Dudley Lodge Safeguarding Children Services
Hurdle – 143 Warwick Road, Coventry, CV3 6AT
Dudley Lodge Family Assessment Centre - 143 Warwick Road, Coventry, CV3 6AT
Bonner House – 172 Sellywood Road, Bournville, Birmingham, B30 1TJ
Saxon House-96 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, WV6 0BP
Job Description
Job Title: FT Family Keyworker - 1 year fixed contract, with a review after this
Grade: Scale point 14 – 28 £26511 - £32654
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Base: Coventry minimum 2 days per week + Community visits within a 30 mile radius of our 3 Centres + working from home.
Is the post exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act? Yes
Does the post require a DBS check? Yes
Our Commitment Statement
Our expectation of all staff is to demonstrate kindness, empathy, and fairness to all. Dudley Lodge strives to provide an inclusive working environment and experience, where employees can bring their best, and authentic self to work. Where difference is recognised, respected, valued, and celebrated. Our approach to inclusion and diversity is rooted in listening, learning and acting.
Effectiveness Areas
* Emotional, practical and relationship-based support and guidance to families.
* Uphold reputation of Hurdle and Dudley Lodge.
* Meeting aims and objectives of grant/contract funding.
Purpose of the Role
As a Keyworker, you will provide holistic, trauma-informed relationship-based support to parents who are at risk of recurrent care proceedings. Working in partnership with families, professionals, and community resources, your role is to:
* Build effective, trusting relationships with parents.
* Reduce social isolation and empower parents to establish their goals and aspirations.
* Offer emotional and practical support tailored to the unique needs of each family.
* Provide solutions to help parents achieve a safe home environment for themselves and their current/future children.
* Facilitate access to resources, services, and opportunities that promote long-term parental well-being and resilience.
About Hurdle
Hurdle is a voluntary community support program run by Dudley Lodge. Our work focuses on prevention and early intervention, supporting parents who have experienced or are at risk of losing their children to the care system.
Hurdle’s Values
Hurdle is built on a foundation of trust, empathy, and working together:
* Relationships built on trust and respect: We do not judge. We empower parents to have choice and control over their own life.
* Empathy and compassion for what parents have been through: We take time to understand parents’ past experiences. We see parents as experts in their own life.
* Everyone has the capacity to change: We believe everyone can change. We are aspirational about parents achieving their goals.
* Working in Partnership: We promote open and honest conversations. We hear parent’s views and act on their feedback.
* Always believing in better: We aim to reach as many families as we can. We continually strive to improve.
Key Responsibilities
Family Support
* Establish trauma-informed, trusting relationships with parents based on mutual respect and empathy.
* Complete comprehensive support plans with families to identify parental goals and desired outcomes.
* Deliver parent-led, tailored support through face-to-face, virtual, and telephone support.
* Design and deliver tailored individual support covering topics such as parenting, child development, guidance and boundaries, relationships, cooking, budgeting, benefits, housing, and CV or job applications.
* Facilitate group and 1-1 programs that promote parenting skills, safeguarding, and personal development.
* Provide practical assistance, such as signposting, and support with daily living skills.
* Provide parental representation and advocacy to parents in professional meetings.
* Provide practical and emotional support for families who suffer the trauma of their child/ren being removed from their care.
* Encourage parents to reflect on and strengthen their ability to create a safe environment for their children.
* Support parents to devise and share letterbox contact.
* Develop and maintain life-story books for children.
* Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of parents in attending community activities and family trips.
* Ensuring parents’ rights are upheld and they are supported to access their benefit entitlements.
* Use mixed communication methods to ensure information is accessible and representative to families’ individual needs.
* Undertake any other charitable project duties as required in accordance with the aims and objectives of the grant/contract.
Safeguarding
* Prioritise the safety and welfare of children and families throughout your work.
* Conduct ongoing risk assessments and take action to address safeguarding concerns.
* Ensure parents are supported to devise relevant safety plans.
* Have an awareness and understanding of the centre's policies and procedures as well as relevant government guidelines and legislation.
* Uphold Dudley Lodge’s and Hurdle’s safeguarding policies and procedures at all times.
Collaborative Working
* Work closely with the Operations Manager, Project Manager, volunteers, and other professionals to ensure high-quality support for families.
* Oversee volunteer/student involvement with their families (where applicable).
* Attend and contribute to multi-agency meetings, ensuring families’ voices are heard.
Quality Assurance and Reporting
* Maintain accurate, up-to-date records of interactions, progress, and outcomes.
* Track and report data related to grant-funded outcomes and service delivery.
* Regularly review and contribute to the development of Hurdle’s resources, programs, and policies.
* Play an active part in contributing to the service’s continuous improvement action and implementation plans.
* Collect feedback from families and stakeholders to inform service improvements.
* Demonstrate high professional standards and effectiveness in working with colleagues to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and families.
Service Responsibilities
* Work flexibly to meet the needs of the allocated caseload and the needs of families, including evenings and occasional weekends.
* Work with a team ethos, understanding and adhering to the values and behaviour expectations of Hurdle and Dudley Lodge.
* Travel to various family home locations, and community locations in a planned and structured manner.
* Provide telephone, virtual, and face-to-face support.
* Provide emergency out-of-hours telephone on-call support if required.
* Participate fully in training and supervision, identifying training courses relevant to the role and personal development.
* Promote and maintain equal opportunity and anti-oppressive practice within the work environment.
* Contribute to content generation for Hurdle’s marketing communications and social media channels.
* Contribute to fundraising activities.
* Help develop and contribute to Hurdle’s resource library and group content.
* Undertake other duties or tasks as identified by management.
Benefits of Working at Dudley Lodge
* Staff wellbeing events throughout the year
* Team building days
* Employee Assistance Programme – access to qualified advisors for a wide range of services day or night.
* Health Shield - Free cover after 1 year’s continuous employment.
* A pension scheme with Standard Life, Dudley Lodge contributes 5% towards your pension, matching additional employee contributions up to 7.5%.
* Life Assurance - Group Life Assurance Policy provides a lump sum of 2 x salary in the event of death in service.
* Free tea, coffee, water and fruit for all staff
* Continuous training and professional development opportunities
* Enhanced holidays and special benefits related to attendance and tenure.
Mileage is paid for community visits from Dudley Lodge Coventry unless the community visit is closer to the employee’s home address.
Special Conditions
Post holder is required to work flexibly, including evenings, weekends, and Bank Holidays if required.
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