Family Time Workers

Staffordshire County Council; Newcastle-under-Lyme; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Staffordshire County Council is seeking a Family Time Worker to support children placed in local authority foster care. You will facilitate meaningful time with birth families, coordinate arrangements ordered by the courts, and provide parenting guidance.

You will also transport children to family time and maintain accurate records, while flexing hours to include early mornings, evenings and weekends. Based at The Vision Centre, Chesterton, this role requires safeguarding awareness, a driving

Qualifications

• Experience with vulnerable children and families in a statutory or voluntary setting.
• Proficiency with IT including Microsoft Office applications.
• Understanding of policies, guidance, and legislation governing children's social care.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate therapeutic family time between children and parents or family members.
• Coordinate family time arrangements as directed by court.
• Transport children to attend family time.
• Provide parenting support and guidance during family time.
• Complete documentation, reports, and records related to children, families and placements.

Skills

Direct work with families

IT skills

Policy understanding

Education

NVQ 3 in working with children and families

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Are you passionate about making a difference to children's lives who are placed in local authority foster care? As a Family Time Worker, you'll play a critical role in supporting children in understanding their birth identity and supervising their time with birth parents. We're looking for people to join us with the skills to encourage and help maintain positive relationships between children and parents. We work with very vulnerable children so we must ensure we maintain professional relationships whilst managing complex family needs and behaviours. You'll play a vital role in supporting families for them to spend quality time together. Our aim during family time is to promote a positive and meaningful time for children with their family. This could include offering support, guidance, and parenting advice or modelling positive interaction and behaviours. We also support children getting to and from school and family time in various locations. Our Family Time Workers are required to transport the children around the county and further afield. This role will be based from The Vision Centre, Chesterton. You will be required to be flexible with your working hours including early mornings, evenings and weekends. Main Responsibilities You will:

• Facilitate therapeutic family time between children and their parents or other family members.
• Coordinate arrangements for family time for children and their parents or other family members as directed by court.
• Transport children and young people to attend family time.
• Provide parenting support and guidance during family time.
• Support the completion of accurate documentation, reports, and records in relation to children, young people, and families.
• Be available outside of traditional working patterns including evenings and weekends to provide support to children, families, and carers when it is needed., The role is currently subject to a review of weekend working arrangements, including any paid enhancements
  As well as a passion for helping and supporting children and their families, you'll need to have:
• Experience of direct work with children, their families, and carers in a statutory or voluntary agency which provides services to vulnerable children and their families.
• Experience in the use of IT including Microsoft packages
• An understanding of the key pieces of policies, guidance, and legislation which govern children's social care.
• Be flexible to work evenings and occasional weekends as needed.

Minimum Criteria

• Have unrestricted use of a car and a driving licence.
• The ability to effectively communicate with children, their families, and carers.
• The ability to build relationships and deliver interventions to children, families, and carers.
• The ability to work effectively in conflict situations.
• An understanding of child development and the effect of stress and trauma on child development.
• A minimum NVQ 3 in working with children and families or equivalent experience of working with children and families.
  The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values

• Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy: We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future. We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too. Our benefits: We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance. In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire