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An exciting opportunity has arisen for a family support worker to join the children in care teams, in our Through Care Service.

The Through Care Service supports children and young people aged 0-25 and their families, through their journey in care and as care leavers.

We are a service of 11 teams, three of which have a focus on care leavers, the remainder on children in care, which includes two specialist teams for children aged 16 and 17 and for children arriving unaccompanied in the UK. The children in care teams have a practice lead, five social workers, two family support workers and a unit coordinator.

We are based at B Bond in an open plan office overlooking the river and Ashton Court.

We have high aspirations for our children and young people and are committed to providing services to achieve the best possible outcomes.

This year we had an Ofsted inspection and received GOOD for both our Children In Care and Our Care Leaver Services. A quote from the report:
Children’s social workers visit them on a regular basis. They make determined efforts to get to know children. Social workers take time to understand children’s wishes and feelings. They are there when children need them most. They show dedication, care, and affection during times of upset and distress. For example, social workers have sensitively supported children to attend the funerals of close family members.

You will be part of a larger group of 12 family support workers and will have the additional support of a senior family support worker.

The role of the family support worker is varied, and you will play a central role in building and maintaining relationships with children, their networks and families.

You will supervise family time between children and their families building happy and positive memories for them, supporting these to develop and progress over time.

You can help children understand their journey into and through care, creating a narrative with children and their network. The work can be reactive and fast paced; sometimes our children and families can be sad and angry, and you will need the skills to respond to these situations.

You will need to be able to work flexibly, to work on your own, respond to changing demands and be able to challenge young people, professionals and families in a calm and assertive way.

You will need excellent communication skills and the ability to form and maintain relationships with children and their families. Children are placed all over the city and sometimes further afield so you may need to travel to see and support children. We have pool cars for you to use.

You will support social workers in their role working with children, care, birth family and professionals.

Some of the family times you supervise will be after school hours. This means you will need to be prepared to work beyond 5pm some days.

You will be encouraged to manage your own diary to take back any time accrued.

The role demands a high standard of written work and IT capabilities. A good understanding of the needs of the children and families we work with is crucial.

‘This is a very rewarding, fun and sociable job’, ‘it felt such a privilege to sit and eat with the family during a family time’ quotes from family support workers.

Please note that this role is subject to an Enhanced DBS Check.

At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is fast moving and supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high‑profile organisation.

Join us and you’ll receive an excellent rewards package including membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance. In addition, you’ll be working in a supportive environment where you’ll have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future.

To be shortlisted for interview you’ll need to demonstrate how you meet each of the essential criteria in the Person Specification within the Further Information section of your application. On occasions we will receive high numbers of applications; we may then shortlist against the desirable criteria along with the essential criteria, so if you can, please demonstrate how you meet this in your application.

It is Bristol City Council’s practice to request references for candidates that have been offered a job. However, if you are applying for a job that requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check then we will request your references once you have been invited to an interview.

We’re a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We'll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.

If you would like to discuss the role further please contact team managers Craig Pendle.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we reserve the right to close this vacancy early. We therefore encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

At Bristol City Council, we value having a workforce as diverse as the city we serve. We therefore welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community. Appointments will be made on merit.

The personal information section (including your name) you’ll complete as part of the application form will not be visible to hiring managers, but is used confidentially to make sure that everyone is treated fairly.