Family Support Worker

Wigan Council; Wigan; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Wigan Council is recruiting for a role within the Adoption Support team, focusing on facilitating the post adoption contact service (PACS) and supporting families across the Together for Adoption footprint.

The role involves training duties, group facilitation for adoptive families and children, and triage of calls to determine support needs, all while representing the service in multi-disciplinary meetings and engaging with partner agencies.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively with a wide range of agencies.
• Professional background in adoption or fostering work.
• Sound knowledge of adoption legislation and guidance.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate the post adoption contact service (PACS).
• Co-deliver training workshops and co-facilitate groups for adoptive families and children.
• Provide a duty response triaging calls and assessing support needs.
• Represent the service in multi-disciplinary meetings.
• Build strong working relationships with partner agencies to support children with adoption plans.

Skills

Communication skills

Adoption experience

Interagency collaboration

Job description

Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance

Wigan

Salary: Grade 6, £30,515 - £33,673 per annum.

37 hours per week

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you!

Your role:

You will work with children and families across the Together for Adoption Regional footprint in the Adoption Support team. You will provide a flexible range of services; your primary focus will be facilitating the post adoption contact service (PACS) otherwise known as the Keeping Connections service. Other duties will include co-delivering training workshops; co-facilitating groups for adoptive families and children; providing a duty response which triages calls and assesses the direction of the support needed; represent the service in multi disciplinary meetings and advocate for our children and families within the remit of the role; and build strong working relationships with partner agencies to best represent the Regional Adoption Agency to support children who have adoption plans.

About you:

We are keen to hear from you if you have a genuine interest in this rewarding, challenging and developing area of work. We require a support worker who has a professional background in adoption or fostering work, with a varied range of skills and experience in childcare services.

Applications are welcomed from professionals with the relevant experience. You are required to have excellent communication skills and be able to work effectively with a wide range of agencies. You are required to have a sound knowledge base around adoption legislation and guidance and will be expected to apply consistently high standards to ensure better outcomes for children and their families. We need a support worker who enjoys a varied daily workload within a stable and well supported team. Due to the nature of the role, there will be occasional out of hours work.

About us:

Together for Adoption is a Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) hosted by Wigan Borough Council which provides adoption services across Cheshire West and Chester, Halton, St Helens, Warrington and Wigan Borough Council.

The post holder will join a lively, supportive and committed team and will be supported to further develop their skills, knowledge and experience through effective training, regular supervision and performance development reviews.

The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them.

Here at Wigan, we are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits to find out more about working for TeamWigan.

To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK, and you must maintain a valid (active) right to work. Please note, at present we are not a licenced sponsor. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK www.gov.uk Prove your right to work to an employer

Wigan Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. As part of this commitment, Wigan Council operates robust Safer Recruitment procedures

We recognise that on occasion candidates may use AI tools. Please read our applying authentically section below before submitting your application.

For further information, please contact Lisa Dempsey, Principal Manager or Justine Harrison Howard/Helen Hughes/Becky Smith, Practice managers on 01942 487272 for further information.

Interview date: To Be Confirmed

This role is subject to Enhanced Disclosure Procedures plus child barred list check

The employer is committed to safeguarding