Senior Family Support Practitioner

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Job Description

• Suffolk County Council - Landmark House, Ipswich IP1 5PB- Hybrid
• £32,076 per annum (pro rata if part time)
• 37 hours per week - Flexible working options available
• Permanent

We are focused on making a meaningful difference to children and young people across Suffolk. If you share the same passion, support, and desire to make a positive impact then we want to hear from you.

Your role and responsibilities

You will:

• work directly with vulnerable children and their families to support them remaining living at home
• undertake assessments and implement plans for complex cases, to support children and their families to make improvements in their life
• take responsibility for overseeing the casework of Family Support Practitioners
• take responsibility for managing appropriate levels of risk and escalating appropriately
• mentor Family Support Practitioners or students, which may involve facilitating individual and group supervision
• develop and encourage supportive working relationships between families, carers, children, and external agencies
• ensure electronic data is up to date and support the wider management team with Quality Assurance.

You will need

• considerable experience in building strong working relationships with children, young people and families
• proven assessment skills
• the ability to effectively deal with challenging situations, using negotiation and influencing skills appropriately
• experience of recognising safeguarding concerns, managing risk and escalation
• to be an effective communicator, who confidently contributes in a range of settings sensitive to the audience and issues
• to effectively mentor team members, providing support, guidance and to be an aspiring role model.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (docx). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

The Family Solutions Team:

• deliver intensive targeted support to families who are experiencing a range of complex needs, for example substance misuse, domestic violence and families who are suffering poor family relationships
• provide an SOS+ trauma-informed, restorative approach to enable caregivers to recognise, acknowledge and fully understand the outlined worries and support them to make positive changes by building on and empowering them with skills, knowledge, and safety measures.

The Family Solutions team will specifically offer an intervention to:

• Divert children and young people from entering care (Prevent entering care)
• Support children to return home following a stay in Emergency Bed Accommodation in which a 10-day period of Child in Care has been agreed as a short break. An immediate 4+ week package will be offered to include a family network meeting. (Unplanned breakdown)
• Reunify children from a care setting where it has been assessed as safe to do so (Reunification)
• Stabilise placements by supporting children, young people, and their placement providers where there is a risk of the child entering unregulated placements (Restore and prevent).

Empowering Everyone

We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Emma Orchard (she/her) for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 07860833264 or emailing emma.orchard@suffolk.gov.uk

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (docx).

Step 2 - Click 'Apply Now' to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload asupporting statement indicating how you meet each of the criteria in the 'Person Profile' section of theJPP.

• You should use the Supporting Statement template.
• Please use Arial font size 11 and keep your statement to a maximum of two sides of A4.

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 31 October 2024

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid

About Us

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We're driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you'll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).