Family support worker jobs in Lewisham, greater london

Reports To: Head of Frontline Services

Hours: 12 hours per week (flexible but should include attendance at fortnightly Monday morning team meetings in Harrow). There may be opportunity to expand hours if desired.

Location: [Hybrid: Harrow team meetings /West London Community – which could span Hounslow, Hammersmith, Harrow, Barnet, Ealing, Brent/Online/Telephone] 

Our head office is currently in Croxley, Watford and team meetings may move to this location. You need to be able to travel to this location as part of the role.

Salary - £34,320 pro rata

The Violence Intervention Project (V.I.P) is a young Charity (founded in 2017), pioneering new approaches to working with young people (YP) involved in serious youth violence (SYV). Through a combination of practical and therapeutically informed practice, we support YP, their families and communities to live safer lives. Today, The V.I.P. supports more than 50 YP and families across the London Boroughs of RBKC, H&F, Ealing, Hounslow and Hillingdon. As an organisation with a therapeutic ethos at the heart of our practice, we prioritise the care and wellbeing of our employees. As a result, we have an incredible team and strong employee engagement backed by clinical supervision, a Board of Trustees and a Leadership Team who support and promote personal care and professional development. It’s because of our unique working culture that we’re able to meet the serious challenges and demands of our work.

At the V.I.P we aim to be a thought leader in our sector. To date we’ve established strong ties with the Anna Freud Centre along with funding from the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit. All our operations are framed within a public health approach and built on the fundamental belief that shame is a catalyst for violence; to which relationships are the antidote.

Our innovation, passion and principles have translated into a strong reputation and sustained expansion across West London. Our practice model, Urban Therapy, meets young people where they are — in cafes, parks, and community spaces. We also deliver early intervention programmes in schools and lead The Shame Initiative, our national training and consultancy offer for frontline practitioners.

All our posts are subject to an Enhanced DBS disclosure as well as a full employment history and two employment references. We are committed to equal opportunities in employment and service delivery and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Job Purpose: The Family Outreach worker plays a vital role in supporting the families of clients to enhance their stability, wellbeing, and access to essential services. In this role, the Family Outreach worker will provide personalised assistance to families, strengthen connections with external partners and community resources, and collaborate with the team to ensure comprehensive and cohesive support. Additionally, they will establish structured communication and availability protocols to manage expectations and promote sustainable assistance for families.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Develop and Implement Family Support Plans § Caseload Management: Maintain a focused caseload of 4–5 families at a time, ensuring each receives consistent, high-quality support § Care Plan Development: Co-design and implement personalised support plans with families, focused on clear, achievable goals, addressing unique needs such as housing support, access to services, and emotional and practical assistance. § Outcome Tracking: Regularly assess and monitor family progress, aiming for high satisfaction and meaningful, positive outcomes. § Ensure all work complies with safeguarding and confidentiality policies and promptly escalate any concerns regarding the welfare of children or vulnerable adults.

2. Build and Strengthen External Partnerships and Professional Networks § Networking and Outreach: Dedicate time each month to building relationships with key external partners, such as housing providers, domestic violence services, cultural support groups, and other community organisations. § Professional Network Integration: Actively collaborate with members of each family’s professional network (e.g. healthcare providers, educators, social services) to ensure aligned and effective support. § Partnership Development: Identify service gaps and cultivate partnerships with external agencies to broaden the range of resources available for families, especially during crises or complex situations. § Crisis and Complex Needs Support: Utilize professional connections to extend the support network available to families, enhancing their access to comprehensive care.

3. Foster Team Collaboration and Communication § Team Meetings and Case Discussions: Participate in regular team discussions to align family support strategies and incorporate team insights into care plans. § Documentation and Information Sharing: Maintain detailed documentation on family interactions, progress, and needs to facilitate informed team coordination. § Collaborative Problem Solving: Leverage the collective expertise of the team to address complex family needs and ensure proactive, cohesive support.

4. Develop Clear Communication and Availability Protocols § Service Model Communication: Communicate service guidelines, availability expectations, and emergency protocols to families to promote mutual understanding and prevent miscommunication. § Feedback-Driven Adjustments: Regularly gather and assess feedback from families to adjust communication protocols and improve service effectiveness.

5. Ongoing Monitoring, Review, and Professional Development § Role and Service Review: Schedule regular check-ins with management to assess role effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. § Feedback Collection and Analysis: Collect feedback from families and professional network contacts to maintain high-quality service standards and align with organisational objectives. § Professional Growth: Engage in professional development opportunities to continually refine and align your approach with the organisation’s mission, vision, and evolving community needs. Key Requirements: § Experience in Family Support or Community Outreach: Proven background in social work, family support, or community engagement, with an ability to manage complex family cases. § Strong Communication and Network-Building Skills: Effective communicator able to engage with families, team members, external partners, and professional networks, ensuring cohesive, high-quality support. § Empathy and Professionalism: Commitment to providing respectful, empathetic support to families, balanced with clear professional boundaries. § Organisational Skills: Ability to manage multiple cases, maintain thorough documentation, and adhere to Urban Therapy protocols to ensure high-quality, consistent service.

Key skills and qualities: · Flexibility and adaptability · Trust building · Advocacy skills · Crisis Intervention skills · Resilience · Active Listening · Solution Focused · Ethical practitioner

Urban Therapy is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

This role may evolve as community needs develop; the Family Outreach Worker will contribute to shaping the service model over time.

Family Support Worker 

Maternity Cover up to 12 months

£24,000 pa + Company Car and benefits (including 25 days annual leave, reward scheme and pension)

Essex and surrounding areas, including Romford, Ilford, Harlow, Loughton, Chelmsford

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

We are looking to appoint a Family Support Worker for a fixed term period of up to 12 months, on a full time basis (35 hours per week) to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Essex Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Essex Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a stressful and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

Location:

This role covers Essex and surrounding areas, including Romford, Ilford, Harlow, Loughton & Chelmsford.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator - you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

· We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Time off in Lieu

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes

· A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

If you’d like to find out more about these benefits and working with us, please visit our website.

As part of our learning and development Anne Harris Skills Development Programme, we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be their best and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Teams are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, counselling skills, introduction to play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of time together, providing expert, practical and emotional support, where they need it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

How to apply:

Please visit our website via the link and apply online.

Interview Date to be confirmed

Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interviews will take place at our Essex Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful. If you require any adjustments during the interview process, please let us know.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

Rainbow Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are a Best Companies One-Star rated organisation.