Female Children’s Community Worker

We have a rewarding opportunity available for a** Female* Children’s Community Worker **to join our community outreach team based in **Bristol. **You will join us on a **full-time, permanent basis **working **37.5 hours** per week with some out of hours and weekend work on occasion. In return, you will receive a competitive salary of **£22,571 per annum **plus **benefits**.

Established in 1999, **Next Link** is the leading provider of domestic abuse services to women and children in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. At Next Link we are committed to providing holistic, empowering and personalised support and advocacy to women and children experiencing domestic abuse. With a focus on survivors’ safety and recovery; we believe the provision of flexible support tailored to survivors’ needs can be transforming, helping to maximise independence and self-determination so survivors can make informed choices.

**In return for joining us, we will offer you**:

- Up to 30 days annual leave (depending on length of service)
- 3 extra holidays including International Women’s Day
- Excellent development and training opportunities
- Employer pension contribution (minimum 5% of your gross salary)
- Mindful Employer Plus Scheme
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Long Service Awards
- Wellness Awards
- Staff Recognition Awards
- Facility to Work from Home once fully trained

**About the **Female Children’s Community Worker role**:
We are looking for a Children’s Community Worker** **to join us and work within our dynamic, fast paced community outreach team, providing play sessions and 1-1 support to children who have experienced domestic abuse. This will be through both structured sessions and free play.

This post will work within an integrated team within Next Link Domestic abuse services based in Bristol.

**Key duties and responsibilities of our **Female Children’s Community Worker**:

- Working with children and young people (CYP) aged 0 - 17 who may have experienced or witnessed domestic violence and abuse and are supported in Next Link’s Resettlement and Community services.
- To provide a high-quality service and co-ordinated package of on-going emotional and practical support to CYP who are suffering effects from the trauma of, or have experienced domestic abuse
- To provide personal welfare support to CYP and to ensure that families in the safe house are provided with a safe, supportive and welcoming environment and to maximize the family’s safety when providing support in the community.
- To be responsible for co-ordinating and managing play and educational activities for children in the community. This includes weekend and holiday activities.
- To work with children and young people to help them to become integrated into a new or existing community including getting children placed in schools/nurseries and registered with doctors.
- Develop individual support plans for each child in service as required
- To provide support to women in promoting the mother/child relationship
- To help children begin the healing process of working through their traumatic experiences of domestic abuse and change.
- To help organise and supervise children’s activities during the day and after school as needed. These can be on and off the premises.
- To report child protection concerns or issues without question and to ensure that child welfare is ensured in accordance with Next Links Safeguarding Policies.
- Ensuring the confidentiality of client information is maintained, in accordance with Next Link’s Confidentiality Policy.
- Develop group work with children and young people and support the group work coordinator in delivery of groups.
- To provide personal welfare support to CYP and to ensure that children in families are safe, supportive and welcoming environment and to maximize the family’s safety and when the family move onto new homes ensuring the needs of the child are met.
- To develop positive, trusting relationships with CYP of all ages and work in a child focussed way.
- This is not an exhaustive list of your duties and outlines the general ways in which it is expected you will meet the overall requirements of this post._

**What we are looking for in our ideal **Female Children’s Community Worker**:

- The ability to build rapport quickly with women, children, and young people participating in the service
- The ability to work constructively with the parent/guardian and their children in order to foster their relationships
- Experience of providing support to young people and children under stress and who are vulnerable
- An understanding and awareness of the needs of women and children of all ages who have experienced domestic abuse
- An understanding and knowledge of child protection and safeguarding and the ability to work within national, local and organisational guidelines
- A current, full driving licence and access to a car is required for this role

**Closing date role**:9am on 5