Barnardo's are seeking to recruit experienced, caring and committed Child and Family Support Worker to join our Prison Visits and Family Support team. The PVFSS team plays a central role in ensuring that our visit centre offers children and families a safe and friendly environment within which to visit their loved one(s) in prison.
This post is for 10 hours a week which will primarily be Saturday and Sunday but will there will also be the opportunity to pick up additional hours on an as and when basis.
Location of Post: The role is based in HMP Isle of Wight, which is located in Newport, Isle of Wight. HMP Isle of Wight is primarily a category B prison for individuals who have been convicted of sex offences. There is also a remand wing for individuals from the local area awaiting trial for a wide range of alleged offences.
Objectives of Service: We support everyone visiting a loved one in prison. Visits take place on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, between 2pm and 4pm, with staff opening the visit centre from 11.30am to receive early arrivals. Children and families are at the heart of what we do and we support families and children by:
Providing a comfortable and welcoming environment for families to wait before going through the gate into the visiting halls
Getting to know families, offering assistance and support, and offering play activities for children
Providing help and guidance so families understand the process of visiting and can make the most of their time with their loved one
Recognising that visiting a loved one in prison can be both difficult and upsetting and ensuring that we always offer a caring and non-judgemental service
Responsibilities of the Child and Family Support Worker:
To support the PVFSS team as required.
This may include -
Provide support to children, families and significant others who visit the prison.
Offer support and information in the visit centre and in the visit halls at Albany and Parkhurst and encourage positive engagement with families
Collect monitoring data required for the service.
Support the child and family support workers and volunteers to deliver enrichment activities in the visit halls.
Liaise with designated staff within the prison and within Barnardo's to help resolve any difficulties that may arise during sessions.
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