more equal Islington.

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff, and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts are subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The post is subject toa enhanced DBS check with children barred list, qualifications check and 3/5 years referencing.

Disability Confident Scheme

Islington Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria and we are committed to providing support to applicants who request reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process and throughout their career with us.