Family Support Worker

NHS; Royal Tunbridge Wells; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity as a family support worker within the newly developed Children and Young People Service. This role involves partnering with families of children with life-limiting conditions, offering emotional and practical advice, and ensuring access to resources in a supportive hospice environment.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Flexible working hours

Free parking

Generous pension scheme

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience working with families of children with complex needs.
• Knowledge of safeguarding issues and child protection.
• Time management and report writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Engage and support families referred to the Children and Young People Service.
• Maintain regular links with families, offering practical and emotional support.
• Act as a key worker for a defined caseload.

Skills

Communication

Engagement

Empathy

Advocacy

Education

Relevant social, education, or health care professional qualification at NVQ Level 3

Minimum grade C GCSEs or equivalent, including English Language and Maths

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a well-experienced professional to join our newly developed Children and Young People Service as a family support worker.

Working alongside our Specialist Childrens Nurses and Childrens Support Workers, you will engage with siblings, parents, and caregivers of children living with a life-limiting condition or illness and offer emotional and practical advice, listening support, group work, and activities either within the Hospice or community settings.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for someone with experience working within a health, education, or social care setting who can demonstrate effective engagement, assessment, empathy, communication skills, and advocacy. The candidate should also have some knowledge of local services or resources for families, children, and young people.

Experience in working with children with complex medical needs would be desirable but not essential. Astrong understanding of childrens Safeguarding is required.

Some knowledge or experience of childrens palliative care or of working with grief and loss would also be valuable.

It would be best if you were confident in managing and prioritizing a small caseload and working in a multi-disciplinary partnership with team colleagues across the Hospice. You will be well supported and receive regular supervision in practice to develop your skills effectively.

About us

Hospice in the Weald is a well-established local charity serving the communities in West Kent and northern East Sussex for more than 40 years. We provide outstanding Hospice care to adults and children living with a terminal illness, and their loved ones.

In return we will invest in your development and future career progression. We are a friendly and welcoming team and value our workforce. Our Hospices are set in beautiful countryside and benefits include free parking and a generous holiday allowance with the ability to buy and sell additional holiday. We alsooffer a rewarding work environment, a generous pension, and flexible working hours.

Job responsibilities

Reports to Childrens Clinical Nurse Specialist

Professional supervision provided by the Social Worker within the Hospice.

Location Based at the main Hospice in Pembury, Kent, with the requirement to work at other locations within West Kent and East Sussex.

Scope & Job Purpose: To provide initial assessment and engagement with new families referred to the Children and Young People Service and support their access to resources.

To work in partnership with families to develop new support opportunities for parents and siblings, and alongside team and colleagues to participate in events and activities for children.

Key Responsibilities

To visit all newly referred families to assess their needs and arrange for appropriate services to be delivered.

To maintain a regular link with families and offer practical and emotional support when needed.

Act as a key worker for a defined caseload and liaise with external and internal professionals as required.

Maintaining electronic records and case notes concerning family details and information.

Provide or arrange welfare advice or support in applying for benefits or grant applications, and advocate for the family in other engagements with statutory agencies.

To develop and facilitate new activities, support networks, and groups for parents, siblings, and carers, including bereavement and memory events.

Be aware of safeguarding responsibilities and duties for vulnerable children, including maintaining up-to-date knowledge and learning and participating in child protection meetings and reviews when required.

Regular attendance in multi-disciplinary team meetings and family reviews.

Developing and maintaining links with agencies and services relative to the child and family in the local area.

Participation in multi-disciplinary reviews and meetings with external agencies and professionals when required.

Supporting bereaved families and helping them access appropriate networks and post-bereavement resources.

Take responsibility for continuous professional development and training and participate in regular supervision and reflective practice sessions.

Any other tasks are relevant to the development of the role as requested by the Head of Service, Lead Nurse, or Specialist Social Worker.

To provide guidance, advice, and support to volunteers as appropriate.

Communication and Teamwork

Actively listen and communicate sensitively with patients and those important to them. Recognise the need to pass on information to registered staff when necessary.

Actively listen and communicate with all Children and Young People Service colleagues to support the Team and service delivery.

Maintain precise details and outcomes of engagements with families on patient electronic record systems.

Communicate respectfully with all others you encounter as part of the work of the Hospice, both internally and externally.

Working with due diligence

Completion of accurate patient notes and record keeping in support of the clinical and medical staff.

Maintain awareness of hospice policies regarding data protection, confidentiality, lone working, safeguarding, infection control, and others.

Always Representing the Hospice in the Weald professionally.

Training and Development

Complete training essential to individualised care needs of the children and young people, and core competencies as identified in the childrens training framework

Attending training and study days as identified by your manager in line with organisational needs, aims, and objectives.

Be proactive in personal and professional development, identifying and seeking areas to broaden.

Maintain personal development through the Hospice Personal Development Plan. Continuously updating and improving knowledge and competencies.

Develop an area of interest/ specialism to share with other team members and enhance knowledge and learning.

General

Uphold Our Values

Maintain professionalism through adherence to recognised Codes (e.g. NMC, GMC, HCPC) and work within the boundaries of Hospice in the Wealds policies.

Maintain personal development through the Annual Review process, continuously updating and improving knowledge and competencies.

To attend clinical supervision.

Engage in using information and communication technology (ICT) and full implementation of mobile/ remote working.

Always strive for excellence.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience
• Experience working with families of children with complex needs within a statutory or voluntary setting.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and child protection issues and experiences of recognising and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Basic knowledge of resources and benefits applicable to children with complex needs.
• Experience in assessment skills and identifying needs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in report writing and completion of client notes and records
• Able to work as part of a team and be confident to work autonomously as directed.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to relate confidently and effectively to other professionals and networks.
• A good understanding of the needs of patients and those important to them in palliative care
• Time management skills with the ability to plan, anticipate requirements, manage diary commitments, and work under pressure.
• Demonstrating awareness of and working with families and others in an anti-discriminatory and non-judgmental manner.
• Respect and uphold Hospice in the Wealds' core values, demonstrating honesty, kindness, learning, sustainability, ambition, and effectiveness.
• To be able to work in the community, you need a driver's license and car or the ability to get yourself to families' homes for home visits.
• Personal attributes
• Personal awareness of knowledge, boundaries, and own limitations
• Enthusiastic and motivated
• Flexible and reliable
• Ability to reflect on own practice and to empower others.
• Genuine empathy for the work of hospices.
• Hospice in the Weald is a registered charity, not part of the NHS. We rely on support from the community we serve to develop and deliver our services.
• Our amazing fundraising team works incredibly hard to put on a full calendar of events every year, and we will ask you to help at two events per year. There is something for everyone, and helping is a great way to meet other staff and volunteers from across the organisation. Above all, it is fun!

Qualifications

• Qualifications
• Minimum grade C GCSEs or equivalent, including English Language and Maths.
• Relevant social, education, or health care professional qualification at NVQ Level 3

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.

Head of Service for Children & Young People