T2014012

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:Family Practitioner Grade 2

Reporting to:Senior Family Practitioner

Salary: £18,000per annum

Hours of Work: 35hours per week

Location:East Tilbury Children’s Centre, Princess Margaret Road, East Tilbury, Grays, Essex RM18 8SB

JOB PURPOSE:

4Children Children’s Centres deliver services to support families with children under five, offering universal and targeted support through group work and one to one interventions. The postholder will work as a part of the team to deliver services that improve the outcomes for families and have a positive impact on their lives.

Family support services are planned and delivered based on individual needs, working in partnership with the parents, internal colleagues and partner agencies. The postholder will provide support and advice to families tailored to their individual needs, within the Children’s Centre and through home visits.

Job Activities:

  1. To work with families to provide practical, personal and emotional support, to meet their needs and to have a positive impact on their lives.
  1. To work with families on a one to one basis when a need is identified, recording and maintaining up to date details of work completed within the family’s case file in line with the 4Children Support Process and Policies and Procedures. This includes agreeing action plans and reviewing progress at regular intervals.
  1. To encourage and support parents in contributing to their children’s development and improving their outcomes,
  1. To use a range of tools, including the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and Soft Outcomes Universal Learning (SOUL), to assess children and families needs.
  1. To work as a part of a multi-agency team to provide tailored support to a child and its family, as required. This could include acting as Lead Professional and arranging team around the Child Meetings (TAC), actively involving the family and other professionals.
  1. Work closely with a range of partners, including health professionals, to provide a range of services that meet the needs and improve outcomes of children and families.
  2. To complete appropriate assessments of families and provide a package of support to meet their needs. To regularly review the assessments and needs of families.
  1. To identify hard to reach and vulnerable families and encourage them to access Children’s Centre Services. This will include offering services in the home, providing targeted groups and activities within the centre or outreach sites as well as signposting and referring where appropriate.
  1. To consult with children, families and other partners to evidence need and identify gaps within services.
  1. To assist in the coordination, administration, promotion and delivery of the Children’s Centre and the services it offers.
  1. To participate inthe planning, delivering and evaluating of all services. To record evidence of impact through tracking and case studies.
  1. Gathering and collating statistical information for monitoring purposes for 4Children and Commissioners. This may include producing verbal and written reports.
  1. To accurately maintain and update data management systems used by 4Children. This may include the Estart database, Softsmart, Children Centre Management System (CCSM).
  1. Ensuring all child protection concerns are reported immediately to the Children’s Centre Coordinator, and subsequently follow 4Children’s Policies and Procedures. This may include making referrals to the appropriate local Social Care team.
  1. To follow procedures to ensure the safeguarding of children and families at all times.

Job Activities – Standard Terms Common to all Job Descriptions

  1. To promote the organisation's Equal Opportunities policies.
  1. Promote the organisation’s quality systems including Investors in People and ISO9001.
  1. In discharging the duties of the post to have due regard for the provisions of Health & Safety at Work legislation, as detailed in the Health & Safety manual.

4.To undertake such additional duties as required which are commensurate with the grade and responsibilities of the post.

5.Flexibility to work across a Cluster of Children’s Centres therefore full driving license and access to a car essential.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

  1. Level 3 qualified or equivalent
  1. Experience of developing and providing programmes of activities and support with children and their families, targeting those families that aremost vulnerable.
  1. Knowledge and understanding of child development and issues effecting parent’s ability to support their child.
  1. A commitment to working with children and their families and to ensure their active participation in planning and delivering programmes.
  1. Experience of working with a range of professionals and organisations.
  1. A good level of computer literacy, including word-processing andinputting data.
  1. Commitment to expanding knowledge and undertaking training.
  1. A good understanding of safeguarding and child protection.
  1. Ability to prioritise own workload and meet deadlines whilst under pressure, working in a fast moving and changing environment.
  1. Commitment to providing a flexible service to meet the needs of families,including ability to work evenings and weekends.
  1. Full driving licence and use of a vehicle for work purposes.
  1. Anunderstandingof the issues concerning equal opportunities and a commitment to working within an equal opportunities environment.
  1. Car insurance to include business use.
  1. Regular declarations completed for insurance purposes for use of any 4Children vehicles.
  1. Working flexibly according to the needs of the community this may include flexibility of working hours including evening, weekends etc.

Desirable

  1. Qualification in Social Work, Mental Health or Parenting.
  2. Experience of working within a Children’s Centre.
  3. Experience of one to one casework with children and their families.
  4. Experience of working with early years settings and schools.
PRINCIPAL TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
FAMILY PRACTITIONER GRADE 2
  1. Hours of work

35 hours per week

  1. Duration of Contract

Permanent

  1. Holidays

30 days per year plus Bank Holidays. Some annual leave will need to be taken at the Christmas period, when the HQ building closes.

  1. Salary

The appointment of Family Practitioner Grade 2 is on 4Children Pay Grade 2/3. Pay Grade 2/3 commences at scale point 18 (£17,333per annum) and rises to scale point 24 (£21,067per annum) via incremental progression.

  1. Method of Pay

Salaries are paid by direct debit into the staff member’s nominated bank account on the 15th day of each month.

  1. Place of Work

East Tilbury Children’s Centre, Princess Margaret Road, East Tilbury, Grays, Essex RM18 8SB

  1. Benefits

The organisation has an occupational sick leave and sick pay scheme. We operate family friendly policies including dependency leave and job share and part-time working opportunities. We have a comprehensive benefits scheme which includes an employer’s contribution to pension of up to 6%, a life assurance scheme and childcare vouchers.

8.Trade Unions

The organisation has a recognition agreement with Unite.

1

Family Practitioner Grade 2