Family Support Worker (18289)

We have an exciting opportunity here at Barnardo's for experienced, enthusiastic and assertive Family Support Workers to join a brand-new team who will deliver the In Reach Hospital Emergency Department Family Support Programme.

The role is full time , 37 hours per week, permanent fixed term funded until March 2025 and will be based at the North Middlesex University Hospital, The entrance to the A&E department is in Bridport Road, Edmonton, London, N18 1QX.

Successful candidates will work in partnership with the clinical team to facilitate discharge of children aged 0-12 years from the Emergency Department where the clinical presentation is not acute and can be managed at home by local services.  

“This role requires workers to have experience of holistic ways of working with families and young people. Including assessment, support, signposting and making referrals to appropriate services where needed. The successful applicant will be able to work as part of a team as well as on their own initiative and manage the pressures of working in both a busy emergency department and the community”

Some but not all of the key responsibilities are:

• Initial face-to face conversation or triage call to identify presenting issues and the level of intervention required.
• Delivering support flexibly and tailored to the needs of the family unit including telephone, virtual and face-to-face support and home visits where necessary. Contact with families could be a one-off or over weekly sessions based on level of need targeted. 
• Signposting to partner agencies, based on needs identified.
• Supporting families to navigate their way through referral pathways and enable them to access universal & targeted services.
• Where required advocating on behalf of families, supporting parents and carers to communicate with professional/Services.
• Supporting families to access other local services.

Ideal Candidates must have's

• Experience of working with families with complex needs and the ability to build and maintain rapport through effective communication and listening skills, using a whole family approach.
• Ability to be clear and realistic about what support the service and you can offer to families.
• Ability to maintain a visible presence and sustain relationships with clinical staff, being mindful of the various working patterns/ professionals within the department.  
• Ability to navigate a high pressure, fast paced acute healthcare setting. 
• Competent IT skills to record and maintain accurate data. 
• A basic understanding of Public Health, health inequalities and wider determinants that underpin health and wellbeing. 
• Knowledge of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
• Relevant Level 3 Qualification (Health and/or Social Care)

More about the Programme

The In Reach Hospital Emergency Department Family Support Programme model offers a robust way of supporting often vulnerable families to uncover and address unmet need. Through identifying the underlying factors causing the clinical presentation and attendance, and addressing holistic needs of the family unit, we hope activity to unscheduled, primary and emergency care is dramatically and sustainably reduced.

The model is based on Family Support Workers based within Children's Emergency Departments, offering holistic, family-oriented support in a flexible manner either in-person, telephone- based and home visits to be able to address the underlying causes of repeated / avoidable ED attendances.

*Although this contract has a permanent status, please be aware that this post is subject to funding currently to March 2025 and therefore should this funding not be extended further, you may be subject to a redundancy consultation or a TUPE arrangement.

** Please note the hours for this role will be required over a 5-day week and may be done in longer day shifts or with set times i.e. 8am to 4pm (to suit Emergency Department and community/family needs). The role can adopt flexible working arrangements to meet service and personal need but will NOT provide 24 hour provision in the ED settings. This can be discussed further at interview.

When completing your application please refer to the skills, knowledge and experience you have in relation to the Additional Information sheet, Person Specification & Job Description.