Family Support Practitioner

Location: Livingston, West Lothian

Hours: Fixed Term, Full-Time, 37 hours, Oct 2019 - Oct 2020

Salary: £21,000 per annum (dependant on experience)

How we work:

Action for Children does what's right, does what's needed and does what works for children in the UK. Every year, our team changes the lives of 370,000 children, young people and families.

West Lothian Family Support Service is a vital part of our work. You will be based in designated schools in West Lothian to work with children and young people aged 5 to 16 yrs to improve their attendance and attainment. This also involves working with the parents to help them support their child's progress and could mean visiting them at home.

How you'll make a difference:

By establishing and maintain effective partnership work with Primary and Secondary schools and other support agencies in West Lothian.

By engaging and working with referred children and young people providing them with focused support which seeks to improve their school engagement, attendance and attainment and overall well-being and resilience.

By engaging and working directly with parents to support direct work with children and young people to improve parenting skills, capacity and family well-being and resilience.

By working as a lead practitioner for the Service, managing an allocated case-load.

What you'll need:

HNC / SVQ 3 or equivalent as a minimum.
Excellent engagement skills
A knowledge and understanding of child development and the emotional, social, intellectual and physical needs of children and young people.
Direct experience of planning and undertaking structured support work with children, young people and parents.
Experience of 1:1 and group work, undertaking assessments (of needs) and service planning with difficult to reach children, young people and families.
Experience of identifying and managing risk; safeguarding children and young people.
A willingness to work during the day and some evening and weekend work as required by individual service users, working within schools and community settings.
Sound IT skills, written and verbal skills and demonstrated confidence with e-recording systems.
Drivers licence, business insurance and access to a vehicle.

The rewards

Minimum 29 days' holiday (pro rata)
Flexible working, including maternity, paternity and adoption packages
Season ticket travel loans
Company pension scheme
Discounts at major high street retailers.
Plus, there's a lot more besides.

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to vulnerable children's lives and to build a fulfilling and meaningful career with a leading UK children's charity.

Action for Children is committed to safer recruitment practices, designed to protect the welfare of the children and young people using our services.

Apply now.

For more information on this opportunity please contact Josh on 07384 836122 or email him at josh.boland@actionforchildren.org.uk

Guidant is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.