Job Description

Job Title: Parent Engagement Co-ordinator

Salary: Starting salary£24,905

Hours: 35 hours per week

Responsible to: Supporting Parents Project Manager

Summary

As part of the Centre 404 Supporting Parents team, the Parent Engagement Co-ordinator will work to ensure that Information, Advice and Support is delivered to parents who have a child with a special need or disability in line with Centre 404 and funder requirements.

The successful candidate will:

  • Organise & Facilitate groups, activities, workshops and social events for parents & families
  • Develop and increase parent involvement to ensure carers perspectives are fed back into the development of parent carer services.
  • Engage with new and existing parent carers in Centre 404’s, parent groups & forums
  • Maintain and update a contact list of parent & actively communicate with them to engage
  • Develop links with professionals and community groups to facilitate partnership working
  • Record and update work on the Supporting Families database

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Parent Involvement and Engagement

This post will organise, co-ordinate and deliver the following on a yearly basis:

  • 6 parent forum steering groups (Parent Action Group) The Parent Action Group is the Steering Group over all the other parent groups facilitated by this post
  • 6 open-parents forums (Talking Shop) where the views of all parents of children with disabilities and special educational needs are represented in the development of policies and services within Islington
  • 12 parent workshops. Organise a regular training programme for parents to develop parental skills and confidence building workshops (in partnership with the L.A.)
  • 38 parent network/social groups. Facilitate a regular social group drop-in where parents can meet and discuss issues affecting them plus further group work in response to identified needs
  • 6 ASD 4Tea support group for parents of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, in partnership and consultation with health, social care and education services.
  • 3 SEN courses for parents in liaison with the WEA (Workers Education Association)
  • Involve and consult with parent carers from hard to reach groups including fathers.
  • Provide information to support carers to access meaningful activities such as volunteering, training and where appropriate pathways back to employment.
  • Support the development of language specific parental peer support networks
  • Actively take part in 5 whole family events running across the Supporting Families Team.
  • Source & Link in with parenting programmes and other parental training on offer in Islington

Monitoring and Evaluation

  • Ensure accurate collation of monitoring and evaluation information including: updating and producing outcomes charts, annual survey, feedback sheets, and recording discussions with parents
  • Record, monitor and evaluate work using relevant databases, forms and quality systems in line with Centre 404 and funder requirements and produce reports as requested by line manager

General Duties

  • Where possible deliver the project from various venues across the borough and actively participate in team work and cover for colleagues in the team as required, this may include assisting with the delivery of group activities and workshops, parent forums and telephone work.
  • Provide information and reports on parental activities to the Information and Communications Co-ordinator to assist in updating Centre 404 and Islington Parent Support Service newsletters and online/social media resources
  • Develop parent buddying/volunteer opportunities with the Volunteer and Communications Co-Ordinator
  • To work flexibly as required by the project and keep accurate records of hours worked.
  • Adhere to all Centre 404 policies and procedures and to the requirements of funding organisations
  • Maintain confidentiality of information relating to service users, volunteers, staff and any sensitive issues relating to the work of the organisation
  • Contribute to your personal and professional development by attending regular support and supervision sessions and training as identified by your line manager in relation to your role and responsibilities
  • Assist and supervise volunteers where required and adhere to Centre 404 values in relation to supporting volunteers
  • Be flexible and available to work evenings and weekends in accordance with the needs of the post and the organisation as a whole
  • Attend staff meetings, the AGM, assist at organisational functions and staff away days
  • Undertake any other reasonable duties as commensurate with the aims of the post and as requested by management

Person Specification

Essential (E) Desirable (D)Please ensure you address all essential and desirable criteria

Criteria / Essential or Desirable
Qualifications / Educated to degree level in a related field or a professional qualification in a relevant area. / E
At least 2 years’ experience of direct work with parents (ideally parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) / D
Training or experience in delivering and facilitating groups and activities / E
Experience/
Knowledge / Significant knowledge of how to manage group dynamics and experience of facilitating group work to parents from a diverse range of backgrounds / E
Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships with other professionals and working with statutory and local voluntary organisations / E
Commitment to concepts of inclusion and diversity and ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately / E
Experience of organising and delivering events and activities for parents or families / D
Experience of communicating complex and complicated information in a variety of accessible formats / D
Significant Knowledge and understanding of the issues faced by carers of children with SEN and Disabilitythe national and local policy context / D
Knowledge of the local area and demographics / D
Skills/Abilities / Excellent administration and writing skills with the ability to communicate complex and detailed information in a variety of accessible formats / E
Ability to manage your time and deliver a programme of scheduled activities within a given timeframe and meet project outcomes / E
Ability to develop meaningful participation in groups and to speak confidently and sensitively to parents as a facilitator / E
Excellent IT skills including proficiency in using Microsoft word, excel, email online technologies to organise, promote and record data and outcomes / E
Experience of using databases including data extraction and report writing purposes / E
Personal attributes / Self-motivated and flexible with the ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team / E
Enthusiastic and creative with a friendly and engaging approach to developing participation in groups and activities / E
Available to work flexible hours including weekends evenings when necessary and be able to travel to a variety of locations. / E

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