Family Support Worker

**About us**

Changing Lives is a nationwide charity helping people facing the most challenging of circumstances to make positive change - for good. We believe that everyone deserves a safe home, a rewarding job and a life free from addiction or abuse. We know that given the right support, anyone can change their life for the better.

Our services across the country help thousands of people each year who are experiencing a wide range of complicated challenges, including homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, unemployment, involvement with the criminal justice system, sexual exploitation and domestic abuse. By focusing on their strengths, potential and opportunities, we support the people we work with to overcome their problems and live safe, successful, independent lives.

Our charity is powered by over 600 passionate colleagues who bring a diverse and inclusive environment for our colleagues to grow. We are proud to say that many have actual lived experience of the challenges faced by those we support. We are looking for committed and compassionate professionals to join our team, who share our enthusiasm for changing lives.

**About the Service - Women and Children's Services**

We understand that women and girls have experiences which are different to men and can experience vulnerabilities that are specific to their gender. Childhood abuse and domestic abuse are common features in the lives of the women we support which impact on their health and wellbeing. Underpinning all our services is an in-depth understanding of trauma and a focus on recovery, resilience and community integration.

**About the Job**

The **Ridley Villas** Project is a psychologically informed accommodation service for **women in recovery from addiction and their children**, where there is a risk of the child/children going into care. Ridley Villas works in close partnership with Children’s Social Care, supporting families to work through a programme of support.

The two primary aims of the Ridley Villas Project are to:
Provide a nurturing, trauma responsive environment so women can develop secure, safe attachments with their children and live healthy, safe lives together. The long-term aim is that women are no longer required to report to Social Services and continue to care for and love their child/children independently.

The second key priority area is to work with women to address underlying trauma and addiction issues, through our trauma programmes and working in close partnership with specialist organisations.

We are looking for a dynamic Family Support Worker who can deliver on the key activities described below:
To offer emotional and practical support to the families we support, this will include organising and carrying out activities and facilitating the delivery of the Ridley Villas Programmes. To work alongside colleagues to assess the needs of the families referred for support. This will involve the creation of support plans, risk assessments and reviews. To help plan creative and innovative responses to families’ needs and keep high quality records and assist with the preparation of reports. To build up knowledge and understanding of local resources and community and statutory services, including Mental Health Teams, Social Services, Health, Schools and voluntary services, and communicate effectively with them in the best interests of the child and family. To support with health and safety throughout the project including carrying our regular flat checks. To support the with referrals, initial assessments and welcoming new families to Ridley Villas.

The Rota will include **day, evening, weekends and some bank holiday working. An on-call system will also be included with this (9am-9pm Mon - Friday, 6pm-10am weekends)