Ready to embark on a transformative journey in your career? Do you possess the dedication and enthusiasm to intervene effectively across whole families to support children and young people, on the edge of care to remain or return home? If your answer is a resounding yes, then we're eager to hear from you.
We're thrilled to announce an opportunity for an adept individual to step into the role of a Co-ordinator within the family group conferencing team. This role offers a unique chance to contribute to the expansion of an innovative service within our Trust.
A Family Group Conference (FGC) is a family led meeting, supported by their wider network in which people come together to plan for a child/ren. The process is supported by an independent and impartial co-ordinator who helps the family prepare.
This role will be required to support families to make realistic, safe, and robust plans for the protection of their children and to enable families to care for their children within their own family and friend’s network.
At times undertake work outside of usual office hours
“We welcome interest from both new applicants and those who applied previously as long as the gap between applications is more than 3 months.”
Interviews will be held on Thursday 16th January 2025
Our benefits
We are committed to continuous improvement, building a skilled, knowledgeable, and flexible workforce alongside promoting innovation and creativity whilst keeping children, young people and families at the heart of all we do.
We really value our workforce and offer you a great benefits package including:
* 28 days annual leave, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time) and an additional 5 days, after 5 years
* Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
* Opportunity to purchase up to 25 days annual leave
* Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
* Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
* Flexible and family working arrangements including enhanced maternity benefits
* A permanent, supportive and inclusive management team where you will be empowered to make good professional decisions
* Extensive Learning & Development and career development opportunities
* Subsidised town centre car parking scheme
What will you be doing?
- Responsible for safeguarding and always promoting the welfare of children and raising any concerns if they arise without delay.
- Promote collaborative decision-making by working with the children and parents/carers to identify wider family/friends’ network who will be invited to the conference to support parents to make informed decisions that will safeguard their children
- Identify the wishes and feelings of the children, to support them to attend the conference and ensure that their voices are heard. To advocate on behalf of or identify advocates for other vulnerable adults to ensure that their voices are heard.
- Co-ordinate and Chair Family Group Conferences within timescales. Manage difficult situations that may occur at the conference, support families to resolve conflict and focus on the needs to the child.
- Undertake risk assessments when visiting family members and to maintain the safety of all participants attending the conference.
- To ensure that reasonable care is always taken and work to comply, comply with the policies and procedures of the Northamptonshire Children’s Trust this includes promoting and contributing to all practices and policies including Health and Safety, Safeguarding, Prevent, on-line safety, and Equality and Diversity.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.
About you
- Level 3 qualification in working with children, young people vulnerable adults and their families.
- A deep understanding of the complex issues faced by children and young people at the edge of care, and what works to create and maintain safe, stable and sustained outcomes.
- Proven experience of direct work with families with multiple problems and working with families who find it difficult to engage with services.
- Knowledge and training in Early Help and Integrated Working.
- Training in motivational interviewing, solution focussed and other strengths-based approaches.
- Experience of facilitating/negotiation/mediation with individuals and groups
If you possess the requisite skills, experience, and enthusiasm for this role, we would love to hear from you!
For an informal discussion, feel free to contact Trudy Jones on 07920 060849 or Trudy.Jones@nctrust.co.uk.
Join us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of vulnerable children and families.
When applying please ensure your supporting statement covers how you fulfil the essential criteria set out in the person specification as this will be used for shortlisting. You will need to provide a full employment history including any gaps since leaving full time education
About us
At Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, children, young people and families are at the heart of all we do – in every decision we make and every action we take. Our mission is driven by the unwavering commitment to achieving the best outcomes for them. The Trust is wholly owned and funded but operationally independent from the Councils.
Our workforce are our most valuable asset and are pivotal to making the services and support we offer to children, young people and families who need us to be the absolute best we can be.
We value our colleagues and empower them to be able to do the best job of their lives every single day, working in a culture of support and kindness where achievements are celebrated and creativity is very much welcomed.
At NCT equality, diversity and inclusion are part of us and in everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and thrive in our organisation. We are a disability confident employer and have a commitment to care leavers who we guarantee an interview if they meet the essential criteria.
Join our dedicated team and be a part of an organisation where your work makes a real difference.