Helpline Practitioner

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; Belfast; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Join the NSPCC as a Helpline Practitioner and make a meaningful impact by providing vital support and guidance to protect children at risk. This role involves empathetic communication, risk assessment, and collaboration with child protection partners, ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable young people in the UK.

Qualifications

• Professional skills in safeguarding required.
• experience dealing with sensitive situations.
• Ability to provide emotional support.

Responsibilities

• Provide emotional support and guidance for child protection.
• Assess risk and liaise with external agencies.
• Work a rota shift pattern covering evenings and weekends.

Skills

Empathy

Sensitivity

Communication

Child Protection Knowledge

Job description

Please note that this vacancy involves a hybrid arrangement of home and office working and therefore candidates will need to be within a commutable distance of our Belfast Helpline office.

What is the NSPCC vision?

At the NSPCC, our vision is to end cruelty to all children in the UK. Every childhood is worth fighting for. This is our belief. It drives us. And it's why our Services team never stop sharing our learning, information, advice and support with everyone who needs it.

It's a unique and ambitious mission - join us as a Helpline Practitioner and create work that means the world.

What does the NSPCC Helpline do?

We are a fast-paced national Helpline which provides advice, information and support to members of the public and professionals who wish to access the NSPCC via telephone, email and social media.

Our priority is to empower the public to ensure children and young people are protected from harm. Using empathy and sensitivity, you will provide emotional support, practical guidance and help to anyone who thinks a child may be at risk of abuse. You will encourage and support them to look out for the children around them - to take action and give children a voice when they are unable to ask for help themselves. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to use your professional skills and existing safeguarding knowledge.

You will take ownership of each contact you take and you will be responsible for assessing the risk and liaising with our external child protection partners (including Children's Service and police), as necessary, to ensure prompt and effective action is taken to minimise the risk to any child.

What are the expected shifts at the NSPCC Helpline?

The Helpline operates a hybrid-working model, with an option that one in three weeks is worked from home; these will be a mix of day and evening shifts. IT equipment will be provided, but you will need to have an ergonomic workspace at home that will allow you to work confidentially and keep organisational information secure.

The NSPCC Helpline is operational every day and the post holder will be required to work a rota shift pattern that covers the period 8am-10pm on weekdays and 8am-7pm on weekends. This also includes working weekends and bank holidays.