Family Support Worker role profile

Primary purpose of role

To safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and families and to deliver high quality family support, assessment and interventions for the most challenging and vulnerable families (in accordance with Children Act 1989/2004, Crime and Disorder Act , Housing and Regeneration Act, Anti-Social Behaviour Act and other relevant legislation).

To contribute to Plymouth’s Early Help and Targeted Offer, as well as the Troubled Families Agenda and Plymouth’s Early Help and Family Support Agenda, to reduce risk and prevent the need for statutory intervention, acting as a lead professional where appropriate

Key accountabilities and key measures

Role outcomes

• Delivering a range of high quality out-come focused interventions to ensure children, young people and families are safeguarded and their welfare is promoted within their communities
• Coordinating, promoting and prioritising multi-agency working
• Ensuring records are accurate and timely in line with agency standards (30%)
• Offering practical advice, information and support. This includes undertaking a screening function to ensure where appropriate there is the offer of direct early help or targeted responses to prevent issues escalating
• Recognising cases where there is a safeguarding threshold and seeking appropriate management advice in order to escalate swiftly to Children’s Social Care (35%)
• Providing social care departments and other specialist providers such as health professionals and housing, evidence based assessments and interventions in respect of child protection, child in need and vulnerable adult issues
• Taking the lead in coordinating a whole family approach, drawing in multiagency partners to achieve outcomes
• Working in an open and transparent way with children, young people and families by undertaking evidence based assessments that can be open to challenge in all arenas (35%)

Role measures

Service audits and evaluation confirm improvements in:

• Health (physical, sexual and mental health)
• Behaviour (reduction in substance use, offending, anti-social behaviour)
• Reduction of risk regarding domestic abuse, child safety, housing, debt, worklessness / adult education
• Children’s education, attendance and attainmen
• Reduction in numbers of children with CIN or CP status
• Reduction in the numbers of looked after children
• Increase the numbers of children previously looked after being successfully returned to their families (reunification)
• Records are accurate, up to date and completed to departmental standards
• Monitoring of calls indicate adequate and timely responses to enquiries
• Supervision, appraisal, team meetings to monitor performance
• Compliance with relevant legislation and good practice standards set down by the local authority within budget.

Key activities

Grade E

• Delivering both screening and 1-1 direct work
• Daily involvement with service users who may demonstrate difficult, abusive and risk taking behaviours: identifying and evidencing risk and escalating concerns
• Working in partnership with the social worker and multi-agency partners to undertake evidencebased assessments and directing work with children, young people and families using a whole family approach to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes using evidence-based tools. Taking responsibility for stepdown casework
• Compiling reports and statements for, and attending where necessary, case conferences and court hearings to give evidence
• Creating and maintaining timely records, maintaining accountability and security including data protection
• There will be on occasion specialist areas where Family Support
• Workers will also be required to deliver supervised contact, observation and assessment
• Ensuring measurable outcomes are achieved and universal services or a lead agency is identified and in place (if required) as part of any exit
• Participating in regular casemanagement supervision for guidance and decision making to ensure that families progress effectively through their individual interventions and plans
• Undertaking comprehensive training when required (30%)
• Providing a screening and first response function for all enquiries to Gateway from families, members of the public and professionals
• Providing high quality advice, guidance and support regarding child safety and wellbeing
• Identifying, escalating and reporting child protection concerns as required within Plymouth
• Safeguarding Children Board procedure (35%)
• Developing needs-led packages of intervention, using evidence based tools and direct work
• Acting as lead professional for cases stepping down from Children’s
• Social Care, and implementing a stepdown plan. Identifying change in the family and making recommendations for changes in services, closure or escalation as and when required
• Actively promoting and supporting identified plans for reunification
• Actively promoting community-based groups activities, with children, young people and families to support independence
• Actively responding and taking responsibility for managing family crisis at short notice
• Motivating families with clearing household rubbish, homemaking and garden maintenance (35%)

Grade F

• Delivering both screening and 1-1direct work
• Daily involvement with service users who may demonstrate difficult, abusive and risk taking behaviours: identifying and evidencing risk and escalating concerns
• Working in partnership with the social worker and multi-agency partners to undertake evidencebased assessments and directing work with children, young people and families using a whole family approach to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes using evidence-based tools. Taking responsibility for stepdown casework
• Compiling reports and statements for, and attending where necessary, case conferences and court hearings to give evidence
• Creating and maintaining timely records, maintaining accountability and security including data protection
• There will be on occasion specialist areas where Family Support Workers will also be required to deliver supervised contact, observation and assessment
• Ensuring measurable outcomes are achieved and universal services or a lead agency is identified and in place (if required) as part of any exit Participating in regular casemanagement supervision for guidance and decision making to ensure that families progress effectively through their individual interventions and plans
• Undertaking comprehensive training when required (30%)
• Providing a screening and first response function for all enquiries to Gateway from families, members of the public and professionals
• Providing high quality advice, guidance and support regarding child safety and wellbeing
• Identifying, escalating and reporting child protection concerns as required within Plymouth
• Safeguarding Children Board procedure (35%)
• Taking responsibility as the families’ key worker undertaking assessments, identifying needs and creating plans to reduce risk
• Developing needs-led packages of intervention, using evidence based tools and direct work
• Setting targets for families and working with multi-agency partners holding regular reviews
• Acting as lead professional for cases stepping down from Children’s
• Social Care, and implementing a stepdown plan. Identifying change in the family and making recommendations for changes in services, closure or escalation as and when required
• Actively promoting and supporting identified plans for reunification
• Actively promoting communitybased groups activities, with children, young people and families to support independence
• Actively responding and taking responsibility for managing family crisis at short notice
• Motivating families with clearing household rubbish, homemaking and garden maintenance
• Identifying appropriate work for support workers and universal services, promoting families’ independence, ensuring familiesconsent and participate and that targets evidence outcomes for families (35%)

Essential qualifications/knowledge

Grade E

• English GCSE A*-C (9-4) grade or equivalent (functional skills qualification)
• Numerate with the ability to provide budgeting support for families
• NVQ 3 Childcare qualification or equivalent child/family or youth work qualification
• Knowledge of the followingChildren Act 1989 and 2004, Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and AntiSocial Behaviour Act 2003
• Knowledge of the legislation and guidance relating to homelessness anti-social behaviour and the letting of social housing
• Awareness of welfare benefits/tax credits system and local housing and support services
• Knowledge of the main features of effective parenting and experience of working with service users, and in groups
• Awareness of the issues and procedures relating to child protection and vulnerable adults
• Working knowledge of assessment and intervention methods and tools for use with children and families
• Working knowledge of child development 0-18 years
• Full driving licence

Grade F

• English GCSE A-C grade or equivalent (functional skills qualification)
• Numerate with the ability toprovide budgeting support for families.
• NVQ 3 Childcare qualification or equivalent child/family or youth work qualification
• Knowledge of the following Children Act 1989 and 2004, Working Together 2015, Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and AntiSocial Behaviour Act 2003
• Knowledge of the legislation and guidance relating to homelessness anti-social behaviour and the letting of social housing
• Knowledge of welfare benefits/tax credits system and local housing and support services
• Knowledge of the main features of effective parenting and experience of working with service users, and in groups
• Knowledge of the issues and procedures relating to child protection and vulnerable adults
• Working knowledge of assessment and intervention methods and tools for use with children and families
• Working knowledge of child development 0-18 years
• Full driving licence

Desirable qualifications/knowledge

Grade E

• Awareness of the issues and procedures relating to child protection and vulnerable adults
• Certified training in an evidencebased parenting programme
• A relevant professional qualification

Grade F

• A recognised Social Care /Youth Work qualification or a relevant degree level qualification
• Certified training in an evidencedbased parenting programme

Essential experience

Grade E

• Experience of working with children and/or families in the community or setting
• Experience of working within a team in a demanding environment
• Experience of formally documenting contacts and/or observations within your work with children and families

Grade F

• Evidence and experience of working in social care settings, or youth and community work
• Experience of working within statutory guidelines and procedures
• Experience of multi-agency working.
• Experience of case work using formal evidenced based tools and procedures
• Working experience of risk assessment

Desirable experience

Grade E

• Experience of working within statutory guidelines and procedures
• Experience of multi-agency working
• Experience

Grade F

• Experience of working within adult mental health, adult social care, CAMHS, drugs and alcohol service, housing, or education setting
• Experience of involvement in courtdirected work

Essential skills

Grade E

• Interpreting information and situations delivering individual support plans, resolving problems relating to families who have been referred to the service
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills are used to support families referred to the service as well as exchanging and presenting potentially sensitive information to a range of audiences both internal and external to the Authority
• IT skills are required to produce emails, memos, letters, recording information and producing reports relating to families
• Ability to carry and fit equipment baby seats, boosters, pushchairs and prams, and carry babies and toddlers short distances and access a variety of buildings

Grade F

• Ability to interpret information and situations delivering individual support plans, resolving complex problems relating to families who have been referred to the service
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to support families referred to the service as well as exchanging and presenting potentially sensitive information to a range of audiences both internal and external to the Authority
• IT skills are required to produce emails, memos, letters, recording information and producing reports relating to families
• Ability to carry and fit equipment baby seats, boosters, pushchairs and prams, and carry babies and toddlers short distances and access a variety of buildings

Corporate standards

• In accordance with Council policies and guidance on information management and security, it is your personal responsibility for data protection, client confidentiality and information governance.
• Act at all times in accordance with appropriate legislation and regulations, codes of practice, the provisions of the Council’s constitution and its policies and procedures.
• Work within the requirements of the Council’s Health and Safety policy, performance standards, safe systems of work and procedures.
• Undertake all duties with due regard to the corporate equalities policy and relevant legislation.